Research & Strategy for the Social Economy
The Financial Forest
Analysis of 100+ organizations reveals seven financial archetypes, proving that sustainability follows different rules for different business models.
What The Data Reveals
Conventional nonprofit wisdom doesn't hold up to scrutiny
Revenue diversification shows minimal correlation with organizational success. Revenue stability, not variety, predicts health.
More than half of organizations are financially stressed with universal benchmarking, but stress looks different for different business models.
Distinct patterns emerged when organizations were grouped by financial characteristics rather than mission.
"Diversify your revenue." "Keep 3-6 months reserves." "Overhead under 15%." These mantras get repeated in boardrooms, but nobody was checking whether they could predict organizational success.
The Seven Archetypes
Financial health follows different rules for different business models
When grouped by financial characteristics rather than mission, seven distinct patterns emerge. Each archetype faces different risks, operates under different physics, and requires different evaluation criteria.
Services
Research-backed strategy for the social economy
Free Archetype Diagnostic
No Cost
Web-based tool identifying financial archetypes. Discover your archetype and screen for "root rot."
Take the Diagnostic →Portfolio Audit
Assessment
Deep-dive analysis of 10-20 grantees to identify misalignment between funding types and business models. Reduce portfolio risk.
Audit Your Portfolio →Grantee Cohorts
Strategy Program
6-session facilitated program for grantee cohorts that teaches organizations to manage their specific financial archetype. Data-backed and solution-oriented.
Start a Cohort →Speaking & Workshops
Keynotes & Sessions
Bring the Financial Forest research to your board, staff, or grantee network. Challenge conventional wisdom with data.
Book a Session →Analyzed
990 Data
Per Organization
Leadership
Research grounded in operational reality
This analysis combines MBA-level financial rigor with over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, including managing the full pilot program life cycle, analytics, operations, outcomes measurement, and senior leadership.
The methodology employs k-means clustering and statistical analysis while maintaining accessibility for nonprofit practitioners and funders alike.
About the research →