Background

DANA developed the AAA (Aware, Assess, Act) guide to help Delaware nonprofits understand their current risks and opportunities in light of a dynamic and fluid funding and regulatory environment. The resources include templates, checklists, financial modeling resources, and articles to help inform possible future actions. Please note that more resources will become available as we understand more fully the future funding landscape. New resources will be highlighted as they become available.

• DANA AAA Scenario Planning Toolkit: Download this toolkit first. The toolkit will provide guidance on scenario planning processes, questions, and links to the various resources.
• Scenario Planning PowerPoint Presentation: Download this presentation to aid in reviewing the toolkit.

Awareness Resources

These resources ground the nonprofit board and leadership on the current status of the organization in light of the changing climate, and to identify which external factors will greatly impact clients, programs, and operations.

Mission Drivers

• Scenario Planning Awareness Questionnaire
• Simple Budget and Cash Flow Template
• BDO Liquidity Calculator
• How to Excel at Excel (video)
• Data Management in Excel (video)

External Factors

• Understanding External Factors Worksheet
• National Council Tracker on Executive Order

Assessment Resources

Tools and questions to evaluate impacts to programs, operations, and funding based on high impact external factors.

Strategic Questions When Making Choices

Assess Financial and Operational Risk

• Map Factors to Mission Drivers
• Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire
• DANA Multi-Year Cash Flow Projection Tool
  • Guidance on DANA Multi-Year Cash Flow Projection Tool
• DANA MNA Scenario Modeling Tool
  • Guidance on using Scenario Planning Model

Assess Program Viability

• Program and Capacity Assessment Checklist
• MacMillan Matrix
• Partner Evaluation Checklist

Action Resources

The AAA Scenario Planning Resource Toolkit offers a range of resources and articles to guide you in the next steps. Below is a resource when outlining the action plan for whatever future course you select.

• Action Implementation Plan

Background

Nonprofits have historically served as partners with the government in delivering federally funded programs. However, unprecedented executive orders, threats of federal funding cuts, and other norm-rattling decisions at the federal government level have made it increasingly difficult for nonprofits to function effectively.

DANA has unpacked the impacts of these federal actions and policy shifts for Delaware nonprofits, outlining how contingency planning could help groups navigate this Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) time.

Below are resources to download for review and use in contingency planning, as well as video of DANA’s “It’s a VUCA World” webinar.

Resources

• PowerPoint – DANA VUCA Contingency Planning 4.15.25
• NCN Chart of Executive Orders and Memos​
• NCN Federal Funding Risk Assessment​
• NCN Checklist when Federal Grant or Contract is Terminated​
• NPQ: Six Steps to Pivoting in a Crisis​
• DANA Financial Health Resources – Cash Flow Tool​
• Excel Download for Contingency Plan Sample

What is AI?

In today’s world, it is almost impossible to avoid discussions surrounding AI – or Artificial Intelligence. In simple terms, AI refers to using computer systems to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. At its core, AI involves creating algorithms and models that can analyze data, identify patterns, and make decisions based on that analysis.

AI is used across thousands of fields and in millions of applications. People interact with AI on a daily basis, in areas such as healthcare, finance, marketing, security and other fields. If you have encountered a chatbot, face-recognition applications, video games, or personalized social media feeds, you most likely have interacted with AI.

AI in the Nonprofit Sector

The National Council of Nonprofits has supported Maryland Nonprofits and NTEN in efforts to equip state associations and their members with AI-related resources. The new AI Resource Hub is designed specifically for nonprofits, providing them with essential tools and guidance to harness AI’s benefits ethically while minimizing risks to their organization and community.

The AI For Nonprofits Resource Hub includes resources and videos, helpfully grouped under the following categories:

• Governance Framework for Nonprofits
• Overarching Principles and Framing Questions
• Deciding on AI: Frameworks for Making Decisions
• Data and IT Governance
• Data Privacy
• AI Tools Evaluation, Development and Analysis

IMPACT Delaware AI Resources

Recognizing the growing prevalence of AI, the 2025 IMPACT Delaware Conference included a breakout session and a Community of Practice on AI for conference attendees. Those presentations from Tech Impact are included below:

• Say This Not That: Crafting Smart AI Prompts to Get Better Results
• Community of Practice for Exploring AI: What Would You Do? AI Implementation for Social Good Organizations

Materials available through the Standards of Excellence Institute

• Mission & Planning – Members only
• Sustainability – Members only
• Strategic Partnerships – Members only

Articles and Publication

• Organizing In The Age of Urgency – Empowering Leadership Within The Organization, McKinsey & Co.
• An Event or An Era? Resources for Social Sector Decision-Making in the Context of COVID-19, Deloitte

On-Demand Training

• Nonprofit Skills™: Strategic Planning for Board Members

Resources and Tools

• The Nonprofit Sustainability Mindset Templates by Steve Zimmerman and Jeanne Bell
• Building the Capacity to Innovate – A guide for nonprofits
• Building Your New Normal Toolkit for Nonprofits DANA – DANA & Montana Association of Nonprofits
• Scenario Planning Tool – DANA & Montana Association of Nonprofits
• Planning for Outcomes: Questions to Ask Outcomes-Based Planning Guide

Webinars

• Radical Thinking – Seeing Through New Lenses – WEBINAR

On-Demand Training

• Nonprofit Skills™: Public-Facing Communication for Board Members

• Financial Budgeting and Reporting – Members only
• Internal Controls – Members only

Cash Flow Tools

• Guidance on DANA Cash Flow tool
• Recorded Webinar Overview of How to Use DANA’s Cash Flow Tool
• Simple Budget and Cash Flow template

Scenario Planning

• Scenario Modeling – Power Point Presentation, DANA & Montana Nonprofit Association

On-Demand Training

• Budgeting in a Nonprofit Organization
• How to Read a Nonprofit Financial Statement
• Inc. Magazine: Building Financial Literacy
• Nonprofit Skills™: Financial Oversight for Board Members
• QuickBooks® Online Basics

• Share Delaware – A Database of Delaware Nonprofits
• Delaware Popular Projections