Jessica Berrett, Amanda J. Stewart, and Kerry Kuenzi

This study explores the density and capacity of a local nonprofit sector, merging economic concepts of supply and demand with insights from practitioners. Focused on health and human service nonprofits in one community, it integrates economic factors, network relations, and local perspectives to illuminate sector health. The study extends research on nonprofit density and carrying capacity by incorporating secondary data from community indicators and primary data from surveys and interviews with nonprofits. The findings offer practitioners valuable insights into addressing community needs, bridging the gap between academic research and local expertise.

Jayce Sudweeks, Richard Clerkin, & Jessica Berrett

The nonprofit sector is categorized by multiple dimensions that impact nonprofit organizations through social norms and expectations generated by institutional logics underpinning each dimension. The most discussed dimensions are the expressive and instrumental. Scholars and practitioners have sometimes suggested a third dimension, the affiliative dimension, but little work has been done to define this third dimension and any institutional logics associated with it. This article aims to explicate the affiliative dimension and introduce the philanthropy logic, arguing that it is the institutional logic that gives the affiliative dimension its meaning.

Kate Quintana, Jessica Berrett, and Elisabeth McLane

This study examines how nonprofits compare philanthropy from the cannabis industry to other controversial industries, including alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and pharmaceuticals. Using a case study approach, 317 nonprofits were surveyed in Colorado—a state with a well-established, legal cannabis market—to explore their views on ethical considerations and alignment with organizational missions. Findings reveal that nonprofits often regard donations from controversial industries as ethically complex, potentially impacting public perception, donor trust, and stakeholder relationships. While a significant number of organizations are open to funding from the alcohol and pharmaceutical sectors, tobacco donations are generally rejected due to perceived health risks and historical distrust. Interestingly, many nonprofits perceive cannabis donations as less harmful, likening them to the alcohol industry and viewing them as potentially beneficial to community welfare, especially in the contexts of economic support and job creation. Respondents emphasized the importance of aligning donations with organizational values and avoiding “tainted” contributions that might conflict with mission-driven work. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting how nonprofits navigate ethical and practical considerations in accepting funds from controversial sources, and offers insights into evolving attitudes toward cannabis philanthropy amidst changing legal and social landscapes.

Jessica Berrett, Kate Quintana, and Elisabeth McLane

As the cannabis industry engages in philanthropy, nonprofits face complex decisions about whether to accept such donations. While prior research has focused on the motivations behind corporate giving in stigmatized industries, much less is known about how potential recipients evaluate these contributions. This study explores the organizational and contextual characteristics that shape nonprofit openness to cannabis philanthropy, drawing on institutional, stakeholder, and legitimacy theories. Using survey data from over 300 Colorado nonprofits, we examine how factors such as size, age, mission, population served, federal funding, and local political context influence both attitudes toward and actual acceptance of cannabis-related funding. Results show that smaller and younger organizations appear to exhibit greater openness to cannabis-related donation acceptance. Additionally, mission alignment and the beneficiary population—particularly organizations serving youth—are the strongest predictors of rejection, while federal funding is also associated with reluctance. Contrary to expectations, political context does not significantly influence decisions. The findings highlight the normative and resource dependence pressures through which nonprofits assess and legitimize emerging sources of controversial funding.

Jessica Berrett, ChiaKo Hung, Ben Suykens, and Elisabeth McLane

This study explores how message framing shapes individual donation behavior within nonprofit fundraising. Grounded in prospect theory, we examine the effects of positively and negatively framed messages about organizational performance and overhead, and assess whether perceived organizational compassion and social impact mediate these effects. Using a 2 × 2 factorial survey experiment with 552 U.S.-based participants, we find that positively framed performance messages about beneficiaries increase donation intentions compared to negatively framed ones, while the framing of overhead expenses has little effect. Although perceptions of compassion and social impact are positively associated with giving, they do not mediate the relationship between message framing and donation behavior. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate about message framing and offer practical insights for nonprofit fundraising and communication strategies.