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 MoreWarren Buffett built a trillion-dollar business empire, but his most enduring accomplishment is something no balance sheet can measure: the trust he earned over decades. From helping leaders navigate difficult decisions to stepping forward when financial markets were in crisis, Buffett demonstrated that credibility is built through discipline, honesty, and long-term perspective. For those in philanthropy, his example raises an important question: Are we building donor relationships that can withstand uncertainty? Or are we focused only on the next transaction? Sometimes the greatest return on an investment is the confidence others place in us.
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 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 MoreHow does a foundation remain faithful to its founder while responding to a world the founder could never have imagined? The answer is not in preserving old grantmaking patterns, but in preserving the purpose behind them. Donor intent should guide foundations toward enduring values while allowing the methods used to achieve those values to evolve with knowledge, circumstances, and need.
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 MoreThe greatest governance challenge is not always an inactive board, it is an overactive one. When boards spend their meetings debating hiring decisions, software platforms, or operational procedures, they unintentionally neglect the strategic issues only they are positioned to address. Healthy organizations create a clear distinction between governance and management. The board's responsibility is not to run the organization, but to ensure it has the vision, leadership, and financial strength to thrive for years to come.
Read MoreOne of the hardest lessons parents ever teach is that not everyone deserves your trust. We want our children to believe in kindness, generosity, and the goodness of people, yet we also have a responsibility to prepare them for those who exploit those very qualities. The same applies in philanthropy, where trust is the foundation of every donor relationship and the very thing scammers seek to abuse. The goal is not to become cynical, but to pair trust with vigilance.
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 MoreDisaster recovery is often treated as a short-term response, but meaningful recovery requires long-term coordination, patience, and strategic leadership. Drawing on the Omaha Community Foundation’s response to the 2024 tornadoes, aligning donors, nonprofits, government agencies, and case management efforts can produce more effective outcomes than fragmented relief efforts. The lesson goes beyond disaster philanthropy: the most impactful solutions emerge when organizations focus on system design, collaboration, and sustained support rather than immediate activity alone. Recovery is not an event. It is a process that rewards discipline and thoughtful coordination.
Read MoreLeadership, fundraising, and education fail when systems become too focused on “the many” and lose sight of the individual. Research on personalized learning shows that when people feel seen, understood, and supported according to their unique needs, engagement and outcomes improve significantly. The same principle applies beyond the classroom. Donors, employees, students, and patients all respond differently when treated as individuals rather than averages. Scale effectively not by ignoring “the one,” but by building personalization into how they operate.
Read MoreSt. Jude’s $4.5 billion in bequest commitments is more than an impressive fundraising milestone. Proof that planned giving works at scale. Most wealth in America is held in assets, not cash, yet many nonprofits still focus primarily on annual giving strategies. Organizations that invest in estate and planned giving align themselves with how donors actually hold and transfer wealth over time. As trillions of dollars prepare to shift between generations, nonprofits that build intentional legacy programs today will be positioned for transformational impact tomorrow.
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