100%
Critical Findings
Closed
63%
of nonprofits experienced
a cyberattack in 2023
a cyberattack in 2023
$1.7M
average breach cost for
small organizations
small organizations
89%
of nonprofit breaches
involve phishing
involve phishing
40%
of nonprofits have no
cybersecurity budget
cybersecurity budget
The Threat Landscape
Phishing Targeting Donor & Grant Staff
Nonprofit finance and development staff are prime phishing targets. Donation processing credentials, grant portal access, and banking login information are high-value targets. Staff often lack security training and work across personal and organizational email accounts, creating additional exposure.
Ransomware Disrupting Mission Operations
Ransomware attacks against nonprofits are increasing: attackers recognize that operational disruption creates immediate pressure, particularly for human services organizations where program disruption affects beneficiaries. Nonprofits with limited IT resources are slower to recover and more likely to pay.
BEC Targeting Wire Transfers & Vendor Payments
Business email compromise targeting nonprofit finance staff is common. Fraudulent wire instructions impersonating executives or vendors are sent to staff who process payments for grant disbursements, vendor contracts, and program expenses. Nonprofits with manual financial controls and limited oversight are particularly vulnerable.
Donor Data Exposure & Privacy Breach
Donor databases containing names, addresses, payment card information, and giving history are subject to PCI DSS, state breach notification laws, and donor trust expectations. A breach affecting donor data triggers legal obligations and reputational damage that can depress future giving.
How AI Is Being Used to Attack This Industry
AI-Personalized Phishing at Low Cost
AI allows attackers to generate highly personalized phishing against nonprofit staff at near-zero cost: referencing specific programs, funders, and beneficiary populations assembled from the nonprofit's public website and social media. Small nonprofits with limited security awareness training are high-value targets.
AI-Generated Fake Grant Solicitations
Nonprofits are targeted by AI-generated fake grant solicitations requesting sensitive organizational information, bank account details, and leadership signatures under the guise of grant application requirements. These attacks exploit the grant-seeking posture of nonprofits and the tendency to respond quickly to funding opportunities.
Deepfake Executive Impersonation for Fraud
AI voice and video cloning is used to impersonate nonprofit executive directors in calls and video meetings authorizing fraudulent wire transfers or vendor payments. Smaller organizations with informal approval processes are particularly vulnerable to this type of social engineering.
AI-Automated Attacks on Under-Resourced Systems
Nonprofits with limited security resources and older infrastructure are targeted by AI-automated attack tools that identify and exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched systems: vulnerabilities that paid IT staff at commercial organizations would have addressed.
How We Help
Right-Sized Security Assessment
We assess nonprofit security against actual risk: not enterprise frameworks. Findings identify the controls that deliver maximum protection per dollar, prioritizing risks that could damage mission, reputation, or donor trust.
Learn MoreDonor Data & Payment Security
We assess donor data handling, implement access controls and encryption, and ensure payment card processing meets PCI DSS requirements: protecting donor trust and satisfying payment processing obligations.
Learn MoreGrant Compliance & Funder Requirements
Federal grants and many private foundations require minimum cybersecurity standards. We assess against applicable funder requirements and build the documentation needed for grant applications and site visit assessments.
Learn MoreMicrosoft 365 & Google Workspace Security
We configure the advanced security features available in nonprofit technology program licensing: MFA, conditional access, email authentication, DLP: features most nonprofits pay for but do not use.
Learn MoreSecurity Policies & Documentation
We develop the foundational policies nonprofits need for funder compliance and insurance requirements: acceptable use, data classification, incident response, and vendor management: appropriate in scope for your size.
Learn MoreStaff & Volunteer Security Training
We deliver security awareness training appropriate for nonprofit environments: phishing recognition, BEC wire fraud prevention, and secure data handling: designed for staff and volunteers who are not security professionals.
Learn MoreHow We Use AI to Protect You
AI Email Security at Nonprofit Budget
We deploy AI-powered email security configured within nonprofit budget constraints: providing protection against phishing and BEC attacks at a cost appropriate for organizations without dedicated security budgets.
Automated Vulnerability Detection
AI-powered scanning continuously identifies vulnerabilities in nonprofit infrastructure: flagging unpatched systems, exposed services, and misconfigurations without requiring dedicated IT security staff to manually review.
AI-Assisted Incident Response
When a security incident occurs, AI-assisted investigation tools help under-resourced nonprofit IT teams understand scope and contain damage faster: compressing the response time that organizations without security staff cannot afford.
Threat Intelligence Monitoring
Continuous monitoring for nonprofit credentials and donor data on criminal forums: providing early warning of compromised accounts before they are exploited for fraud or data theft.
Regulatory & Compliance Requirements
PCI DSS: Donor Payment Card Data
Any nonprofit accepting credit or debit card donations is subject to PCI DSS. Using hosted payment pages from third-party processors limits scope to SAQ A. Nonprofits processing card data directly have more extensive PCI obligations.
View ServicesFederal Grant Cybersecurity Requirements
Federal grants from HHS, FEMA, DOE, and other agencies include cybersecurity requirements in grant terms. Organizations handling Controlled Unclassified Information may need to meet NIST SP 800-171 requirements. Grant compliance increasingly includes security documentation.
View ServicesState Data Breach Notification Laws
All 50 states require notification to affected individuals when personal information is compromised. Nonprofits must be prepared to meet notification timelines: typically 30 to 90 days: for any breach affecting donor, employee, or beneficiary personal data.
View ServicesCyber Insurance Requirements
Cyber insurance for nonprofits increasingly requires demonstrated security controls as conditions of coverage: MFA, endpoint protection, backups, and security training. Nonprofits without these controls face coverage denial after a breach.
View ServicesWhy Organizations Choose garrisonOne
- Nonprofit Budget Reality: We design programs for nonprofit budget constraints: prioritizing the highest-impact controls within available resources.
- Grant Compliance Experience: We understand federal grant cybersecurity requirements and help nonprofits document compliance in grant applications.
- Microsoft Nonprofit & Google for Nonprofits: We configure security features in nonprofit technology program licensing: features nonprofits pay for but rarely use.
- Mission-Focused Security: We align recommendations to mission risk: protecting donor trust, beneficiary data, and operational continuity.
- Board-Ready Reporting: We produce board-ready security reporting that enables governance conversations without technical backgrounds.
- Staff Training Delivered: We deliver training: not just documentation: appropriate for staff and volunteers who are not security professionals.
Case Study: Security Assessment
Distributor Security Assessment: From Zero to Compliance in 60 Days
A regional organization with no formal security program engaged garrisonOne for a full assessment and remediation roadmap. Every critical finding was closed within 60 days with clear, actionable remediation guidance and implementation support.
Read the Full Case Study100%Critical Gaps
Closed
60Days Full
Remediation
0Repeat Findings
at Follow-up
garrisonOne built our security program from scratch. The assessment was thorough, the roadmap was realistic given our budget, and every recommendation made sense for our size and risk profile. We closed all critical findings in 60 days.
Related Services: Penetration Testing | Compliance Services | Identity & Access Management | Managed SOC | Cloud Security | All Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do nonprofits need cybersecurity?
Nonprofits hold donor payment data, beneficiary personal information, and grant financial records: all subject to legal obligations and donor trust expectations. A breach can permanently damage donor relationships, trigger funder sanctions, and expose leadership to liability.
What security controls matter most for a small nonprofit?
The highest-impact controls in order: MFA for all accounts (especially email and financial systems), security awareness training for staff and volunteers, endpoint protection on all devices, a documented incident response procedure, and offsite backups tested for restoration. These prevent the vast majority of nonprofit security incidents.
What cybersecurity requirements come with federal grants?
Requirements vary by agency. Common requirements include NIST SP 800-171 for grants involving CUI, HIPAA for health grants, and general information security requirements in grant terms. Many funders now include cybersecurity in site visit assessments and require documented security programs.
Does a nonprofit need cyber insurance?
Cyber insurance is increasingly advisable, especially for nonprofits handling donor payment data, health information, or significant financial assets. Nonprofit-specific policies are available at rates reflecting mission-driven organization risk profiles.
How does a breach affect a nonprofit?
A breach can result in: donor trust damage suppressing future giving; regulatory penalties under breach notification laws or HIPAA; breach response costs (forensics, legal, notification, credit monitoring); loss of funder confidence; and board liability concerns. Reputational impact on donor relationships is often the longest-lasting consequence.
What are PCI DSS requirements for nonprofits accepting donations?
Any nonprofit accepting credit or debit donations is subject to PCI DSS. For small nonprofits using hosted payment pages from third-party processors, scope is limited to SAQ A: primarily ensuring the payment page is hosted entirely by the processor. Nonprofits processing card data directly have more extensive PCI obligations.
How much does a nonprofit security program cost?
Right-sized nonprofit security programs focus on high-impact, low-cost controls. The core controls: MFA, endpoint protection, email security, backup, and staff training: typically cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars monthly depending on organization size. We design programs within realistic nonprofit budget constraints.
What is the biggest security risk for nonprofits?
Phishing targeting staff with access to donation processing, grant portals, and banking systems is the most common attack vector. BEC fraud targeting wire transfers and vendor payments causes the largest financial losses. Both are addressable with MFA, email security, and staff training.
Resources
Company
Contact
- US: 4752 Euclid Rd Suite 11,
Virginia Beach, VA 23462 - India: Orchard Street, Sector 61,
Gurgaon, Haryana - Phone: (301) 825-5518
- info@garrisonone.com
