As philanthropy continues to evolve, the question is no longer whether trust-based or traditional models are “better,” but how funders can intentionally design approaches that balance accountability, learning, and community voice. Revisiting insights from our Philanthropy at a Crossroads whitepaper, this post explores what’s changed—and what’s becoming clearer—in 2025.

Nonprofits today face a perfect storm—economic strain, policy shifts, and rapid tech evolution—while still battling chronic underfunding and data limitations. Sowen’s 2025 State of Social Impact Report distills insights from 500+ hours of research to reveal what’s holding organizations back and how leaders can reclaim time, embrace data, and tell more powerful stories to shift from survival to strategy.

Many organizations collect data, but few know how to use it effectively. According to the Sowen Study, only 29.5% have clear, data-driven decision-making processes. The key to bridging this gap is data maturity—the ability to turn raw data into strategic insights. The Sowen Data Accelerator helps organizations assess and strengthen their data capabilities, moving from uncertainty to impact.