Research & Strategy for the Social Economy
The Financial Forest
Analysis of 1,648 organizations across twelve U.S. markets reveals seven financial archetypes. The data shows that sustainability follows different rules for different business models.
Foundation, bank, or institutional funder? See how funders work with the research →
What The Data Reveals
Conventional nonprofit wisdom doesn't hold up to scrutiny
Across 1,648 organizations, how concentrated revenue is shows no measurable relationship with how fast an organization grows, and no clearer relationship with financial strain. Breadth of funding is not what separates the organizations that hold up. What is worth watching varies by archetype.
Nearly one in three organizations changed financial archetype during the three-year study window. Financial structure is less stable than boardroom wisdom assumes, which makes a single-year read of any organization a weaker foundation than it looks.
Distinct patterns emerged when organizations were grouped by financial characteristics rather than mission. Two food banks can sit in different archetypes; a food bank and a theater can share one.
"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.
The framework, instrumented.
We supply the distribution. The advisor supplies the diagnosis. Bearings turns the seven-archetype framework into a working benchmarking instrument: peer comparison curves, not scores or traffic lights, so the professional judgment stays with the person reading the data.
14 days, real data, three client organizations, no credit card required.
What I Do
One body of research, three ways to put it to work
Research
Original analysis of 1,648 nonprofits across twelve markets, organized into seven financial archetypes drawn from how organizations actually operate. The findings are open to explore, and the agenda is open to help shape.
Explore the research →Tools & Education
Bearings turns the research into a benchmarking instrument practitioners use directly. Archetype workbooks put it in a form your team can work through on its own, and orientations and workshops bring the framework to leaders and their teams. All of it exists to help others do more elevated, better-grounded work.
Explore the workbooks →Advisory & Project Work
Direct engagements for organizations and funders in market feasibility, fundraising and grantmaking strategy, and impact storytelling. Strategic advisory through The Financial Forest, and bespoke project work through Segura Strategy Group.
See advisory and project work →Analyzed
Studied
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 →
Get the Primer
A 10-page introduction to all seven archetypes and how to read them, so you can find the one that fits your organization.
On the archetype model behind it