Vannessa LindseyFounder & CEO at Nonprofit Transformers | 40+ Years in Nonprofit Leadership | Helping Organizations Build Sustainable Funding & Growth Systems

The Shift in Nonprofit Funding: Why the Old Way Isn't Working #Shorts

12 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this YouTube Short, Vannessa Lindsey reflects on how nonprofit funding has evolved. She explains that, when she first started her nonprofit, funding was relatively predictable: doing good work, building steady relationships, and maintaining consistency would naturally lead to grants, contracts, and donor support. However, she notes that the funding landscape has gradually shifted over time—not abruptly—so many organizations that continued operating as before have missed the change. The segment serves as a warning that nonprofits need to recognize and adapt to this evolving environment.

Chapters

So now let's talk about, however, what's changed because the landscape has changed. Because years ago when I first started my nonprofit, the way nonprofits got funding was, it was pretty straightforward. You did good work, you built relationships, you stayed consistent, and over time funding would come. You get your grants, you get your contracts, you get your donors, and people would hear about you, right? But something has shifted and it didn't happen overnight. So a lot of people missed it because they were just doing things as usual, and it just happened little by little by little.