Blog

What Is A Federalwide Assurance and Who Needs One?

Sep 8th, 2026

An FWA isn’t something your IRB has, it’s something your institution has. The IRB is just one piece of it. Let’s untangle what a Federalwide Assurance is, why it exists, who needs one, and how your organization and your IRB fit together under it.

What Happens After You Submit an IRB Application? Timeline Map + Reviewer’s Expectation Checklist

Jul 16th, 2026

You hit submit on your IRB application. Now what? If you’re a nonprofit staffer, community organizer, or first-time evaluator, that question can feel surprisingly hard to answer. Unlike a grant application, where you at least know the notification date, IRB (Institutional Review Board) review can feel like a black box. You send your protocol into … more »

4 Reasons Organizations Should Use Independent IRBs for Risk Management

Jun 18th, 2026

Risk management looks different depending on who you ask. For a hospital, it might mean clinical audits. For a nonprofit, it might mean financial controls. But for organizations doing community-based research or evaluation — whether that’s a needs assessment, a program evaluation with focus groups, or a survey of service recipients — one of the … more »

Nonprofit Community Research Compliance: The 4-Part Framework You’re Probably Missing

Apr 23rd, 2026

When it comes to nonprofit community research compliance, there’s one conversation that keeps getting skipped: the operational and ethical infrastructure that holds your research together. We’re talking about the stuff that protects your community, your organization, and the integrity of your data before, during, and after you collect it.