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The Global Insight

How can nonprofits cut costs?

Author

John Johnson

Updated on February 10, 2026

How to Save Money as a Nonprofit – 17 Ideas:

  • Use All the Tax Breaks You Are Entitled To.
  • Leverage Online Resources.
  • Use an Online Donations Software.
  • Downsize on Office and Supplies.
  • Use Contract Workers and Interns.
  • Evaluate Program Expenses All the Time.
  • Recruit Volunteers.
  • Save Money and the Environment.

How do you handle budget cuts?

Take overdue personnel …

  1. Consolidate incidentals.
  2. Take overdue personnel actions.
  3. Reduce spending on department management.
  4. Gain control of “miscellaneous” spending.
  5. Hold down pay increases.
  6. Repropose rejected cost-saving ideas.
  7. Talk to your counterparties.
  8. Eliminating liaisons and coordinators.

What percentage of nonprofit budget should be salaries?

Non Profit Pay Scale and Other Recommendations The Better Business Bureau’s standards recommend that at least 65 percent of the nonprofit’s total expenses should be for program expenses, including salaries.

How is a nonprofit budget deficit defined?

At year-end, when a nonprofit has a surplus, it means it ended the year bringing in more money than was spent, and a deficit typically means the organization did not meet the spending, fundraising, or budget goal outlined by its finance committee.

Are nonprofits allowed to save money?

Not only can nonprofits have savings accounts, but they should have them. Putting money in the bank instead of spending it on the mission may seem counterproductive, but the National Council of Nonprofits says having reserves is essential.

How can an organization save money?

Money Saving Tips and Ideas for Small Businesses

  1. Cut traditional advertising in favor of low-cost alternatives.
  2. Get sponsors for events.
  3. Outsource, outsource, outsource.
  4. Negotiate with vendors.
  5. Think beyond the cash box.
  6. Live in the cloud.
  7. Cut extraneous employee expenses, not employees.
  8. Embrace telecommuting.

What do budget cuts mean?

reduction in costs noun
a budget cut: a reduction in costs. noun. Unfortunately, there will be some significant budget cuts this year. There will much less money to spend.

Why is budget cutting a problem for nonprofits?

Budget cutting has become one of the most common and unpleasant tasks confronting nonprofit managers. While budget reductions have always been part of the normal cycles of deficit and surplus, of organizational growth and demise, “doing more with less” is now seen as a virtue worth pursuing for its own sake.

What happens to nonprofit funding in a budget deficit?

• Cutbacks by funders and governments. Government funders will reduce funding as revenues decline or policies change. A governmental budget deficit is likely to result in reduced funding for nonprofit organizations.

Why do we have to do strategic budget cutting?

This process allows leadership to evaluate the degree of cut that can be sustained in light of the disruption to programs and services. If leaders cannot accept higher levels of cuts, they may renew their efforts to increase revenues to respond to the financial problem. Across-the-board cuts have “surface” fairness, but they are indiscriminate.

Which is an example of a nonprofit getting out of line?

A nonprofit may find that its prices for services have gotten out of line. A good example is found in health care, where some nonprofit providers have been pushed by lower-cost providers to reduce their prices, forcing them to undergo serious programs of cost reduction.