News & Notes (ARCHIVES)

Top fundraising trends to capitalize on in 2021

Prediction 1: virtual fundraising is here to stay. Read more

Report: Giving rose 7.6% during first 3 quarters of 2020

Charitable giving increased by 7.6% during the first nine months of 2020, compared with the year before, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. “What we’re seeing is that people remain very generous and continue to support their neighbors, communities and charitable causes when they face crises and hard times,” said FEP chair Jon Biedermann.
Full Story here

Donor retention: Where to begin
You need to hang onto your donors for true fundraising success. Try dating them. Seriously. Read more

What key trends will affect nonprofits the most this year?

Technology, online giving and socioeconomic factors are a few of the trends reshaping the nonprofit sector, writes Una Osili of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Looking to chart a ‘new normal,’ nonprofits can move boldly towards a shared vision of a more just, equitable, and resilient future,” Osili writes.
Full Story: The NonProfit Times

Nonprofit Board Orientation Checklist

Ensure you are providing new board members with the necessary materials and information during the orientation process. Based on information from The Board Building Cycle and Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, this nonprofit board orientation checklist includes important information such as:

• materials to share with new board members
• general expectations of board members
• an outline of the information to provide new board members about the organization
  Read more.

Report: Giving rose 7.6% during first 3 quarters of 2020

Charitable giving increased by 7.6% during the first nine months of 2020, compared with the year before, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. “What we’re seeing is that people remain very generous and continue to support their neighbors, communities and charitable causes when they face crises and hard times,” said FEP chair Jon Biedermann.
Full Story here

Opinion: Nonprofit partnerships empower sector

Nonprofits have worked together to share resources and meet the needs of their communities during the pandemic and must continue to do so, writes Ruth Jones Nichols, president and CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. “Partnerships during a pandemic can have a positive impact on the people we serve, and they can also have an enduring effect on our sector by helping nonprofits survive,” she writes.
Full Story: Inside Business (Hampton Roads, Va.) (11/23)

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What makes a good board member?

While all effective board members understand and meet their basic responsibilities, truly exceptional board members do more. In addition to highlighting important behaviors to avoid, this resource outlines six characteristics of good board members, including
⦁ focus on listening
⦁ ask naïve questions
⦁ serve as ambassadors for the organization
Read more

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How to provide immediate relief in times of crisis

The Medtronic Foundation worked with corporate and philanthropic partners to identify nonprofits in need and outcome-based actions the organization could take when the pandemic and racial unrest converged, write Allison Frailich and Liz Lund of the Medtronic Foundation. The authors share six actions for effective crisis response, including being clear and direct in messaging.
Full Story: Stanford Social Innovation Review

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2 Fundraising Appeal Examples: Include Relevancy and Urgency – Here’s an evaluation of two fundraising appeal examples I received in just one day’s mail. I chose them because they’re similar, yet different.
Read more >> from Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE

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Putting the Thank You Before the Next Please: How-To Spotlight Nonprofit Supporters in a Meaningful Way – The longevity of any non-profit’s contributions (time, treasure, talent, or otherwise) will depend, in part, on saying a regular thank you before the next please.
Read more >> from Madison Gonzalez

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[VIDEO] 7 Steps to Getting Grant Funding – In this webinar replay, Margit Brazda Poirier, GPC, M.S. will share the exact seven steps that helped her raise over $20MM in grant funding for her clients so that you can do it too!
Watch now >>

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3 Challenges That Stop Development Directors from Pursuing Major Gifts – I understand that getting serious about pursuing major gifts can feel risky. It’s something a lot of nonprofit folks aren’t trained in and can seem intimidating. But you can do it!
Read more >> from Sherry Quam Taylor

5 Phases of Strategic Planning

Strategic planning often unfolds in a series of five phases, with each phase building on the one that came before.

When beginning a new phase of strategic planning, it is important to keep a few key questions in mind. This resource includes the five steps to employ while strategic planning, from planning to plan to monitoring your progress. Members only. Read more.

3 types of ineffective nonprofit boards and what to do
Healthy boards have a unique ability to advance their organizations’ mission-related goals yet are increasingly rare in the nonprofit world, consultant Alex Counts writes. Counts identifies three types of unsuccessful boards and shares ideas for restoring effectiveness, noting that “[l]ack of diversity often compounds dysfunction.”
Full Story: Stanford Social Innovation Review online (10/5)

The board’s role in reviewing the Form 990

What is the board’s role?

In Part VI, Section A of the Form 990, the IRS asks whether the board receives a copy and what its review process is. To help your board review the completed form, download this checklist pertaining to governance. The form outlines key areas your nonprofit should address, such as:
• compensation of board members
• mission and programs
• delegation of authority

Download it here.

5 steps to solving thorny, unpredictable problems

“Wicked” problems such as the pandemic affect larger society, are unpredictable and require leaders who can clearly see the root problem, are willing to think through alternative solutions and are quick to pivot, write INSEAD professors Natalia Karelaia and Ludo Van der Heyden, citing their research. “The ability to hold oneself responsible in front of people, particularly in defeat, is the hallmark of great leaders,” they write.
Full Story: INSEAD Knowledge (10/13)

Many nonprofits unsure about 2021 fundraising events

Forty-eight percent of almost 100 nonprofits surveyed by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum are unsure whether they’ll host in-person fundraising events next spring. Many organizations that have made a decision are planning virtual or hybrid events, the survey found.
Full Story: Forbes

As of September 1, 2020

Report: Giving during pandemic outpaces other disasters
The philanthropic sector has received more than $11.9 billion in donations since the start of the pandemic — significantly surpassing the relief funds raised after hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and other disasters, according to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Candid. “The economic, social and health impacts of the pandemic will outpace every donated dollar unless we support the most vulnerable among us,” says Center for Disaster Philanthropy Vice President Regine Webster.
Full Story: Wealth Professional (Canada) (8/27)

Coalition debuts road map for foundation mergers
The Council on Foundations has shared a four-step process to help foundations to more effectively handle mergers and acquisitions. A 23-page report outlines the road map process, offers four case studies and explains the steps, including due diligence, integration and communication.
Full Story: The NonProfit Times (Morris Plains, N.J.) (8/24)

The Organizational Budget Effect on Grantseeking
by Ellen Mowrer

With over 3,250 respondents to the 2020 State of Grantseeking™ Survey, our results can help you plan your grantseeking strategy and measure your organization’s success. Year after year, we find that an organization’s annual budget has the greatest impact on the grantseeking experience because it speaks to the size of the organization’s staff, programs, and the scope of service area. While this is stating the obvious, respondents tell us that well-meaning stakeholders regularly suggest more grant opportunities than there are staff to process, as well as poorly matched grant opportunities. It is not an easy balance.