All donors are not created equal. You might think that how much they give is what makes them different. But it's really how they give - their motivation - that's more telling. For instance, are the type that likes to attend events, and who love to buy auction items? Or are they truly invested in making the world a better place? This post will explore 4 types of donors and tell you which 2 your nonprofit needs in order to survive and even thrive. (read more)

Make no mistake. Fundraising will look different this year. For the first time since 2008, people are beginning to talk about stopping their giving. Why? Because they feel financially insecure. Some will stop their giving - but they don't want to. Others will give to causes that they see as especially important or relevant now. Bottom line: there's a "new hierarchy" of giving. These are the four types of charities donors may support this year. (read more)

Make no mistake. Fundraising will look different this year. For the first time since 2008, people are beginning to talk about stopping their giving. Why? Because they feel financially insecure. Some will stop their giving - but they don't want to. Others will give to causes that they see as especially important or relevant now. Bottom line: there's a "new hierarchy" of giving. These are the four types of charities donors may support this year. (read more)

There's no doubt that 2020 will go down as one of the most remarkable years in our history. A global pandemic. Record unemployment. A pivotal election. And now, the aftermath of a hurricane along with raging wildfires. You might think it's a perfect storm - that rare combination of events or circumstances, creating an unusually bad situation. I think it's a perfect opportunity for fundraisers. This post offers a bit of inspiration to help you navigate the rest of the year. (read more)

Legal experts in the U.S. and Canada report there has been increased interest in updating and writing wills since the coronavirus outbreak. Why? It's a little like toilet paper hoarding. It's about being in control. We can't control a global pandemic. But we can put our affairs in order. And lots of people (including your donors) are doing that now. And you can help them. This post will show you how. (read more)

Early reports are that last month's #GivingTuesdayNow raised more than $500 million - just a tick lower than last December's #GivingTuesday. These results prove that donors are as charitable as ever. They haven't stopped giving during the coronavirus crisis. However, many nonprofits stopped asking. But all is not lost! Here are 5 areas where you want to focus your efforts to raise money in the second half of the year. (read more)

If you're worried about how the coronavirus crisis and a pending recession might impact your nonprofit's fundraising, you're not alone. So much has changed, in such a short time, but one thing remains the same: the important work that you and your nonprofit are doing. How will you keep doing that work? Now and into the future? With those questions in mind, I've curated a list of the best advice I've found. You'll find excerpts here, along with links to the full posts. (read more)

If you're worried about how this election year might impact your nonprofit's fundraising, this post is for you. First, I'll separate the facts from fiction by looking at the impact of political giving on charitable giving. Then I'll share why political giving might, in fact, be good news for your nonprofit. (read more)

Does your nonprofit want to raise more money this year? If so, now is a great time to start. Make a New Year's Resolution to improve your donor retention rate. Because when you keep more donors, you can raise more money. While that's a simple concept, it's not easy to do. But it doesn't have to be hard, either. This is the first in a series of posts to help you improve donor retention. Because when you do, you'll raise more money for your nonprofit this year - and every year. (read more)

Charitable giving in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2017, crossing the $400 billion mark. (Yes, billion with a "b.") This is one of the findings from the most recent Giving USA report, which tracks annual giving trends. Here are five highlights from the Giving USA 2018 report and why these takeaways matter to you. (read more)

If you're new to grant writing, or even if you've been at it for a while, you might have questions like, How long does it usually take to get a grant? How much is a typical award? If I apply for 2 or 3 grants, will I get at least one? Each year, the State of Grant Seeking Report answers these questions and many more. Here's a summary of the latest data. (read more)

In case you missed a post (or just want to re-read a favorite), here are the top 5 articles from this past year. Rankings are based on email open rates and social shares. (read more)

After a disaster, people want to help. And donors to the relief efforts are very likely donors to other organizations - including yours. If you're not a relief organization, are you worried how Harvey (and now Irma) may impact your donations? Are you concerned about donor fatigue? That donors will be overasked and overcommitted by the end of the year? (read more)

Fundraising is both a science and an art. And each year, Giving USA and the Fundraising Effectiveness Project give us lots of data and insights to the sector. Once you unlock the data, you can use the science to practice the art of fundraising. Here are some top takeaways from the reports and how you can use that information to raise more money. (read more)

For more than 60 years, the Giving USA report has provided insights into the sector. This annual report tells us about U.S. giving trends from the last year. It gives us a benchmark for philanthropy and helps us understand who's giving - and to whom. This year's headline read "2015 Was America's Most-Generous Year Ever." And that's good news for the nonprofit sector. And that's not all the good news. Read on for 15 giving facts that you need to know. (read more)

This is the time of year that many nonprofits start the cycle again: new budget, new board members, new goals. It's also a time to look back and see what we can learn from the past. Why now, you ask? Each June, the annual Giving USA report is released, providing us with trends and insights from the previous year's giving trends. This information can help your nonprofit plan for the year ahead. Here are some of the report's findings from 2014 giving. (read more)

Nonprofit data nerds wait for this all year long: the Giving USA report. This annual report gives us a detailed overview of charitable giving in the U.S., by source and by sector. This is the most comprehensive charitable giving data available. And it's finally here. Here's what you need to know from this year's report. (read more)