Funding Priorities Overlook Nonprofits' Core Needs

Letter argues that innovation-focused grants neglect essential operational costs for organizations providing critical services.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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In a letter to the editor, Randi Breager of Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (AWAIC) in Anchorage, Alaska argues that philanthropic funding is increasingly prioritizing new projects and pilot programs over the essential operational costs that allow nonprofits to sustain their core services. Breager states that for organizations like AWAIC, which provides emergency shelter and support for domestic violence survivors, the most transformative investments are in basic needs like utilities, groceries, and trained staff - not flashy innovations. She warns that when funders refuse to cover these foundational costs, it makes it impossible for nonprofits to maintain their vital missions.

Why it matters

This letter highlights a growing tension in the philanthropic sector, where funders' emphasis on innovation and new initiatives can come at the expense of supporting the basic operational needs of established nonprofits providing essential community services. As funding priorities shift, organizations that rely on grants to cover core costs may be forced to scale back their most critical work, leaving vulnerable populations without access to vital resources.

The details

Breager argues that for organizations like AWAIC, which provides emergency shelter and support for domestic violence survivors, the most impactful investments are not in new programs, but in the basic operational costs that allow them to maintain their core mission - things like utilities, groceries, trained staff, and administrative support. She states that when funders prioritize restricted, short-term grants for innovative projects over unrestricted funding for operations, it makes it impossible for nonprofits to sustain their essential services in the long run.

  • The letter was published on February 26, 2026.

The players

Randi Breager

The author of the letter and the executive director of Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (AWAIC), a nonprofit organization that provides emergency shelter and support services for domestic violence survivors in Anchorage, Alaska.

Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (AWAIC)

A nonprofit organization based in Anchorage, Alaska that provides emergency shelter, crisis intervention, and support services for victims of domestic violence.

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What they’re saying

“For organizations like Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc., which provides emergency shelter to victims fleeing domestic violence, the most transformative investments are not flashy. They are utilities. Groceries. Shampoo and deodorant. Trained staff. The finance team that keeps the organization compliant amid growing regulatory demands.”

— Randi Breager, Executive Director, Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (adn.com)

“These costs are not overhead. They are the mission.”

— Randi Breager, Executive Director, Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (adn.com)

“If every funder asks how a program will be sustained after a grant ends while refusing to fund operations, sustainability becomes impossible.”

— Randi Breager, Executive Director, Abused Women's Aid in Crisis Inc. (adn.com)

What’s next

The letter does not mention any specific next steps, as it is focused on highlighting a broader issue in the philanthropic sector rather than a particular news event.

The takeaway

This letter underscores the need for philanthropic funders to reconsider their priorities and recognize that supporting the core operational costs of established nonprofits is just as vital to creating lasting impact as funding new innovative programs. By neglecting these essential expenses, funders risk jeopardizing the ability of organizations like AWAIC to maintain their critical services for vulnerable populations.