A quarterly view from fractional CFOs

Our consultants don’t study the economy. They work inside it. They’re inside the decisions, not outside looking Every quarter, we ask our network of fractional CFOs the same questions about what they’re seeing inside the organizations they serve. Not the headlines. The ground-level reality: what leaders are worried about, where they’re investing, and how they’re thinking about the months ahead. 

The result is a shared read on a shared reality, built from dozens of vantage points at once.

What we found this quarter:

Steady, but not standing still. For-profit leaders held their position and watched their cash – discipline, not freezing. Many expect higher sales, while fewer expect margins to follow.

A harder quarter for nonprofits. Dependable funding is less certain, and most organizations are managing a shortfall. Where for-profit leaders are deciding when to grow, nonprofits are deciding what to sustain.

AI, arriving slowly. Useful in a few narrow places, largely absent from operations, and not yet delivering measurable returns.

This report is for you if:

• You’re a business owner or executive making decisions with incomplete information, and you want to know how leaders like you are navigating the same conditions.
• You lead or serve a nonprofit, and you’re weighing sustainability against mission in a shifting funding landscape.
• You’re a partner or advisor, and you want a ground-level read on what your clients are facing, straight from the CFOs inside their organizations. 

Read the full report – The complete Q1 2026 findings, the data behind them, and the voices of the consultants who see it firsthand.

Wondering how this compares to what’s happening inside your organization? Let’s talk.