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Toward an SDG‐Based Typology for US Nonprofits

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  • Dominik S. Meier
  • Elizabeth Searing

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent an emerging institutional logic that nonprofits must navigate alongside existing sector‐specific frameworks. Drawing on institutional logics and organizational hybridity theories, we examine how nonprofits incorporate SDGs into their missions and what this reveals about managing institutional complexity. Using a large language model to analyze nearly 50,000 US nonprofit mission statements, we develop an SDG‐based typology that captures mission hybridity—a key dimension existing classification systems obscure. We find that nonprofits embedded in strong professional logics (e.g., healthcare, education) show concentrated SDG alignment, while those spanning multiple institutional spheres demonstrate diverse engagement patterns. Mission statements relate to an average of 1.94 SDGs, with modest intergoal correlations suggesting context‐specific rather than template‐driven implementation strategies. Our study advances understanding of how organizations translate global frameworks through existing institutional arrangements, provides a quantitative measure of mission complexity, and offers practical insights for nonprofit alignment with global sustainability priorities.

Suggested Citation

  • Dominik S. Meier & Elizabeth Searing, 2026. "Toward an SDG‐Based Typology for US Nonprofits," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 5344-5363, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:35:y:2026:i:4:p:5344-5363
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.70419
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