The burdens faced by nonprofits applying for foundational support are increasingly acknowledged by practitioners, funders and other sectoral bodies. Attempts have been made to reduce these demands through common applications, structured sets of questions allowing simultaneous access to multiple funders. A recent case study of one such form reveals how the consequences of its attempts to redress inequality through reducing nonprofits' administrative burden are shaped by the choices of both the taskforce and funders, and thus by their underlying organizational values and external pressures. These findings are theorized through an analytical model which (i) demonstrates the centrality of funder and taskforce choices for nonprofit consequences; (ii) reveals the corresponding inescapable power hierarchy within the application process; and (iii) translates the concept of organizational compassionate bureaucracy from the individual to the collective level. Funders are encouraged to respond with such compassion, supported by taskforces, academics and policy-makers.
Practitioner Points
What is currently known about the subject matter
○ Research has already revealed the power imbalance in funder-nonprofit relationships.
○ This makes it harder for nonprofits, who are often overburdened with administration.
○ Attempts are being made to redress this, including through common applications.
○ There is little understanding of the implications of common applications.
What your paper adds to this:
○ A common application does not necessarily reduce nonprofits' administrative burden.
○ The decisions of funders and the taskforce are crucial in shaping their outcomes.
○ Internal values and the wider environment may influence funder and taskforce decisions.
○ What is in the best interests of nonprofits may not match what funders want.
The implications of your study findings for practitioners:
○ To help nonprofits, funders need to adopt a collective “compassionate bureaucracy.”
○ This means choosing in favor of nonprofits, even if this makes things harder for funders.
○ Taskforces and the wider sector need to help funders to do this.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)