Research & Strategy for the Social Economy
The Financial Forest
Analysis of 1,248 organizations across ten 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
Revenue diversification shows minimal correlation with organizational success. Revenue stability, not variety, predicts health.
Measured against standard funder criteria, three in four nonprofits fall short of thriving — but what drives success varies by archetype.
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.
Bearings by The Financial Forest
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.
Currently onboarding fractional CFOs, accounting firm leaders, and funders through the Advisory Panel while general availability is built out.
What I Do
One body of research, three ways to put it to work
Research
Original analysis of 1,248 nonprofits across ten 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. Orientations and collaborative workshops bring the framework to leaders and their teams. Both exist to help others do more elevated, better-grounded work.
See tools and education →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 →