Power To Give Annual Charity Partner Survey 2024

Here are the top ten skillsets our charity partners want to focus on in the coming year, as they work to grow as leaders and build sustainable social impact organizations.

• Effective Communication Skills
  • Communicating clearly and impactfully in various environments (Board, stakeholders, community, teams) and simplifying ideas in informal settings.
• Fundraising & Securing Resources
  • Enhancing the ability to ask for and secure funding, strengthen donor relationships, and make larger asks.
• Conflict Management & Difficult Conversations
  • Managing conflicts and having difficult conversations, especially about performance and differing values.
• Strategic Planning & Visioning
  • Developing confidence in strategic planning, aligning teams around a shared vision, and improving long-term decision-making.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Empowering and motivating teams, fostering ownership, and growing leadership potential within the organization.
• Negotiation Skills
  • Improving negotiation skills for partnerships, collaboration, and advocating for shared goals.
• Governance & Board Dynamics
  • Strengthening governance skills to guide high-performing boards and facilitate effective board participation.
• Emotional Intelligence & Adaptability
  • Building emotional intelligence to connect with teams and stakeholders, and adapting to complex situations.
• Time & Priority Management
  • Enhancing time management skills, setting realistic expectations, and balancing priorities effectively.
• Cross-Cultural Communication & Competency
  • Fostering cultural competency and strengthening communication skills in diverse, cross-cultural settings.

Power To Give Annual Charity Partner Survey 2024

The top ten challenges managed by our charity leaders last year make it clear that our friend Dan Pallotta is correct: charities face the same challenges as for-profit businesses (with more strings attached).

• Funding Constraints
  • Limited funding hinders growth, program delivery, and the ability to meet rising demand.
• Staffing Shortages and Turnover
  • High turnover and difficulty recruiting skilled staff affect program effectiveness and stability.
• Capacity Limitations
  • Limited resources and staff prevent organizations from scaling or delivering services effectively.
• Sustainability of Funding
  • Dependence on short-term funding makes long-term planning and growth uncertain.
• Community Engagement and Partnership Challenges
  • Building strong, lasting partnerships is difficult due to capacity issues, leadership changes, and differing priorities.
• Inadequate Infrastructure and Space
  • Lack of facilities or infrastructure to support projects delays progress and reduces impact.
• Leadership Transitions and Succession Planning
  • Leadership changes create instability and disrupt long-term goals and strategies.
• Program Scalability and Delivery Limitations
  • Resource constraints limit the ability to scale or deliver programs, particularly in-person.
• Cultural and Political Barriers
  • Cultural or political challenges can impede program success, especially in marginalized communities.
• Evaluation and Impact Measurement
  • Lack of evaluation capacity prevents organizations from measuring and demonstrating long-term impact.

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Being a strong leader means looking ahead, planning for success and anticipating where the road bumps will be. Here are the top ten risks our charity partners are planning for now.

• Lack of Funding and Resources
  • Insufficient or flucuating financial support limits program deliver, staff retention, and operations.
• Staffing Challenges
  • Shortage of qualified staff, high turnover, and burnout can reduce program quality and stability.
• Sustainability of Funding
  • Over-reliance on short-term funding risks long-term program sustainability.
• Community Engagement and Participation
  • Low participation or engagement from target communities can undermine program effectiveness.
• Staff Morale and Burnout
  • Low morale and emotional exhaustion, especially in high-stress roles, can lead to high turnover and reduced productivity.
• Operational and Logistical Disruptions
  • Unexpected disruptions (e.g., facility issues, construction delays) can hinder program execution.
• Capacity Limitations
  • Lack of resources or infrastructure to scale programs can result in overextension and declining quality.
• Leadership and Succession Planning
  • Changes in leadership or lack of succession planning can destabilize operations and strategic direction.
• Economic and External Factors
  • Economic downturns or political shifts can impact funding, priorities, and long-term viability.
• Cultural Barriers and Inclusion
  • Failing to address cultural sensitivities can damage trust and limit program participation, especially in marginalized communities.

About Irfhan

An experienced Board Director and Chair, Irfhan is a powerhouse leader, advisor, entrepreneur and visionary. As Managing Partner with Relay Ventures he manages US$700MM in venture capital assets. As Managing Partner with Realize Capital Partners he manages $135MM in social finance funds from the Government of Canada.