Resources · Blog archive
The Resilia blog
Guides and perspectives for funders and nonprofits from the Resilia blog archive — strategic planning, fundraising, boards, trust-based philanthropy and capacity building.
March 27, 2026
Resilia Acquires Lightful’s BRIDGE Program
Let's talk about what this means for your grantees. Our Director of Partnerships, Miles Smith, is happy to walk you through what the BRIDGE program can do for your portfolio — and how it fits into Resilia's broader capacity-building ecosystem.
November 17, 2025
Why Your Foundation’s Institutional Memory Matters More Than Ever
Every foundation carries knowledge that took years to accumulate—insight developed through partnership, experimentation, reflection, and relationship. It’s the reasoning behind strategic pivots, the context behind funding decisions, and the history of what has worked … and what has not. Our new gu
November 15, 2025
Making Impact Visible: The Strategic Storytelling Support Nonprofits Need Most
Nonprofits work tirelessly to make the world a better place, serving their communities, raising vital funds, and reporting on impact. Yet in the midst of this hard work, many miss a key ingredient that could amplify their mission: storytelling. Without it, their commitment and impact can remain unse
October 24, 2025
Executive Leadership Insights: Navigating Challenges in Nonprofit Leadership
Insights from Resilia's Unstuck AMA Series Panel Discussion About This Session Resilia brought together three experienced Executive Directors—Cheryl Wadlington (The Evoluer House), Kim Jones (Montgomery County Black Collective), and Tina LaRoche (Camp Holiday Trails)—for a candid conver
September 13, 2025
Unlock Strategic Insights Hidden in Your Current Portfolio Data
Picture this: You are preparing for a criminal justice reform summit and everyone is looking to you for data driven insights around pretrial and reentry programs based on your years of funding criminal justice reform. How do you find those insights? How do you show the evidence behind the
August 13, 2025
How to Answer Nonprofits' Biggest Capacity Request
You've built solid systematic capacity approaches—organizational assessments, multi-year grants, regular check-ins on organizational health. That's no small feat, and your grantees have benefited tremendously. But here's what we've been hearing in our conversations with nonprofits: all of this good
August 13, 2025
3 Ways to Start Supporting Capacity Building
Ready to strengthen your grantees but not sure where to begin? We get it. The idea of adding "capacity building" to your foundation's work can feel like opening a floodgate—more complexity, more staff time, more budget questions from your board. Here's what we've learned from foundations
July 31, 2025
Get Systems-Ready with Capacity Building Infrastructure
Your foundation has strong relationships with its grantees and understands the critical importance of organizational development. Now you’re faced with understanding the challenges nonprofits face, but not able to deploy a streamlined approach to support them. Program officers want to
July 17, 2025
Closing the Gap Between Vision and Practice for Responsive Grantmaking
Insights from a recent grantmaker workshop reveal the challenges and aspirations of today's foundation leaders Making the transition from traditional, long-standing grantmaking to responsive, trust-based approaches we know our communities need isn’t simple or straightforward. During our
November 10, 2023
Maximizing Giving Tuesday: A 5-Step Guide for Nonprofit Success
Giving Tuesday is one of the biggest days of the year for nonprofits! Since Giving Tuesday started in 2012, it's become a big moment for nonprofits to highlight their missions, raise donations, and gain new supporters. If you're wondering whether or not it's worth the effort, the numbers say it all
August 21, 2023
Cultivating Equitable Grantmaking Practices through Trust-Based Philanthropy
By: Sasha Metcalf, Ph.D., Senior Research & Learning Manager, Resilia This year, Philanthropy Ohio and Resilia have partnered to provide capacity-building resources to nonprofits and community partners in Ohio. At Resilia, we support funders who trust their grantees to know what help
July 28, 2023
Surviving the Storm: How Funders Can Support Nonprofits Amidst Economic Uncertainty
By: Kate Sheahan McElroy, Research & Learning Manager, Resilia In the realm of nonprofit sustenance, the responsibility doesn't solely lie on the shoulders of individual organizations. Especially during challenging times, unwavering support from the philanthropic sector becomes an indispen
June 30, 2023
Black-led Nonprofits: Reflections and Actions for Funders
Juneteenth holds a profound significance in recognizing the journey to freedom, reflecting on the past, and understanding the ongoing struggle for racial equity. This observance offers a chance to celebrate progress and acknowledge that the path toward equality and justice still stretches far ahead.
May 26, 2023
How Nonprofits Can Enhance Their Online Donations
Fundraising for your nonprofit is a complex process that requires time, energy, and strategy. However, the supporters' donation process to your organization should be simple. This blog post outlines three tips that can enhance your online fundraising. 1. Add a Donation Link to Your Non
May 19, 2023
Unlocking the Power of Committees: How Nonprofits Can Maximize Impact with Ad Hoc Committees
Streamline efforts and maximize impact with ad-hoc implementation of standing committees. Create influential board member roles for actionable outcomes.
May 10, 2023
How Funders Can Better Equip Grassroots Nonprofits to Diversify Their Revenue
Most funders already understand the importance of supporting nonprofits with capacity-building resources "beyond the grant" to help them achieve their mission. But where do you begin as a funder with many areas to focus on? One clear area of focus is fundraising. While receivi
April 27, 2023
4 Steps to a Successful Fundraising Strategy for BIPOC-led Organizations
According to a report by Echoing Green , over the last 20 years, only 10% of philanthropic capital has gone to people of color, while Black-led organizations receive 76% less in unrestricted net assets than their white counterparts. So when it comes to receiving funding that can support and sustain
April 21, 2023
How to Market Your Nonprofit on LinkedIn
Nonprofit organizations always need more resources for marketing and ways to promote their cause. With the increasing popularity of social media platforms, there are now more affordable and effective ways to market a nonprofit than ever before. LinkedIn, in particular, has become a powerful tool for
April 10, 2023
Should You Start a Nonprofit? Pros and Cons of Taking the Plunge
Are you looking to make a meaningful impact in your community? Starting a nonprofit could be the answer you're looking for! Creating an organization dedicated to a specific cause can rally like-minded individuals toward a common goal and bring real change. Whether you're passionate about social ju
April 5, 2023
The Art of Fundraising: Parallels Between Business and Nonprofit Fundraising Strategies
When Sevetri Wilson, Founder and CEO of Resilia, worked as a nonprofit management consultant, she saw firsthand the challenges nonprofits faced in building capacity, securing funding, and demonstrating impact. But she also saw an opportunity to help these organizations in a new way – through technol
March 30, 2023
How Funders Can Better Support BIPOC-Led and Serving Nonprofits by Leveraging Trust and Technology
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led and serving nonprofits encounter serious barriers due to limited funding, inadequate infrastructure, and years of underinvestment. It's time for a new approach to philanthropy. This blog post will delve into the significance of a trust
March 21, 2023
Beyond Grants: Innovative Ways Funders Can Support BIPOC-Led Nonprofits
While traditional grantmaking is critical, funders seeking to create meaningful change should think beyond grants to support nonprofits, particularly grassroots and BIPOC-led organizations. The fact remains that the funding gap between BIPOC-led nonprofits and their white-led counterparts remains si
March 16, 2023
A Coming of Age in Philanthropy
By: Sevetri Wilson , Founder and CEO, Resilia Today, on my birthday, I sat down to share reflections on the journey that has brought me to this moment in time, and to my work with Resilia. People have often asked me, “how”? “How does someone who comes from where you come from g
March 14, 2023
Trust in Action: Resilia's Trust-Based Philanthropy Principles and Best Practices
Resilia's mission has always been to strengthen and lift nonprofit organizations, giving particular attention to those that have been historically underserved. We recognize that certain practices in philanthropy have disproportionately impacted grassroots nonprofits and those led by people of color,
March 2, 2023
A Complete Guide to Nonprofit Storytelling
As a nonprofit founder, telling stories about your work, impact, and community is critical to forwarding your organization's mission. Effective storytelling has the ability to inspire action, build strong connections, and create lasting change. But crafting a compelling story can be challenging, p
February 16, 2023
3 Steps to Strategic Planning for Your Nonprofit
If you run a nonprofit, you have minimal time and a lot on your plate. Effective strategic planning can maximize your time and resources, and building your strategic plan doesn't have to be a burden. This blog post outlines three steps to make the process simple! Benefits of Strategic
February 1, 2023
How Funders Can Leverage Technology to Support BIPOC-led Nonprofits
BIPOC-led nonprofits often provide vital services and resources for marginalized communities, yet they face significant barriers to accessing funding and resources. However, with the right tools, BIPOC-led nonprofits can increase their effectiveness and impact. This blog post will discuss
January 26, 2023
How to Choose the Right Nonprofit Board of Directors Members
To ensure a strong foundation for your nonprofit, it’s essential to create an engaged board of directors. But where do you start? From finding talented individuals who can support your mission to managing their responsibilities effectively, this blog post will walk you through the most
January 18, 2023
4 Ways Funders Can Streamline the Grant Application Process for Grassroots Nonprofits
Securing grants is vital to the success of every nonprofit. However, for grassroots nonprofits, which face many unique challenges, securing grants can make or break organizations that offer critical support to marginalized communities. Historically, nonprofits have been burdened by cumber
January 4, 2023
7 Steps to Write a Nonprofit Business Plan
Ensure your nonprofit success by following our steps to creating a strong business plan. It will help you get your organization started in the right way.
December 15, 2022
4 Key Steps to Guide Entrepreneurs in Setting Up a Nonprofit
Get your New Year's Resolution off to a great start by exploring how to set up a Nonprofit. Our guide provides the 4 key steps you need for success!
September 27, 2022
Black-Led Nonprofit Challenges and How Funders Can Best Help
Check out the key insights from the discussion, which centered around ways funders can build trust-based relationships and best support Black-led nonprofits.
July 20, 2022
Funders Discuss How to Advance Trust-based Capacity Building
Check out the takeaways of this inspiring conversation and gain insights on how funders are deploying capacity-building strategies with Resilia’s support.
August 28, 2017
Can Non-Profits Donate to Political Campaigns?
What would happen to an organization’s executive director if he or she promotes or opposes one candidate over another while in his or her official capacity?
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