Announcing Candid insights: The ‘big picture’ on the nonprofit sector 

Candid is doubling down to expand the ways we provide the information you need to do good—from a trusted source, all in one place. Today, we’re launching Candid insights—our unique perspective on trends to watch, tips for efficiency and impact, and data-driven, expert takes from both Candid’s team and across our sector. Whether you’re a nonprofit staffer, program officer, researcher, donor, or volunteer, we’ll offer quality information to help you deliver on your mission.  

Our objective is to spur on conversations about key topics that drive the sector forward, like capacity building, general operating support, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) leadership, and nonprofit board governance. But our top priority is to deliver what our readers tell us they need most. We’ll explore how we can best offer the most interesting and helpful content, quickly and clearly, to support your work. 

Unique perspectives from across the sector 

As we invite authors to contribute to our platform, the team at Candid insights is intentionally reaching out to people from across the sector—who are closest to the issues they’re trying to solve—to share their perspectives. We aim to help readers better understand how nonprofits are exploring ways to reach constituents, engage communities with new approaches, finetune their operations for impact, and infuse their values into their work. It’s that deep knowledge of the problems and the resulting innovative solutions we’re focused on—for example, how the Chinese American Service League leveraged data to better serve under-resourced communities, how SAGE is using data to make LGBTQ+ elders and their needs visible, and how the Honnold Foundation prioritizes authentic connections through trust-based philanthropy. 

Bolstering sector data-driven insights 

Our unique perspective lies in our extensive data collections on grantmaking and nonprofits. We’ll give you the first look at key insights from this rich data, like those in our recent report, The state of diversity in the U.S. nonprofit sector; whether diversity among nonprofit leaders has increased; and what nonprofits can expect in the year ahead based on our Foundation Giving Forecast Survey. 

In addition, we’ve been combining the most salient findings from research reports with a conversation with the leaders and experts behind the research. This approach offers an in-depth look at how nonprofits are addressing the most pressing concerns in their communities, like the challenges Black women and Black gender-expansive nonprofit leaders face, veterans’ and military families’ unmet needs, and trends in youth community service.  

We also hear the same challenge from nonprofits and funders, across the board: There’s just never enough time. You need data and information, but you need it quickly. We’re trying to meet that need with “5 takeaways,” our distillation of research briefs and reports highlighting key data points and recommendations for how you can put that information to use. 

Amplifying a diverse array of voices to advance equity 

In inviting those with proximity to specific issues to share their perspectives, we’re seeking a diverse range of voices—especially from communities whose voices have traditionally gone unheard. By amplifying their views and real-world experiences, we’ll help ensure a broader, more equitable array of perspectives are included in crucial conversations about the sector’s work. 

Among the innovative thought leaders we’ve recently published are women and women of color, including Dr. Akilah Watkins and Kathleen P. Enright, Heather Grady, Jocelyn Frye, Satonya Fair, and more.  

We’re also being transparent about how Candid works, who we are as an organization, and where we’re headed. Recently, we’ve shared how Candid shifted to unrestricted support, how a funding network came to fight for equity through a data partnership with Candid, and how we’re navigating ethical considerations for the social sector in using AI tools. 

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to ask what information readers need and work to fill those gaps. We’ll also be intentional in inviting those closest to the issues to share their invaluable insights. Our plan is to build this forum together, with you, our readers, and other partners across the nonprofit sector. 

To inquire about contributing to Candid insights, please email [email protected]. Or, if there are other topics you’d like to see discussed on this platform, please share your ideas in the comments below.