Although many foundations prefer to support direct programmatic activities, many do give grants to help nonprofits cover administrative costs, also known as general operating expenses or overhead costs.
Overhead rate for an operating budget
There is no single accepted standard percentage of overhead that can be applied to every nonprofit organization. Nonprofits spend varying amounts of their budget on administrative costs, depending on the scope and structure of their operations. However, some organizations that rate charities, such as the Better Business Bureau and Charity Navigator, have their own benchmarks, which prospective donors might choose to follow to evaluate a nonprofit's levels of efficiency.
Overhead rate for a grant proposal
Similarly, there is no single accepted overhead rate that applies to every nonprofit organization, or one that is used by all grantmakers. Many funders have policies regarding the percentage of overhead that they will allow within a project budget. Some do not allow any overhead at all to be included, while others allow overhead to be a specific percentage of total costs or personnel costs. To learn more about proposal budgeting, take our free, online course, Introduction to Project Budgets.
How to find funders that give for general operating expenses
For actionable advice on building relationships with funders, check out 10 Insider Tips to Raise General Operating Support from The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
To find funders who give grants for general operating expenses, you can use Foundation Directory, our searchable database of grantmakers. Perform a search by Support Strategy for "General support," in addition to search terms for Subject Area and Geographic Focus.
Subscribe to search from your own location, or search for free at our Candid partner locations. Eligible nonprofits with revenue or expenses under $1M can also gain a free year of access to Foundation Directory Professional through our Go for Gold promotion.
10 Insider Tips to Raise General Operating Support
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
This article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy provides actionable advice on building relationships with funders. Note: You may need to create a free account to view the full article.
Nonprofit Overhead Costs: Breaking the Vicious Cycle
BridgeSpan Group
When nonprofit organizations are able to invest adequately in staffing and infrastructure-- “overhead”--they are better able to carry out their missions.
Nonprofit Organizations Shouldn't Compromise “Good Overhead” (Even in Tough Times)
BridgeSpan Group
In tough times like today’s, funders are likely to scrutinize organizational overhead more than ever. But in conducting due diligence on a nonprofit, a would-be donor should never assume that low overhead is a sign of efficiency.
The Nonprofit Overhead Baby and the Bathwater: A Need-to-Know for Boards
Nonprofit Quarterly
A thorough understanding of overhead can suggest whether a nonprofit's programs could be delivered in a more efficient and/or stable way. Trustees serious about overhead should keep in mind some important patterns highlighted by our recent analysis of the overhead of several thousand nonprofits.
Understanding Overhead: A Governance Challenge for Nonprofit Trustees (PDF)
SeaChange Capital Partners
Overhead is a vexing issue for nonprofits and a potential source of financial risk, so trustees serious about risk management must understand the particular risks associated with overhead. This report, intended as a companion piece to our earlier report, “Risk Management for Nonprofits”, will help trustees better understand this important issue and thereby be more effective in exercising their oversight and governance duties.