The New Normal of Volatility: How Nonprofits Can Hold Steady

Nonprofits are learning to hold steady in a world that keeps shifting beneath our feet.

We have to name it. Our new normal is a near constant state of volatility. The ground shifts every day, sometimes every hour. A funding stream that felt secure last Friday is suddenly in question on Monday. A policy change shows up on Tuesday and rewrites the rules for the rest of the year. By Wednesday, a headline drops, and by 9 a.m., a carefully crafted plan already feels outdated.

And how many times have we sat through scenario planning sessions mapping every possible outcome, only to end up living through the one that was never on the list? Later, it feels obvious, almost embarrassingly so.

We have all felt it. Even the most seasoned leaders are pausing to catch their balance. And yet here we are, still moving forward. Sometimes gracefully, sometimes not.

Here’s how we are navigating volatility: in our own work, with our clients, and alongside the communities we support. Sometimes gracefully, sometimes not. But always with an eye toward what helps us hold steady.

1.    Anchor Yourself to Clarity‍

Let’s give ourselves some credit. Back in the “before days,” our instinct was often one of two extremes: scattering like ants in a frenzy when the stick hit the mound, or freezing like deer in headlights, over-analyzing until no decision felt safe. Both left us drained and stuck.

The field has grown since then. We are getting better at pausing before reacting. Better at naming what matters most before rushing into action. And better at refusing to let panic or overthinking set the pace. That progress deserves acknowledgment.

What we have collectively elevated:

• We have held onto commitments that cannot be compromised. And let's be honest: It's been tempting to rethink commitments when a funder had dangled new money in this climate that would steer an organization in a different direction.‍
• We have protected trust and relationships as the foundation. Volatility breeds distrust, and today’s environment thrives on manipulation. In retrospect, what you might have felt about another person is less about them and more about how we're being nudged to feel. Relationships are capital. They deserve care, and fierce protection.
• ‍We are better at discerning noise from what requires attention. Volatility always produces smoke, but not all smoke means fire. We've resisted the pull to chase every flame, because we've learned that not every fire belongs to you.
• ‍We are avoiding analysis paralysis. We've learned that overthinking can be as harmful as reacting too quickly. It halts progress at the very moment when forward movement is most needed.

Keep it up. Clarity is not about having every answer. It means pausing long enough to separate distraction from what is essential, then choosing to act from a purposeful rather than panicked state. The more we practice clarity, the steadier we become.

2.    Prioritize Communication and Make it Relational

We have been using the term “comms” frequently. Let’s get grounded in which communication matters most. It is not the external press release or the perfectly polished talking points. What matters in volatile times is relational communication — the way we literally talk to and with each other about what is happening around us.

Silence makes everything worse. When people do not hear from their leaders, the gaps are filled with fear, rumors, and distractions. Communication will not erase uncertainty, but it does create steadiness.

And yes, this often means meeting. Nonprofits already spend plenty of time in meetings, so the last thing anyone wants to hear is “let’s add another.” However, in times of volatility, avoiding conversations can multiply confusion. The key is to meet with purpose.

Too many meetings drift. They start without an agenda, or with a vague “how is everyone feeling?” that turns into half an hour of venting. That may feel good in the moment, but it does not help us move forward.

A steadier approach is to hold the space with intention. Ask: What does this situation surface? Then focus the conversation in three ways:

• Start with what is time-sensitive: What needs attention right now
• Move into intelligence-gathering: What do we need to learn or share to be better informed
• Save time for planning: What actions must we take together to move forward

Throughout, keep the basics in play:

• Share what is known and be honest about what is not
• Be clear about what is being monitored and why
• Keep staff, partners, and communities informed so rumors do not take over

Communication is what steadies people in the moment, but steadiness alone is not enough. Once the air clears, leaders are still left with the harder question: what do we do when the plan itself no longer fits? That is where flexibility comes in.

3.    Build Flexibility While Balancing Horizons

Okay, so, as strategic planners, this may be bad for business, but let’s put it out there: scrap the strategic plans. Or at least, build them differently. For years, the field has been trained to plan around SMART Goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound. That framework had its place, but it also locked us into a way of thinking that no longer fits. In volatile times, rigid targets polished to perfection are too fragile. What endures are strategies with enough give to flex and still hold shape.

• Imagine more than one possible future, because the reality we face is rarely the one we planned for
• Keep milestones steady as anchors, but let the methods shift
• Give permission to adapt. A pivot is not failure. It is resilience

At the same time, volatility pushes everything into the urgent column. Fires feel constant. The danger is getting so caught up in what is loudest today that tomorrow quietly slips away.

• Address immediate needs so they do not grow worse
• Protect reputation, trust, and long-term stability while handling short-term demands
• Watch for quick fixes that bring relief now but create larger problems later

The work is to hold both horizons at once. Manage the present without losing sight of the future. Flexibility in the face of uncertainty is not weakness. It is strength. It is what allows nonprofits to move with volatility rather than be broken by it, while staying rooted in the commitments that will still matter long after today’s disruption has passed.

A Closing Reflection: Holding Steady, Rebuilding Stronger

Volatility is not going away any time soon. The steadiness we bring does not come from having every answer. It comes from moving through this period with clarity, with purposeful communication, and with the discipline to protect both today and tomorrow. Most of all, it comes from moving through challenges with care. Care for ourselves, for our teams, and for the communities we serve. Because we are human, made of bones and blood, and it is our shared humanity that steadies us when the world feels uncertain.

But steadiness is not the end goal. Today’s volatility — this damn period in history that is bringing us to our knees — is also giving us the chance to rebuild. The way we used to plan, organize, and measure belongs to another time. Old systems prized control and predictability. What we are being called to now is deeper: to root ourselves in values, in relationships, and in imagination, and to design ways of leading that reflect the realities we face.

If we can hold steady in the storm and reimagine what comes next, nonprofits and humanity will not only weather volatility. We will rebuild with stronger roots and a resilience prepared for what lies ahead.

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