February 2026
WHERE GIVING MEETS COMMUNITY
Insights on local generosity, nonprofit work, and the needs shaping our region.
By Katie Simpson, Community Giving Foundation
It’s easy to talk about community needs as separate issues—housing, food insecurity, childcare, mental health, transportation. But for the individuals and families experiencing them, these challenges rarely exist in isolation. Needs are interconnected, layered, and often compounding. And that reality shapes how nonprofits show up for our communities every day.
Consider affordable housing, one of the most consistent needs across our region. Housing stability is closely tie to many “basic needs”. Without stable housing, it’s harder to maintain a job. It’s harder to maintain reliable transportation to get to work, childcare, or medical appointments. And it’s harder to pursue opportunities to thrive mentally, emotionally, relationally, and financially. Each need influences the next, creating either a cycle of instability or, with the right support, a pathway forward.
Nonprofits understand this deeply because they meet people where they are. While many nonprofits may be known for addressing a specific issue area, their work often extends far beyond a single service. A food pantry may also connect families to utility assistance or health resources. A shelter may incorporate case management, mental health support, or workforce development. A childcare provider may be strengthening early learning while supporting working families and local employers.
This is why collaboration is essential.
Across our region, nonprofits regularly partner with one another to close gaps, share expertise, and better serve community members whose needs don’t fit neatly into one category. These partnerships help reduce duplication, improve outcomes, and ensure limited resources stretch further. When nonprofits work together, they are better equipped to respond to the full picture of a person’s life, not just one piece of it.
At the Community Giving Foundation, we see this interconnectedness reflected in both data and lived experience. By monitoring local needs assessments and maintaining close relationships with nonprofit partners, we gain insights into how challenges evolve and how solutions must adapt. Our data consistently shows overlapping needs across communities and counties, particularly in areas like affordable housing, mental health services, living wage jobs, and transportation. (Our full research on local needs data is available here.)
This understanding shapes how we approach grantmaking. Rather than funding in silos, we look for opportunities where collaboration and holistic approaches can create greater impact. Flexible funding, in particular, allows nonprofits to respond to real-time needs, adjust services, and strengthen partnerships that reflect what’s actually happening on the ground.
Importantly, this work is not just about addressing urgent needs today—it’s about creating conditions for long-term stability, mobility, and opportunity. When individuals can secure basic needs, they are better positioned to pursue education, employment, and personal goals. When nonprofits are supported as trusted community partners, they can innovate, collaborate, and plan for the future. And when donors understand how interconnected needs truly are, their generosity can be more strategic, responsive, and impactful.
Strong communities are built through shared responsibility. Nonprofits play a critical role, but they can’t do this work alone. It takes local giving, informed leadership, and a collective commitment to understanding the full impact of community needs.
When we recognize that no single challenge or solution exists in isolation, we move closer to a community where people aren’t just surviving, but truly have the opportunity to thrive.