Nonprofit Leaders’ Perceived Top Struggles: A Qualitative Study with Descriptive Quantification of Capacity, Funding, and Operational Barriers

Authors

• Angie Holzer, Aspen UniversityFollow

Keywords

Nonprofit leadership, capacity-building, funding challenges, organizational sustainability, qualitative research, descriptive quantification, board governance, operational barriers, resource dependence, AI-enabled support.

Abstract

Nonprofit organizations are widely understood to operate under conditions of persistent constraint, yet less is known about how nonprofit leaders themselves perceive and prioritize their struggles. This study presents findings from a qualitative analysis with descriptive quantification of open-ended responses from 77 nonprofit leaders who were asked to identify their biggest challenges. Using thematic coding, frequency counts, and order-based sequencing analysis, the study distinguishes between perceived struggles, immediate needs, and capacity-focused structural blockers. While funding and financial sustainability were the most frequently cited perceived struggles, capacity-related challenges—including board governance, staffing and volunteers, compliance burden, operational systems, and leadership bandwidth—emerged as the most common immediate barriers to action. Findings suggest that nonprofit struggles are multidimensional and interdependent, with capacity constraints often shaping leaders’ ability to pursue funding effectively. The study offers important implications for capacity-building and AI-enabled training interventions designed to support nonprofit sustainability and effectiveness.

Recommended Citation

Holzer, Angie (2026) "Nonprofit Leaders’ Perceived Top Struggles: A Qualitative Study with Descriptive Quantification of Capacity, Funding, and Operational Barriers," Journal of Nonprofit Innovation: Vol. 6: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/joni/vol6/iss1/6