In April, we asked you how you experienced the current situation in your organisations. Not superficially, not diplomatically - but honestly. 16 teams from the civil society sector responded.

We asked six questions: about stress in the team, psychological safety, the financial situation, personnel, networks - and at the end an open question about the dilemmas and paradoxes that really concern you. 

Here are the results - as clear as they are.

Exhaustion and posture: both at the same time

Almost two thirds of respondents (67%) describe how the administrative management of the cuts is consuming all their capacities. There is hardly any room left for actual substantive work. At the same time, more than half say We won't let them get us down. This simultaneity - exhaustion and resilience - is perhaps the most striking pattern in the responses.

In addition, 47% report a crisis of meaning: when structures break down, it is difficult to keep an eye on the why of one's own work. 27% experience shock or loss of motivation, another 27% report internal tensions due to distribution pressure.

What is needed to remain capable of acting

We were particularly interested in the question of psychological safety because people and their experiences should be brought more into focus, especially in these times of pressure.

Two thirds of those surveyed would particularly like support in developing a Future narrativeHow do we remain capable of acting even when the structures are shaky? What is our image of ourselves when the previous foundations no longer support us?

A good half also need Moderated relief rooms - In other words, formats in which fears can be expressed without blocking operational business. And almost as many would like to see more Roller safetyWho bears what responsibility in the crisis?

The financial situation: tense, with the will to act

73% are actively looking for new sources of financing. This shows: Most organisations are not sitting still - they are looking for ways and alternatives. At the same time: 40% state that they still have sufficient reserves to cushion cuts in the short term. For a third, there is a lack of internal clarity about the actual financial situation. And for 33%, the Liquidity pressure This is already leading to ad hoc decisions without a strategic basis.

Personnel: finding solutions together so that many can stay 

Half of the organisations are trying to avoid staff cuts by reducing tasks. This is a clear signal: the commitment to their own employees is strong - and is consciously prioritised.

At the same time, 38% observe that colleagues are proactively leaving the organisation - for Fear of instability, not because they no longer want to work there. This is a silent, creeping loss. One that doesn't show up on balance sheets, but leaves a deep mark on the work culture.

23% are faced with the situation of having to part with jobs structurally and need Support for this painful process. 31% are looking for support with legal issues relating to labour law and severance payments.

Networks: solidarity and competition under one roof

63% are ready for Resource pooling - Sharing infrastructure, back office, IT, rooms with others to reduce costs. Just as many (63%) see networks primarily as a Political alliance strength: a strong common voice vis-à-vis the donors.

57% are interested in building solidarity structures. And 38% describe how the struggle for remaining funds has put a noticeable strain on previous cooperation.

Solidarity and competition exist side by side. This is not a contradiction - this is the reality of a sector under pressure. And it is important to say this openly before it quietly leads to division.

What particularly moves us: the frank words

Five people responded to the open question about dilemmas and paradoxes. We quote two of them here - because they are representative of much of what lies behind the numbers:

„Die größte Belastung ist die Unklarheit und dadurch die Schwierigkeit zu planen, nicht mal mittelfristig. Und der Verlust von guten Leuten."

„Der Druck wird in meinem Umfeld ganz klar von oben nach unten durchgereicht. Mitarbeitende sollen mehr leisten, sich darüber nicht beklagen und noch Zeit für den Vorgesetzten erübrigen, am besten ad hoc. Zeit für die Planung oder Reflexion der eigenen Arbeit gibt es nicht mehr. Eigentlich auch nicht mehr für einen Austausch im Team."

These are not just side notes. They express something that we have already observed during the pandemic: In times of crisis, leadership becomes more authoritarian, hierarchies and efficiency are supposed to provide orientation and security. We are happy to question whether this really has to be the case. 

What we take away from this

This survey is not a representative sample - it is an honest mirror. And what this mirror shows us: Organisations in the civil society sector do not need any further optimisation frameworks. They need Rooms to catch your breath. Clarity about who carries what. Narratives that enable the ability to act despite threats. And networks that really work, because that's what matters now. 

Wir im Team von SOCIUS haben diese Umfrage gestartet, um passende Angebote für euch zu entwickeln. Ein erstes findet am 4. Juni in Berlin statt mit dem SOCIUS labor von Nathalie Rajević und Nicola Kriesel “Trauer braucht einen Ort - Ein Labor über kollektive Trauer, gebrochene Versprechen und das, was unter der Wut liegt”. Der SOCIUS brief im Juni wird weitere Angebote über den Sommer enthalten. 

If you have any specific requests for us on a particular topic, please let us know! 

The survey ran from 19 April to 16 May 2026 and was answered by 16 people from civil society organisations.