What the Early Trends in 2025 Giving Tell Us—and What Nonprofit Leaders Can Do Next
Published May 17, 2026
By Todd Landt, Chief Customer Officer, Blackbaud Each year, the Blackbaud Institute publishes its Trends in Giving report to offer an early, data-informed view of the previous year’s charitable giving to help social impact leaders and fundraisers understand what’s unfolding across the sector and why. The past few years have demanded more from nonprofits […]
4 Donor Survey Best Practices That Drive Engagament
Published May 11, 2026
By Campbell Lake, Senior Associate Director, Orr Group Donor surveys have evolved well beyond simple administrative tools. Today, they’re among the most effective ways for nonprofits to strengthen relationships, uncover donor motivations, and build more resilient fundraising programs. At a time when economic fluctuation continues to shape giving behavior, organizations that actively listen and […]
How Nonprofits Can Use Partnerships to Amplify Giving
Published May 4, 2026
By Ann Fellman, Chief Marketing Officer, Bloomerang Securing donors’ support can be challenging, especially amid economic instability. However, many individuals are still committed to supporting the nonprofits they’re passionate about, with recent studies showing that 49% of donors plan to give more than they did in 2025 and 46% plan to give the same […]
5 Strategies for Unlocking Donor Advised Funds: What Nonprofits Must Know to Compete in Today’s Philanthropic Landscape
Published April 7, 2026
By Dwayne Ashley, CEO, Bridge Philanthropic Consulting, LLC. We will always keep it plan and real about what’s happening in the sector that you need to know about. Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have emerged as one of the greatest growth strategies for new funding and frequently misunderstood prospect opportunities in our sector. With more […]
The Demographic Shift That Will Redefine Planned Giving Over the Next Decade
Published March 17, 2026
By Brantley Boyett, President & Co-Founder, Giving Docs Planned giving has always been shaped by demographics. But over the next decade, the donor landscape is going to change more dramatically than it has in the last fifty years, and legacy programs will need to evolve with it. Three forces are converging: Americans are living […]
Optimizing Decay
Published March 9, 2026
By Ben Miller, Senior Vice President of Data Science and Analytics, Bonterra Tech What would an additional $150 billion in annual giving make possible? Consider this: closing America’s entire food insecurity gap, funding the difference between what food-insecure families have and what they need, costs an estimated $32 billion a year. The jump from […]
Campaigns Are Not the Magic Cure-All: What Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know
Published March 2, 2026
By Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE, Founder and Principal, Windmill Hill Consulting Campaigns hold a special kind of allure in the nonprofit world. They’re bold, they’re visible, and when they work, they can transform an organization’s trajectory. But after years of working in-house and consulting with nonprofits of all shapes and sizes, one thing is clear: […]
How to Personalize Your Nonprofit’s Fundraising at Scale
Published February 2, 2026
By Sarah Tedesco, Chief Operating Officer and Part Owner, DonorSearch As a nonprofit fundraising professional, you’ve likely heard the gist of why you should personalize donor communications many times. Your supporters want to know that they’re integral members of your organization’s community and partners in your mission-critical efforts, so your interactions with them should […]
You’re Not Buying Paper Towels: Why Closed RFPs Fail Nonprofit Leaders
Published January 12, 2026
By Jim Bush, CEO, Winkler Group If you’re buying paper towels, a closed RFP makes sense. You define the specifications, solicit bids, compare prices, and select a vendor. The product is standardized. The risk is low. If one supplier disappoints, you switch the next year. Campaign planning and strategic planning are not paper towels. […]