Across the United States, nonprofits and funders alike are navigating a shifting landscape. Funding streams are narrowing. Polarized political rhetoric is fueling mistrust in the sector. And while calls for greater accountability are growing louder, they often come without the support needed to meet them.

In this climate, it’s not enough to ask whether individual organizations are doing enough to protect the people they serve. We must also consider the responsibility that funders hold in cultivating a sector-wide environment of safety and dignity.

This is not about risk mitigation or crisis response alone. It’s about shared accountability, ensuring that the pursuit of positive change never puts anyone in harm’s way. That includes deliberate, values-driven action to prevent abuse or exploitation, and to promote the well-being of everyone connected to an organization: staff, partners, program participants, and communities.

In much of the world, this work is referred to as “safeguarding.” In the U.S., the language may be less familiar, but the need is urgent and funders have a critical role to play.

The Case for Action

The Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC), fiscally sponsored and co-founded by Global Fund for Children, exists to support funders in building safer practices, within their own institutions and in support of their grantee partners. Our network of more than 100 funders globally manage over $8 billion in annual grantmaking. What unites us is a belief that safety, dignity, and accountability are foundational to effective philanthropy.

In 2024, FSC mapped the current state of “safeguarding” in the US. What we found was a sector in motion, but with serious gaps:

• There is no consistent legal or regulatory framework across states governing organizational responsibility for safety or wellbeing, leaving nonprofits without clear guidance.
• Nonprofits trying to strengthen their practices often lack access to resources, peer learning, or expert support.
• The term safeguarding is rarely used and often misunderstood, leading to fragmented or narrow interpretations.

This fragmentation leaves too many organizations vulnerable to reputational risk and legal exposure, but more importantly, to the deeper failure of not protecting the very people nonprofits and philanthropy exists to serve.

Philanthropy Under Pressure

The stakes are rising. We’ve seen how a single scandal, like the revelations of abuse in U.S. gymnastics that came to light in 2018, can reverberate, fueling mistrust and triggering funding withdrawals. Although often described as individual misconduct, this was in fact a safeguarding failure – and in today’s political climate, another high-profile failure could be weaponized to attack not just one organization, but the entire sector.

At the same time, widespread funding cuts are putting pressure on core infrastructure  that help organizations prevent harm and respond when it occurs. These cuts don’t just shrink programs. They erode the safeguards that make those programs safe, inclusive, and sustainable.

Now more than ever, funders must recognize that protecting people is not an optional extra. It is central to mission integrity, to community trust, and to the legitimacy of philanthropy itself.

Turning Principles Into Practice

At the Council on Foundations’ Leading Locally 2025 conference in Minneapolis, we co-hosted a session focused on the role of place-based funders in advancing safety and accountability. We heard from funders that, with the right support, grantee organizations are embedding safety into the fabric of their operations, through practical tools, honest reflection, and community-driven action.

The message was clear: this work is possible. And it’s already happening.

We also aligned on key actions funders can take right now:

• Build a culture of safety: Embed clear expectations into policies, support open communication, and model values of respect and dignity.
• Prevent harm proactively: Use risk assessments, train staff and partners, and ensure safe recruitment and reporting systems.
• Respond effectively: Establish confidential mechanisms to report concerns, and act swiftly and compassionately when harm is suspected.

These aren’t abstract ideals. They’re operational commitments that touch everything from HR to DEI to program design – and that ultimately shape the experience of the people philanthropy is meant to serve.

What Comes Next

Despite the complexity of the moment, we see opportunity. We’re committed to continuing our work to strengthen resources, capacity, and community around safeguarding in the US, and we’re looking to grow this work alongside others who share that commitment.

If you’re a funder exploring how to advance safety and accountability in your own work, or interested in supporting broader change across the sector, we invite you to connect with us. Whether you’re just beginning this journey or already investing in it, there are meaningful ways to get involved.

Let’s ensure that keeping people safe is not a reactive measure, but a defining feature of how philanthropy shows up – resourced, intentional, and grounded in care.