Research Findings
Seven financial archetypes, each with different survival patterns
Analysis of 1,248 nonprofits across ten U.S. markets reveals that success follows different rules for different business models.
Key Findings
What the data reveals about nonprofit financial health
Consistent revenue predicts organizational health 7x more powerfully than revenue diversity.
41% of organizations across ten markets show at least one root rot stress indicator. A universal five-point scorecard places three in four below funder expectations — a gap driven entirely by the absence of archetype context.
The same seven archetypes emerged independently across all ten U.S. markets. These are structural patterns, not artifacts of a single local ecosystem.
Archetype is not destiny. It is context. Every archetype has thriving, striving, and stressed organizations. Success depends on understanding and navigating archetype-specific vulnerabilities rather than which category you belong to.
I completely feel like this addresses the challenges of every nonprofit organization and fundraising/leadership employee. You address actual problems, and I found it relieving to actually read what you had to say and relate it to what I was feeling for the many years I spent in development/fundraising. You spoke to me!
— Stacy P.
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Get the Field Guide →The Seven Archetypes
Select an archetype to explore its characteristics, performance patterns, and what distinguishes thrivers from those who struggle.
Archetype Comparison
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