Americans trust nonprofits far more than they trust philanthropy, but what explains that surprising gap? Perhaps people see nonprofits as familiar organizations doing meaningful work while associating philanthropy with wealthy donors, powerful foundations, and decisions made far from everyday life. If so, our profession may have a perception problem as much as a trust problem. Before we worry about rebuilding trust, we should ask a more fundamental question: Do people distrust philanthropy itself, or have we allowed the word to mean something very different from the generosity it represents?
Read MoreDo you really need a large development department to raise significant philanthropic dollars? Many nonprofit leaders assume they do, but smaller organizations may have advantages that bigger institutions struggle to replicate. Direct access to leadership, close connections to mission, and more personal donor relationships to name a few. The real challenge isn't how many fundraisers you employ. It's how wisely you invest their time, how you engage your board, and whether you have the discipline to prioritize relationships over activities that don't deliver. A small team may have fewer resources, but that doesn't mean it has to think small.
Read MoreA donor makes a major gift, the check arrives, and then… nothing. For more than 90 days, a very large check sat untouched in a finance department because no one knew what to do with it. And no one asked for help. It is a powerful reminder that fundraising doesn't end when the donor says yes; every department has a role in protecting the trust that made the gift possible. Getting the gift may be our job, but honoring the gift is everyone's responsibility.
Read MoreWhy are community foundations seeing such significant growth? Investment performance is part of the answer, but there may be something deeper happening. People want to make a difference where they live. Donors want more than confirmation that their gift was received. They want to see what changed because they gave, especially in the communities and among the people they already care about. For fundraisers, that creates an important challenge: stop talking only about what your organization needs and start showing donors what their generosity can change in the place they call home.
Read MoreHealthcare organizations expect philanthropy to generate transformational revenue, yet the CEO is often left outside the donor relationship. Fundraisers can build the strategy, cultivate the prospect, and manage the process, but at the highest levels, donors also want to understand the vision and leadership of the institution they are being asked to support. If philanthropy is truly an organizational priority, CEO engagement cannot simply happen when the operational calendar allows it. The question is bigger than fundraising performance. It is whether healthcare leaders are willing to treat philanthropy as part of their leadership responsibility.
Read MoreInflation rarely arrives as one dramatic event. It reveals itself in an $800 flight, a familiar dinner that suddenly costs twice as much, or a pharmacist quietly asking whether a higher prescription price is still affordable. Those accumulating costs shape more than household budgets. They influence how people give, what they postpone, and whether they remain visible on a donor list. Before fundraisers interpret a smaller gift or a missed year as fading loyalty, we may need to look beyond our institutional lens and consider the financial pressure donors are carrying.
Read MoreThe fundraising world may finally be catching up with an idea that has been around for years: some of the best donor events are not really fundraising events at all. Smaller, personal gatherings can create something a ballroom full of people rarely can, genuine relationships with the mission and with the people leading it. The goal isn't to get a check that night; it is to create the kind of connection that can eventually lead to transformational philanthropy. Sometimes the smartest fundraising strategy is to leave the pledge cards at the office.
Read MoreBoard members can be some of a nonprofit's most valuable fundraising assets, but that does not necessarily mean they should be the ones asking for the money. In organizations with professional fundraising staff, board members are often most effective when they open doors, build credibility, share their personal connection, and deepen relationships alongside development professionals. The board member brings access and authenticity; the fundraiser brings expertise, timing, judgment, and donor strategy.
Read MoreAre fewer people really becoming less generous? Or are we simply measuring generosity too narrowly? Traditional charitable giving may be declining, but crowdfunding, mutual aid, giving circles, and everyday acts of generosity reveal a broader philanthropic impulse. The challenge for nonprofits may not be convincing people to care, but recognizing all the ways people already demonstrate that they do. Perhaps philanthropy isn't broken; perhaps our definition of it is.
Read MoreGreat advancement strategy begins with understanding people, not assumptions. The National Alumni Survey is providing one of the most comprehensive looks yet at what alumni actually think, value, and expect from their institutions. Its early findings reinforce a simple but powerful truth: graduates who feel informed, connected, and genuinely known are far more likely to become engaged donors. The future of university philanthropy may depend less on asking better questions and more on listening better.
Read MoreFor years, nonprofits have concentrated on crafting compelling messages for donors. Today, donors are paying just as much attention to where they give as why they give. A trusted giving platform has become more than a payment processor—it has become a signal of credibility, transparency, and security. In an increasingly digital world, the platform itself is now part of the donor experience.
Read MoreWealth screening is a valuable research tool, but it was never meant to replace professional judgment. When organizations ask donors solely at their estimated financial capacity rather than at a level supported by trust, engagement, and demonstrated commitment, they confuse information with strategy. The strongest philanthropic relationships are built over years, not by algorithms.
Read MoreIn today's attention economy, fundraisers have only a few seconds to capture a donor's interest before the opportunity is lost. This blog explores how the "three-second rule" extends beyond data visualization to emails, direct mail, videos, social media, and even face-to-face donor conversations. The key is not reducing substance but communicating in layers. Earning attention first, then building understanding, and finally providing evidence. Organizations that master clarity and relevance will be better positioned to engage donors in an increasingly distracted world.
Read MoreUnderpaying nonprofit staff may appear fiscally responsible, but it often creates far greater hidden costs. Turnover, burnout, and leadership gaps disrupt programs, weaken donor relationships, and erode organizational momentum, sometimes costing far more than competitive compensation ever would. When viewed through an investment lens, even modest increases in pay can significantly improve retention and stability. For nonprofits, fair compensation isn’t overhead, it’s a critical driver of long-term impact.
Read MoreNonprofits often focus on immediate fundraising goals at the expense of the stories that truly inspire giving. Research and examples, like Brilliant Cities’ tenfold donor increase, show that compelling narratives foster emotional connection and long-term support. Storytelling transforms giving from a transaction into an experience, building trust and making impact tangible. For nonprofit leaders, the key question isn’t how to raise more money, it’s what stories are being told, and whether they resonate deeply enough to cultivate lasting donor relationships.
Read MoreMidlevel donors are the quiet engine of long-term philanthropy—steady, loyal, and often your best future planned giving prospects. They bridge the gap between annual fund supporters and major donors, combining generosity with deep mission commitment. By investing in meaningful stewardship and authentic relationships today, nonprofits can turn these consistent givers into tomorrow’s legacy champions. The path takes patience, but the payoff is enduring impact.
Read MoreIowa State’s athletics department faces a $147 million deficit through 2031, driven by the NCAA settlement’s new revenue-sharing requirements and shifting conference dynamics. Like Kansas State, Houston, and Oregon State, ISU is cutting expenses, raising donor expectations, and delaying facility upgrades just to keep pace. The deeper concern is cultural: as costs climb and revenues consolidate, non-revenue sports, community traditions, and the amateur spirit of college athletics may be sacrificed. Some schools, like UConn, are thriving through record fundraising, but many mid-tier programs may soon face existential choices that reshape the very fabric of college sports.
Read MoreToo often, philanthropy leaders are asked to raise big dollars without a roadmap to guide the work. The absence of a strategic plan isn’t just inconvenient—it undermines donor confidence, limits gift potential, and erodes credibility. Savvy fundraising executives can change that by elevating the issue as a leadership duty, bringing donor voices into the room, and proposing phased frameworks that spark momentum. Strategic clarity isn’t optional—it’s the fuel that transforms donor interest into meaningful investment, and philanthropy leaders must be the catalyst to make it happen.
Read MorePhilanthropy without a strategic plan is like building on sand—it may stand for a moment, but it cannot last. Donors disengage when appeals lack focus, internal credibility erodes when fundraising operates in a vacuum, and opportunities vanish when organizations fail to define their priorities. A strong strategic plan provides clarity, direction, and measurable outcomes that unlock donor confidence and energize fundraising. Without it, even the best fundraisers are left making vague asks—and that’s not just inefficient, it’s a leadership failure.
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