On Wednesday, September 23, the Nonprofit CEO Roundtable featured Stephanie Pacinella, Senior Director of Strategy & Special Initiatives at Social Current, for a conversation on Five & Rising, a national movement working to shift how the social sector is funded, valued and supported.
Stephanie shared the significant economic and community impact of the social sector, which represents approximately 5.3% of U.S. GDP and more than 12 million jobs nationwide. Despite that impact, organizations across the sector continue to face challenges including restrictive funding models, workforce burnout and underinvestment, risk aversion, insurance instability and outdated perceptions about the true cost of creating impact.
Through Five & Rising, Social Current is working to change that narrative by elevating innovative models, influencing policy and regulatory practices, and equipping organizations and communities with tools to better communicate the sector’s value.
One of the key takeaways from the discussion was that these challenges do not exist in isolation—they build on one another, making it important to look beyond individual organizations and consider the systems affecting the sector as a whole.
The conversation also challenged the idea of the social sector as simply “charity.” Instead, Stephanie encouraged attendees to recognize it as essential community infrastructure and an economic force that supports families, strengthens communities and contributes significantly to the workforce.
Thank you to Stephanie for joining us and sharing more about Five & Rising, and to our nonprofit leaders for another thoughtful and engaging conversation!
Want to continue the conversation or learn more? Stephanie welcomes attendees to connect with her directly at spacinella@social-current.org.