March 27, 2025



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Don't Hide Overhead from Your Donors - They'll Understand

by Jeff Schreifels

There’s a common misconception in the nonprofit sector that organizations must do everything they can to reduce or eliminate overhead. 

At first glance, that seems like a practical idea. Nonprofits exist to make the world a better place. They solve real issues affecting our communities — feeding the hungry, providing education to children and giving second chances to unhoused populations. 

Many believe success means funneling as much revenue as possible into programs and the overall mission while keeping overhead costs — such as administrative expenses, support staff, accounting, human resources, executive teams, fundraising costs, training and salaries — as low as possible. 

The assumption is simple: If overhead is too high, donors will complain about how their gifts are being used. They might even threaten to stop giving altogether. As a result, many nonprofits operate from a place of fear. They adopt a sacrificial mindset, run lean operations and spend as little as possible on non-program expenses. 

Naturally, this perception has real consequences. By viewing overhead as antithetical to their missions, nonprofits contribute to many issues plaguing the sector — poor pay and burnout, high turnover, and a lack of innovation — all in the name of keeping expenses down.

Why It’s OK to Talk About Overhead

Here’s the thing: In almost every conversation I’ve had with donors about overhead, they understand that it is necessary to fulfill the mission. More specifically, they recognize that a nonprofit can’t function without investing in its people, technology and other essential resources. 

In other words, it’s OK to talk about overhead with your donors. They get it! 

Why? A lot comes down to transparency and storytelling. If you can explain to donors how your organization’s overhead costs help retain the fundraisers they have relationships with and support the mission, they will feel more confident about where their money is going. More importantly, it shows them that you’re committed to a long-term vision and can clearly explain the reasoning behind budget allocations. 

After all, overhead is about more than just keeping staff happy. It covers professional development (such as new research on best practices), technology (updated computers and systems) and marketing (publicity to increase awareness and impact). These are all vital to supporting fundraising programs. 

How to Discuss Overhead

A practical way to discuss overhead with donors is by including it in the official ask. Overhead typically accounts for 25% to 35% of an organization’s total budget. This is significant. For example, a nonprofit with a $10 million budget needs to secure $3 million in unrestricted funds to cover overhead costs. 

Let’s say a donor is interested in supporting a food bank program that costs $100,000 to operate on weekends. Instead of asking for that flat amount, explain that you’ll actually need $130,000 to cover the overhead necessary to run the program effectively. It’s not an arbitrary addition — it’s a reality your donor will likely understand and support. 

Conversely, donors also recognize the downsides of running a lean, low-overhead operation. They see why their major gifts officer left for a higher salary elsewhere or why they don’t receive meaningful insights about their gifts’ impact. Ironically, by cutting overhead, many organizations end up sacrificing program effectiveness, donor relationships and the increased revenue they need to advance their mission. 

The bottom line? The mission is about more than just fundraising programs. It’s about creating a workplace that values staff, equipping employees with the tools and structure to generate revenue, and planning for the future. 

If you can explain the value of these costs with clarity and transparency, you’ll never have to worry about losing the donors you’ve worked so hard to cultivate. 

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Franciscan Ministries, Inc. proudly announces the appointment of Marci Peebles as Interim Executive Director. 

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is grateful to The Edelweiss Foundation for a $10,000 grant to provide low vision equipment and services for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is grateful to the Western & Southern Financial Fund for a $5,000 grant to provide adaptive equipment and services for people who are blind or visually impaired.

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (NKY Chamber) presented the NKY Community Award to Mazak Corporation at the Eggs 'N Issues event held on March 18. The award is given to individuals, businesses, or organizations throughout the Northern Kentucky Metro region to recognize their positive impact on the community.

Gold Star, in partnership with The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, is proud to announce Mrs. Tricia Richardson of St. Mary's School in Alexandria, KY as this year's recipient of its annual Gold Star Teacher Award. The award, which celebrates the hard work and dedication of local educators, was presented to Richardson at a surprise all-school assembly. Richardson was chosen from a pool of 1,068 nominations submitted by nearly 600 public and private schools.

All four hospital systems with birthing facilities in Cincinnati were awarded the top recognition of Leader badges through Mama Certified, a first-of-its-kind certification focused on advancing maternal health equity for Black families. Mama Certified has made public comprehensive reports detailing maternal and infant health data, in addition to maternal equity-related improvement plans, for The Christ Hospital Health Network, Mercy Health, TriHealth and UC Health. All hospitals also earned Leader badges in the Community Care category.

OneSource is proud to announce that it has received a generous $25,000 grant from the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee. This funding will support the expansion of OneSource’s Common Good Voucher Program.

Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship is grateful to receive a $50,000 grant from the Stillson Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee. This grant supports the organization's equine assisted services.

Cincinnati | Hamilton County Community Action Agency thanks Union Savings Bank and Guardian Savings Bank for a generous $15,000 gift to support our Secure Seniors program. This program supports seniors (60+) with property tax assistance, access to nutritious food, and emergency home assistance.

Kroger Health has announced a $20,000 donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. This represents Kroger Health’s commitment to supporting families of critically ill children receiving medical care. 

Last Mile Food Rescue is honored to receive a $25,000 grant from the Frank J. Kloenne & Jacqueline D. Kloenne Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee. This generous funding will support our mission to reduce food waste and fight food insecurity in Greater Cincinnati.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati is pleased to recognize our area’s generous Workplaces That Care® Companies announced during United We Celebrate, a special event hosted by United Way at TQL Stadium. Workplaces That Care® selections are based on their dedication to empowering employees to get involved, volunteer and give back to our community. View a complete list of Workplaces That Care® here.

DoitforJack - The Jack Quehl Foundation recently launched a new website offering resources and educational information about the effects of fentanyl on our community, and how to help combat this ongoing crisis.

bi3 is accepting proposals for projects and initiatives to improve maternal mental health, with an intentional focus on improvements for Black and Hispanic women. Aligned nonprofit and fiscally sponsored organizations working in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren Counties in Ohio OR addressing policy at a state level are invited to learn more and apply. Grants awarded under this opportunity may be paid over one to three years and are expected to range from $150,000 - $500,000, with an anticipated 3-5 grants to be awarded. Deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is May 8, 2025.  

Green Umbrella is accepting applications for their Climate Action Fellowship program for governments in Greater Cincinnati communities. The fellowship pairs undergraduate and graduate students, and individuals who want to pivot careers into the sustainability space, with Green Umbrella government members to develop practical plans and solutions for a changing climate.

Saint Timothy Parish, Union, KY awards up to six (6) grants each year to Northern Kentucky nonprofit agencies. Each grant is limited to a maximum of $3000 each for the 2025/2026 fiscal year. Nonprofit agencies must serve or benefit the disadvantaged and poor of the Northern Kentucky community and must meet our Eligibility Criteria and Grant Components outlined in the grant application. Contact Pat Seuberling for more information, pseuberling@saint-timothy.org. 

Zonta Club of Cincinnati will be accepting applications for our 2025 Grant Program to empower women through service and advocacy. Not-for-Profit organizations may apply for grants awards ranging in an amount from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $2,000 per funding cycle. All applications must be received by April 1, 2025, for the May 31, 2025, distribution. Find additional information here. 

As part of his commitment to ensuring all Ohio children have the opportunity to build strong foundations for success, Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) Director Kara B. Wente announced the availability of $5 million in grant funding to support training for teachers at early care and education programs on how to harness the Science of Reading to enrich their young students’ literacy skills from an early age. To learn more about DCY and its priorities, visit here. 

Aviatra Accelerators announces the launch of its Capital-Ready Women (CRW) program, the only fundability assessment and guided program in the U.S. that is not government-affiliated or associated with a financial institution. This program is specifically designed to help women in non-tech industries prepare to successfully access capital through loans or investments. Look here for more information about Aviatra's Capital-Ready Women program or to apply.



Join the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (NKY Chamber) for the upcoming Eggs 'N Issues: Cybersecurity – Risk Mitigation for Your Business on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 7:30am – 9:00am at Receptions Banquet and Conference Center – South. The event will be moderated by Northern Kentucky University's Dean of the College of Informatics, Kevin Kirby. Speakers will discuss how to stay vigilant and be prepared against cyber threats in today's digital world. Learn how businesses can mitigate risk, stay compliant with regulations, and defend against online threats.



PigAbiliites training kicks off March 29, 10:00am at the Cincinnati Zoo. Ohio Valley Goodwill is proud to present PigAbilities, a movement for inclusion that supports those who live with disabilities. This training kickoff event is designed for participants and their supporters to "run, walk or roll" at their own pace so they can cross the official Flying Pig Marathon Finish Swine during the PigAbilities race, Saturday, May 3, 2025. Find more information here. 

Valley View Nature Preserve needs garden volunteers to help in our Grow to Give Community Garden supplying food to local food banks. We are very flexible and will work around anyone’s schedule. Volunteers are encouraged to come and work in the gardens whenever they have available time after they complete an orientation. As a bonus, volunteers are welcome to take home produce on the days they work. We will be hosting a Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, April 26^th at 11 am. Find more information here. 

5 steps to demystify succession planning A sudden leadership transition can leave a nonprofit scrambling to survive. Don’t leave your mission to chance — plan for the future today.

10 ways nonprofits can use QR codes QR codes are easy to implement. Free code generators can be accessed online and free code reader apps are available with virtually every smartphone. 

Our sponsor and partner marketplace serves to further connect our readers with our advertisers who are focused on serving nonprofits. To learn more about a sponsor's nonprofit services, click on their ad. Contact Kelli Tarantino, editor, at kelli@gcnonprofitnews.com to discover how your business or organization can become a sponsor/advertiser of the Greater Cincinnati Nonprofit News.

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Donor Relations Director, Salvation Army Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky (Posted 3/27/2025) Learn more…

Executive Director, EquaSion (part-time) (Posted 3/27/2025) Learn more…

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Individual Giving Associate, Corporation for Findlay Market (Posted 3/27/2025) Learn more…

Principal, Bishop Fenwick High School (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

Associate Director of Development, College of Arts and Science, Miami University (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

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Corporate Relations Officer, Easterseals Redwood (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

Director of Compliance, Central Clinic Behavioral Health (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

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Development Manager, Corporation for Findlay Market (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

Communications & Marketing Director, Glenmary Home Missioners (Posted 3/20/2025) Learn more…

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