Overcoming the Overhead Myth Issue Brief

Overcoming the Overhead Myth Issue Brief

Since 2014, Hutchinson Community Foundation has been learning and sharing information about a concept known as the Overhead Myth, and we recently released an issue brief on the topic. “Overcoming the Overhead Myth” asks nonprofit donors, board members and staff members to reconsider how we as a society view overhead costs in the nonprofit organizations whose work we all support.

  • Are we holding nonprofits to a different and possibly ineffective and unfair standard?
  • What can you as a donor, board member or nonprofit staff member do to change what is referred to as the ‘Nonprofit Starvation Cycle?’
  • What does Hutchinson Community Foundation believe about nonprofits’ overhead costs and mission-driven work?
  • How are the Foundation’s values represented in our grantmaking?
If you have not already done so, we hope you will read this latest issue brief and engage in conversation with friends, family and nonprofit leaders on this important topic that all those with philanthropic hearts will want to consider.
An important source for our issue brief was Dan Pallotta, author of  Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their PotentialWe encourage you to watch Dan Pallotta’s 2013 TED Talk as another valuable resource on this topic.