Republished with permission from Ile Kimoyo.
This past year has been intensely challenging for our communities and nonprofits—a time of increased danger, reduced resources, and extreme uncertainty about what’s next.
In order to understand the impact of recent federal and state policy and budget changes on our nonprofits and communities, we worked with consultant Annie Laurie Armstrong, an independent evaluator, to conduct a statewide survey of nonprofit community leaders.
Based on the survey findings, Ile Kimoyo created a November 2025 report titled Voices from Our Communities: Understanding the Impact of Policy and Budget Changes, which synthesizes important perspectives from nonprofit leaders across Washington state.
Our intention with this survey process and report was to center community perspectives and support nonprofit leaders. We hope that this effort and related follow-up gatherings will help leaders feel connected to each other, find encouragement in mutual support, and gain insight into the collective impact of recent changes. We also hope that leaders will be able to use the data to make the case for support, or in any other way that is helpful.
The survey responses paint a clear picture. Asked to “Rate the impact of the recent changes in Federal and State policies and/or related budget cuts on your community”, 95% of leaders rated the impact as negative (73.3% rated it “extremely negative” and 21.7% rated it “somewhat negative”).
Reflections from numerous leaders convey the severity and urgency of what our communities are experiencing:
- “We are being forced to choose between turning families away or stretching our resources beyond what is feasible.”
- “People feel less secure about their futures, more stressed about day-to-day survival and increasingly uncertain about their place in systems that are supposed to support them.”
- “Immigration policy changes and the persecution that is taking place is creating a lot of anxiety and fear and loss.”
The stress of responding to elevated community challenges with limited resources takes a serious toll on the well-being of our leaders. And we know that there is a clear connection between leader wellness and the capacity of nonprofits to sustain vital services over the long term.
In reviewing survey data, our consultant summarized themes that emerged in the responses:
- The impact of recent changes in federal and state policies and funding has been devastating on communities, organizations, and community leaders.
- Community leaders report that they are working in a climate of stress and uncertainty.
- Organizations are struggling to stay afloat and grappling daily with the ways that funding cuts harm the well-being of communities and community leaders.
- Many community leaders described their funding streams as unpredictable, which makes long-term planning nearly impossible.
In November 2025, we convened with nonprofit leaders from across the state to review the survey results, explore next steps, and discuss how the findings can be used on behalf of our communities.
In early 2026, we will meet with funders to share the report, as part of our ongoing efforts to catalyze urgently-needed funding. In our intermediary role, Ile Kimoyo will convey the voices and champion the priorities of community leaders. We want to equip funders with clear data that they can use to justify and mobilize increased support.
This first survey established a baseline, and we plan to carry out a follow-up survey later in 2026. This will ensure that the evolving experiences of community leaders are heard, and that their voices and concerns continue to guide and inform our work and advocacy efforts.
The report is available here.