SWAN (Strategic Workforce & Arts Network) Blog

One of SWAN's core missions is helping nonprofit organizations stay informed, connected, and engaged in the public policy decisions that affect our work. Advocacy is not an optional part of nonprofit leadership. It is one of the ways we protect our missions and the communities we serve. That's why we're encouraging every Pennsylvania nonprofit to participate in National OMB Call-In Day today. The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), together with the National Council of Nonprofits and nonprofit organizations across the country, is asking nonprofit leaders, board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters to contact Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation regarding the Office of Management and Budget's proposed overhaul of the Uniform Guidance , the federal regulations that govern grants and cooperative agreements. Why This Matters Whether your organization receives federal funding directly, receives pass-through funding from another agenc...

Earlier today, my significant other sent me an article that left me resisting the urge to say, "I told you so." For months, he's been predicting that charitable giving would plummet. I've been arguing exactly the opposite: that individual giving would increase, and in some cases dramatically. Now, one of us is named Noah and ought to be better at prognostication. On the other hand, we live in Pennsylvania, where we let a groundhog predict the weather, so perhaps the bar isn't quite as high as we'd like to think. The article reported that charitable giving reached a record $617 billion in 2025, even as many nonprofit organizations continue to grapple with reductions in federal funding and ongoing uncertainty about what public support will look like in the years ahead. To me, this wasn't surprising, as I've believed for quite some time that people "vote" with their wallets. When government funding becomes uncertain, people who care deeply abo...

One of the benefits of participating in nonprofit resource-sharing groups on social media is that every so often someone shares an idea that makes you stop and rethink how we approach our work. Recently, a member shared an article arguing that many nonprofit organizations spend so much time focusing on traditional grants that they overlook another valuable source of support: direct giving programs offered by businesses. Whether they're called community giving, local grants, charitable partnerships, product donations, sponsorships, software donations, or employee volunteer programs, these opportunities often receive far less attention than government or foundation funding. The article made an important point that deserves a closer look. When many nonprofit leaders hear the word grant , they immediately think about lengthy applications, detailed budgets, extensive attachments, months of waiting, and fierce competition. Those opportunities are important and can be transformational, bu...

Sunday mornings used to have a familiar rhythm. Before smartphones, social media, and the endless scroll of breaking news, many families started the day with a pot of coffee and a newspaper spread across the kitchen table. I can still picture my grandfather, Carl Allen, Jr., handing me the "funny papers" before he went on to read every section from front to back. The headlines sparked conversations, editorials prompted debates, and local reporting connected people to the communities where they lived. As someone who spent years working in journalism before moving into nonprofit leadership, I still believe that quality local journalism is one of the cornerstones of a healthy community. It informs citizens, holds institutions accountable, celebrates local successes, and gives voice to people whose stories might otherwise go untold. Unfortunately, local journalism has faced enormous challenges over the past two decades. Newsrooms have shrunk, newspapers have closed, and many comm...

Today, the Strategic Workforce & Arts Network of Pennsylvania (SWAN) is launching a new recurring blog series: SWAN Advocacy Alert . Unlike our regular features, Monday Matters and Funding Friday , SWAN Advocacy Alert will be published as needed whenever an issue arises that could significantly affect nonprofit organizations, arts organizations, community groups, or the people they serve. Our goal is simple: to help nonprofit leaders stay informed, understand what's happening, and identify practical ways to advocate for meaningful change. Sometimes that may involve explaining proposed legislation or regulatory changes. Other times, it may mean highlighting funding issues, public policy developments, accessibility concerns, or opportunities for nonprofit organizations to make their voices heard. Advocacy isn't just about contacting elected officials. It's about educating decision-makers, engaging with the media, building relationships, and ensuring that the voices of ...

This week, my CFRE certificate finally arrived in the mail. After months of studying, preparing, and sitting for the exam, it was rewarding to hold the certificate in my hands. As someone who has spent years working alongside nonprofits, donors, volunteers, and community partners, earning the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential represents an important professional milestone. Then I noticed something. The certificate had been bent in shipping on its journey from CFRE International 's headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. If you know me, you know I'm a little detail-oriented. Actually, let's be honest. I'm detail obsessed. For a brief moment, I found myself focusing more on the crease than on what the certificate represented. It was a good reminder of something I think many nonprofit professionals experience. We can become so focused on the small imperfections that we lose sight of the larger accomplishment. The same thing happens in fundraising. A donor dat...