Knowledge and Insights

There are over 1.5 million tax‑exempt organizations currently operating in the United States, each with a unique mission and focus. Given the diversity in the industry, nonprofit leaders consistently face a challenging question – “How does my organization compare?”

To help nonprofits assess their key metrics, The BDO Institute for Nonprofit Excellence^SM developed Nonprofit Standards, a benchmarking survey produced in collaboration with The NonProfit Times. The survey is designed to provide tax-exempt organizations with a barometer to measure performance in key areas including strategic planning, operations, scope and impact, human resources and governance matters.

The data collected from nonprofit CFOs and executive directors from more than 100 nonprofits represents a cross-section of organizations in terms of revenue and subsectors—with public charities and health and human services organizations comprising the majority of respondents. With specific drill downs by organization and revenue type, nonprofits of all sizes and across all sectors can use the data in the report to understand how they compare to their peers which, in turn, can help them make important strategic decisions that can lead to long-term sustainability and success.  Read the survey here: BDO 2017-Nonprofit-Survey-Report [PDF, 16.57 MB].

The Mercadien Group is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA.