Author Archive: laura

Each year in June, Giving USA, along with the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, releases data on giving across America for the previous year. Yesterday’s release, Giving USA 2024: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2023, showed overall charitable giving totaled $557.16 billion in 2023. While giving grew 1.9% in current dollars (reaching a new high), factoring in the 4.1% inflation rate, giving was actually down by 2.1%.

If you’ve been fundraising for awhile, you know a smart, compelling case for support is a go-to essential for your fundraising toolbox. You probably also know it’s not as simple as “if we write it, people will give.” So, how do you use your case to build investment and motivate donors?

In the ever-shifting world of fundraising, donor-advised funds (DAFs) have become a key tool for donors to manage their charitable giving, providing a flexible and tax-efficient way for individuals to support causes they care about.

As development professionals, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you don’t have time to build relationships with donors or connect regularly with your funders. However, this work is essential for the sustainability and success of your organization. These activities go beyond just securing financial support; they open doors to collaboration, connections to other potential supporters, a deeper understanding of your mission, and long-term engagement that can drive your organization forward.

Being down just one member of a development team can lead to big setbacks for fundraising. Whether you have a fundraising position that needs to be filled on a temporary basis while a search is being conducted or you have a member of your team who will be out for an extended period of time, interim staffing is a way to fill a gap that ensures you don’t miss opportunities.

If you haven’t yet, take some time to envision the impact you want to have this year. Whether it’s reaching new fundraising milestones, expanding outreach to new prospects, or launching an innovative campaign, set clear and inspiring intentions to propel you forward.

Using direct marketing email metrics and guidelines to help better tailor your campaigns to your specific needs. Here are the top ones to monitor and some definitions in case you’re new-ish to direct marketing activities or can use a refresh.

As you know, running a successful email campaign goes beyond crafting compelling content and hitting the send button. To truly make an impact and stand out from the digital noise, you must tailor your direct marketing email to your specific needs.

What has worked and what to expect when reaching out to new funders and soliciting institutional gifts.

Have you ever had to share some lousy news with your donors? Maybe one of your Board members is being investigated for fraud… Or a high-level staff member got arrested… Or any number of other cringe-worthy possibilities that demand explaining¬—or at least acknowledgment.