Join
Contact

Results from the 2025 Florida Nonprofits Survey

Date postedMarch 4, 2026
Posted By: Mike Donohue News for the Sector, Research,

Florida Nonprofit Alliance has released the results of the 2025 Florida Nonprofits Survey, presenting a detailed picture of a sector which remains deeply committed to serving communities across the state - even as the conditions under which nonprofits operate grows more challenging. 

Florida Nonprofit Alliance has conducted regular surveys of the Florida nonprofit sector since April 2020, beginning in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three reports in 2020 and annual check-ins in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 have provided ongoing insight into the sector’s strengths and the evolving challenges nonprofit organizations face. 

The 2025 survey, which collected responses from 1,082 nonprofits across the state, sheds light on how organizations fared during the calendar year across six major areas: programs, human resources, finances, fundraising, recent external events, and barriers to sustainability. 

Key findings of the 2025 report include:

Providing Programs is Getting Harder 

Charitable nonprofit organizations exist to provide programs and services to support their missions. These programs and services are key to their impact in every community in our state. However, providing those programs to meet the demand in a sustainable way became more difficult in 2025. 

 

Horizontal bar chart titled “Which of the following programmatic impacts is your organization currently experiencing?” showing the most common challenges reported by nonprofits. The most frequently cited impact is increased costs for recurring expenses (59.5%), followed by decreased fundraising for program expenses (39.8%), increased demand for services or support from clients and communities (33.9%), and challenges in finding program volunteers (32.8%). Smaller percentages report challenges finding program staff (18.1%), cancelled or reduced services (14.2%), demand for services not currently provided (14%), and sufficient program volunteers (12.8%). Less common responses include increased funding for program expenses (11.7%), none of the above (10.3%), sufficient program staff (8.1%), disruption of supplies or services from partners (5.8%), change in service delivery method (3.9%), decreased demand for services (3.9%), and other impacts (3.8%).



Nearly 60% of Florida nonprofits experienced increased costs for recurring expenses, while 40% raised less money for program expenses.  

At the same time, organizations reported increased demand for services, forcing many nonprofits to stretch already limited resources in order to continue supporting their communities. 

 

Nonprofit Staff and Volunteers Struggled More in 2025 Than in Recent Years

Horizontal bar chart titled “What changes to your staffing (paid and volunteer) have you experienced in 2025? Select all that apply.” The most common response is none of the above (31.6%). Among reported challenges, staff burnout (20.5%), board burnout (19.5%), volunteer absences (19.4%), and volunteer burnout (17.3%) are the most frequently cited. Other notable changes include changing work arrangements for staff and volunteers (16.2%), staff feeling effects on their mental health (15.7%), staff voluntary turnover or resignations (15.0%), and staff positions added (14.7%). Additional responses include workforce shortages or trouble filling open positions (13%), staff positions eliminated (7.8%), staff absences (6.9%), board members feeling effects on their mental health (5.8%), and staff layoffs or cuts (4.8%). Smaller percentages report volunteers feeling effects on their mental health (4.7%), staff benefits reductions (3.5%), staff pay cuts (2.9%), and other changes (2.6%).

 

The staff and volunteers that run nonprofit organizations and provide the programs and services are the backbone of those organizations. However, Staff and board burnout are at their highest levels since 2021, with 20% of organizations reporting board member burn out and 16% reporting staff experiencing mental health impacts. 

Financial Health Indicators are Slightly Improved from 2024 but Still Raise Red Flags About Long-Term Sustainability 


To evaluate the financial health of Florida nonprofits, Florida Nonprofit Alliance tracks three key indicators: unrestricted revenue, budget growth, and reserve funds.  

Some indicators improved slightly compared to 2024, but the survey results continue to highlight ongoing financial vulnerability within the sector: 

  • 27% of nonprofits report they are very concerned about increased expenses, and 23% report they are very concerned about reduced future funding.
  • Half of Florida nonprofits had a larger budget in 2025 than in 2024. 34% of those organizations reported providing more services, but 17% reported providing the same level or lower levels of services despite the budget increase, illustrating how increasing costs affect service delivery.
  • Two-thirds of nonprofits saw no increase in the unrestricted revenue, the funding that allows organizations to strategically prioritize their spending, pay staff, and invest in capacity.
  • 30% of respondents reported having no reserve funds at all. While this represents a 4% improvement from 2024, reserve funds are vital for long-term sustainability, providing financial cover for unexpected or major financial obligations. 

 

Fundraising Remains the Biggest Concern and Challenge for Florida Nonprofits 

Year after year, fundraising remains the greatest need and biggest challenge for nonprofit organizations in Florida. 

This year's results show that more than half of nonprofits did not raise more money in 2025 than they did in 2024, and when comparing what organizations expected to happen to their fundraising in 2025 with what actually occurred, they overestimated the success of new fundraising dollars by 5-13%. 

 

Donut chart titled “How did your fundraising activities in 2025 compare to your fundraising activities in 2024?” showing mixed fundraising outcomes among nonprofits. 28.5% report generating less income in 2025, 27.1% report generating approximately the same amount of income, and 24.6% report generating more income compared to 2024. Smaller portions indicate 11.5% do not fundraise, and 8.4% are unsure.

 

External Factors Are Adding Pressure 

About 30% of Florida nonprofits report that recent federal changes, decisions, or legislation have impeded their ability to provide programs and services. And while the 2025 hurricane season produced no direct hits to Florida, 12% of nonprofits reported they are still experiencing effects from the destructive 2024 season.  

 

Table titled “How concerned are you about the following issues in the next 12 months?” showing the percentage of nonprofit respondents who are not at all concerned, a little concerned, somewhat concerned, or very concerned about several issues. For increased expenses, 11.8% are not at all concerned, 30.1% are a little concerned, 30.9% are somewhat concerned, and 27.2% are very concerned. For the political climate, 37.1% are not at all concerned, 21.3% a little concerned, 17.1% somewhat concerned, and 24.6% very concerned. For reduced future funding (2026 and beyond), 20.8% are not at all concerned, 36.0% a little concerned, 20.1% somewhat concerned, and 23.1% very concerned. For loss of income or revenue, 23.9% are not at all concerned, 36.0% a little concerned, 18.7% somewhat concerned, and 21.4% very concerned. For increased need for services, 27.5% are not at all concerned, 30.5% a little concerned, 22.4% somewhat concerned, and 19.6% very concerned. For cash flow, 22.7% are not at all concerned, 34.1% a little concerned, 23.9% somewhat concerned, and 19.2% very concerned. For volunteer availability, 36.0% are not at all concerned, 34.8% a little concerned, 19.0% somewhat concerned, and 10.2% very concerned. For reduced ability to provide programming, 39.6% are not at all concerned, 34.8% a little concerned, 15.8% somewhat concerned, and 9.8% very concerned. For employee and staff health and wellbeing, 41.3% are not at all concerned, 29.6% a little concerned, 20.1% somewhat concerned, and 9.0% very concerned. For finding and retaining board members, 45.7% are not at all concerned, 27.5% a little concerned, 18.0% somewhat concerned, and 8.8% very concerned.


The 2025 Florida Nonprofits Survey Report also includes a regional analysis of survey results, allowing readers to explore trends and challenges across different parts of Florida. 

The report concludes with practical ways nonprofit leaders, funders, elected officials, and community partners can use the data when working together to strengthen the nonprofit sector. 

View The Full Report Here


Thank you to Wells Fargo for generously sponsoring this research. 
 

Categories

Most Recent Posts