OPEN PHILANTHROPY
Navigating the Fog: How We Are Responding to Nonprofit Uncertainty
By Molly Talbot-Metz, President & CEO
Driving in fog is often used as a metaphor to represent navigating uncertainty. Fog is a temporary state, meaning that clarity will eventually return. Yet, when we are in it, fog causes us to slow down, put both hands on the wheel, focus on what is most important, and reduce distractions. If we panic and act too quickly, it can result in accidents. We can stop and wait for it to pass, but more than likely we will find a way to carefully move through it.
For months, I’ve been asked about the uncertainty that many local nonprofits are facing due to changing federal and state priorities, policies, and funding streams, and what the Mary Black Foundation was going to do to support the organizations that may be impacted. The reality is the federal funds that flow into Spartanburg far exceed what the Mary Black Foundation can offer in our annual grantmaking. We have more tools than just grantmaking though, and we are looking for ways that we can be supportive beyond grantmaking.
First, we are trying to better understand which of our funded partners have been or may be affected by changing federal and state policies and funding. We are working with the Institute for Child Success to conduct a federal spending analysis that will look at all nonprofits in Spartanburg, not just our funded partners. This is data we will be able to share with others, including nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Second, we are listening to our funded partners to hear about their specific challenges due to the changing federal landscape. In May, we gathered with 26 leaders from 18 nonprofit organizations that received grant funding from us in 2025. Facilitated by Forrest Alton with 1000 Feathers, nonprofit leaders talked about how they are leading their teams and organizations through uncertain times for the nonprofit sector.
They described cutting programs due to loss of grants, reductions in staff through downsizing and the elimination of AmeriCorps VISTAs, low morale on their teams, difficulty in planning because of the uncertainty, private donors who have cut back because of concerns with the economy, and more.
The fog metaphor was used again and again, but despite the stories of uncertainty that they shared, there was still hope because even in deep fog, there can be hidden opportunities that lie just beyond our immediate view. Many shared a commitment to finding ways to leverage each other’s strengths, streamline and adapt service models, and consider strategic partnerships or mergers, when needed.
Third, we are acting by sharing key insights and follow-up plans based on the feedback we received at the May gathering.
We will convene smaller groups of nonprofits who want to continue the conversation on common objectives (i.e., strategic alignment, resource sharing, potential mergers, financial forecasting and revenue generation, communications and storytelling).
We will use our relationships and networks with other funders to promote unrestricted and multi-year funding for local nonprofits.
We will respond to local funding gaps with grant recommendations throughout the rest of 2025, and we will reassess in 2026.
Finally, we are using our voice to advocate for the nonprofit sector. Most concerning to me over the last few months is the underlying message that nonprofits are not to be trusted or that they have misused and wasted their charitable resources. I have been working alongside the nonprofits in Spartanburg for over 25 years, and it has been my experience that our local organizations are committed to the efficient and effective use of every dollar they receive – whether from the Mary Black Foundation, individual contributors, or from government contracts. In fact, it is my experience that their resources are stretched so thin that they could be more effective with more resources, not less.
Nonprofit organizations feed, heal, shelter, and nurture people of every background. They are there to fill gaps not met by government or the private sector. They provide purpose and connection through their services and their opportunities for volunteerism. Our local nonprofits are leading through uncertain times, and we have a lot to learn and a lot to share about their steadfastness and resilience.
Molly Talbot-Metz is the President & CEO of the Mary Black Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s efforts to improve health and well-being in Spartanburg County. With a background in public health and over two decades of nonprofit experience, she is dedicated to advancing equity and community well-being.
Open Philanthropy is a recurring column in our monthly newsletter dedicated to pulling back the curtain on how we make funding decisions, why we structure things the way we do, and how we’re always working to be a better partner.
