November 6, 2025
Supporting Nonprofit Sector Health Through Programming for Staff Wellbeing
Over the last five years, the nonprofit sector in the United States has faced incredible challenges. Nonprofits worked through the COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting service delivery to safely meet increased demands while simultaneously responding to funding changes and loss of nonprofit staff. Currently, nonprofits are responding to unprecedented disruptions in funding from government sources, including federal agencies, while anticipating increased demands in services.
With increased demand for services and less funding to meet those demands, nonprofit staff are stretched thin. Nonprofit leaders are concerned about overwork leading to staff burnout, citing burnout and stress as a key cause of workforce shortages. When staff are overworked and burnout, the ability of nonprofits to meet their missions is threatened. How can the nonprofit sector strengthen the wellbeing of nonprofit workers to ensure the longevity of the sector?
One actionable way to support nonprofit staff is through wellbeing programming. As part of the National Council of Nonprofit's capacity-building initiative called Leading from Strength, the NCN carried out the Thrive program for its member network of state and regional associations of nonprofits between July 31, 2023, and December 31, 2024. Thrive is a microgrant program available to all NCN member organizations to support activities intended to improve staff wellbeing. All NCN member organizations were eligible for Thrive, with each organization receiving $500 per full-time equivalent staff member, up to $4000 per organization.
NCN conducted an analysis of the Thrive program to understand the impact that funding for well-being had on participating member organizations (read the full report). We found that investing in staff wellness is an investment in the health of the nonprofit sector, and these investments are best when flexible and individualized to meet staff’s unique needs.
Improving Staff Wellbeing is an Investment in the Health of the Nonprofit Sector
Our analysis of the Thrive program finds that wellbeing activities can have a meaningful and long-term impact on staff and organizational wellbeing. NCN members reported four key impacts of using Thrive funds to support staff wellbeing activities:
A greater culture of wellbeing at their organizations that lasted beyond the initial use of funds
Stronger relationships between their staff
Improved morale and wellbeing amongst staff
Increased staff productivity.
By improving staff wellbeing, member organizations felt that their organizational health also improved: their staff were more aligned, focused, and felt a reinvigorated commitment to their work and their organizations’ missions.
Wellbeing Programming Works Best When it is Flexible to Meet Staff’s Unique Needs
We also found that wellbeing program works best to meet staff needs when it is flexible and individualized. NCN did not dictate how member organizations should use their funds. Instead, member organizations consulted their staff, informed NCN about their plans for using Thrive funds, and shared how their proposed activities would help improve their staff’s wellbeing. Member organizations also extended the same flexibility to their staff. As one member shared, “With a large staff, there's a wide range of perspectives on what "wellbeing" means—what feels restorative to one person, like yoga, might be unappealing to another.” Another member shared that this flexibility was important because “Our needs will evolve and change every year, so having flexible resources to dedicate to current needs is especially helpful.”
As a result, member organizations used their funds in many creative ways, ranging from one-time, team-building activities to ongoing purchases of healthy snacks and meals for staff.
Types of Activities Supported by Thrive Grants
Type
Examples
Team-building
Off-site, overnight retreat
Facilitated wellbeing and professional development sessions
Cultural activities (e.g., museum, guided city tour)
Celebrations (e.g., end of year, holiday, anniversary party)
Meal at restaurant or cooking class
Fun and leisure (e.g., mini golf, escape room, paint-and-sip)
Mental and physical health
Mindfulness and meditation software
One-time mindfulness or meditation session
Healthy food and nutrition
Ergonomic equipment
Fitness membership
Massage therapy
Professional development
Leadership and staff coaching
Facilitated personality tests
Workplace enhancements
Meals and snacks
Ergonomic equipment
Environmental upgrades (e.g., lighting, decluttering equipment)
Impact tour
Tour of local nonprofit partners to participate in/view programming
As the nonprofit sector continues to serve communities with immense dedication despite extraordinary challenges, we cannot overlook the importance of staff well-being. Nonprofits’ ability to serve the public good in the long term depends on the well-being of their staff. By committing to investments in staff wellbeing, we continue to make possible the critical services and resources that nonprofits provide to our communities, as well as supporting the longevity of our sector.
Read the full article here: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/reports/supporting-nonprofit-sector-health-through-programming-staff-wellbeing