Still Showing Up: The Nonprofit Sector’s Quiet Strength

I spent the beginning of this week at the Oregon Nonprofit Leaders Conference hosted by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. I was surrounded by people doing incredible, necessary work across Oregon’s communities. It was energizing to be in a space so full of purpose and passion. And yet, underneath the inspiration, there was something else, something heavier.

A quiet question seemed to echo through the sessions and conversations: How do we keep going when the road ahead has become unclear?

The truth is, the nonprofit sector is being stretched from all sides.
– Funding models are shifting.
– Donor behavior is evolving.
– Staff capacity is thin.
– Board engagement can feel like an uphill climb.
– And across all of it, the needs in our communities are only growing.

These aren’t abstract ideas. They were present in every conversation—voiced with honesty, frustration, and care. The tension between doing more and having less. The pressure to meet rising demand with the same (or fewer) resources.

Yet even in the heaviness, I noticed something else: Movement. Intention. Hope.

I heard stories of organizations rethinking their board structures—not just to meet best practices, but to actually distribute leadership and create space for deeper engagement. Yes! I saw teams reimagining their staffing models for more sustainability and shared leadership. Here for it! I heard about nonprofits combining forces—co-locating, sharing resources, aligning missions—to meet needs in more efficient and coordinated ways. Done and done!

There were no perfect solutions. But there were endless possibilities.

Despite the weight of uncertainty, what stood out to me most was the conviction. The clarity in the room that this work still matters. That it’s worth fighting for.

Leaders are having more intentional conversations with donors, not shying away from the reality of what it takes to do this work well. Organizations are choosing collaboration over competition and innovation even when it slows inertia. And people—good, passionate, grounded people—are still showing up.

That gives me hope.

I left the conference feeling deeply grateful for Oregon’s nonprofit sector: full of people who care, who stretch, who adapt, who lead. The path forward may not be easy or clear, but if this week was any indication, we’re in good hands.

Let’s keep showing up for them.