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During AAFCPAs’ recent Nonprofit Seminar (April 2026), Courtney McFarland, CPA, MSA, 340B Apexus Certified Expert™, Partner; Liz Cahn, Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant, Cahn Consulting; and Kim McCormick, President, McCormick Group, led a candid discussion for more than 530 nonprofit leaders navigating a rapidly changing funding environment.
Nonprofit organizations are operating in a different landscape than even a few years ago. Funding streams are less predictable, donor behavior is shifting, and demand for services continues to grow. In response, many organizations are working to identify new sources of support—new donors, new partners, new opportunities—often under increasing pressure to act quickly.
Rather than looking outward first, the panel focused on how organizations can take a more deliberate view of the relationships already around them—donors, funders, partners, and peers—and consider how those connections contribute to long-term sustainability. When approached with intention, existing relationships can be viewed as part of a broader system that supports both mission delivery and financial resilience.
Why Existing Donor Relationships Matter
When funding conditions begin to tighten, the instinct to look outward is understandable. New grant opportunities, new donor lists, and new partnerships can feel like the most immediate path forward, especially when timelines are compressed and pressure is rising.
What often gets less attention is the set of relationships already in place. Consider that many nonprofits are working with a base of long-standing supporters, donors, and peer organizations that know the mission well and have engaged over time. Yet these connections are not always approached with the same level of intentionality. Communication can become routine—updates, appeals, event invitations—rather than an ongoing dialogue that deepens understanding and trust.
In that environment, relationships can begin to take on a transactional shape. Support flows in, acknowledgments go out, and the connection remains steady but largely unchanged. Over time, this limits what those relationships can support. Flexibility narrows. Opportunities to expand, adapt, or respond to change become harder to realize simply because they have not been fully developed.
A different perspective begins by focusing closer to home. The individuals and organizations already connected to your work represent a significant source of insight and alignment along with potential. They understand the mission, have seen its impact, and often have a broader view of the landscape. Engaging with them in a more substantive way—through open, unscripted conversations about priorities, challenges, and direction—may surface opportunities that are not immediately visible through transactional engagement alone.
In this context, a question surfaces: how are existing relationships understood, developed, and integrated into the organization’s broader approach to sustainability.
Building a Sustainable Fundraising Strategy
A more deliberate approach begins by stepping back and viewing relationships collectively rather than separately. Donors, funders, peer organizations, and potential partners are often engaged through different channels and with different objectives, yet they draw on many of the same underlying dynamics—trust, alignment, and a shared understanding of the work.
When these relationships are viewed together, a different picture emerges. Instead of a series of individual interactions, they begin to function as a portfolio—one that can be strengthened, diversified, and managed over time. This perspective allows leadership teams to consider not only how relationships are maintained but also how they contribute to overall capacity, stability, and growth.
In practice, that shift often brings attention back to the fundamentals. Building stronger philanthropic support is less a matter of introducing new tactics as it is continuing the work of developing relationships over time. The same holds true for partnerships. Both require ongoing engagement, clear communication, and a willingness to invest time without immediate return. These efforts do not always register in short-term metrics but can shape how organizations are positioned when opportunities arise or conditions change.
That time horizon is an important consideration. Relationships that support long-term stability are rarely established in response to immediate need. Instead, they reflect sustained engagement—conversations that extend beyond transactions, an understanding of what matters to the individuals and organizations involved, and a track record that builds credibility over time. When that foundation is in place, nonprofit organizations have more flexibility in how to respond to change with a broader set of options available.
The alternative can be more limiting. When decisions are deferred or conversations are delayed, nonprofit leaders may find themselves moving forward with fewer choices and less flexibility. At that point, the focus shifts from selecting among options to responding within constraints.
For leadership teams, the question becomes more immediate and more practical: how are existing relationships being developed today, and where is deeper alignment already within reach. When that work is ongoing, nonprofit organizations are better positioned to move with clarity and choice, supported by relationships that continue to grow in value over time.
Putting This Into Practice: Nonprofit Leadership
AAFCPAs partners with complex nonprofit organizations to navigate funding structures, regulatory requirements, and operational demands. Through audit, tax, outsourced accounting, fractional CFO, and advisory services, we help you gain a more complete understanding of how resources flow across your organization and where risks or opportunities may emerge. Our multidisciplinary team brings extensive sector experience and insight to support stronger reporting, more informed planning, and thoughtful decision-making to help clients sustain and scale their mission.
These insights were contributed by Courtney McFarland, CPA, MSA, 340B Apexus Certified Expert™.
Questions? Reach out to our author directly or your AAFCPAs partner.
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