Hands-On Fundraising

MAY 13, 2025

Measure your fundraising to succeed. Nonprofits often follow rules regarding fundraising appeals to maximize their success. For example, industry experts will tell you that personalization is key to stewarding donor relationships. And storytelling is a surefire way to tug at your audiences heartstrings. However, the most reliable source of information about what works for your […] The post 10 Metrics to Track Your Fundraising Campaign Success appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Metrics 157

Metrics Fundraising Nonprofit 157

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

MAY 12, 2025

Weve all been there. The grant deadline is in five days. Youve got one draft, three department heads who want to review it, a finance team that needs to “double-check just one thing,” and a program lead whos suddenly out of office. Cue the chaos, caffeine, and existential dread. Welcome to the high-stress world of tight review cycles, where rushed edits, overlapping feedback, and unclear responsibilities turn even the best grant writers into frazzled zombies.

Insurance 130

Insurance Insurance Finance Template 130

Ann Green's Nonprofit

MAY 5, 2025

With all the economic uncertainty right now, you may be worried about your nonprofits finances. Maybe your giving has gone down and youve cut back on some expenses. While thats understandable on one level, you need to be careful before you nix something you think you cant afford. It may be something you should be investing in. Instead of going on autopilot and saying We cant afford this, think about how you can make the right investments.

CRM 148

CRM Nonprofit Budget Finance 148

Pamela Grow

MAY 1, 2025

Every now and then, an email lands in my inbox that reminds me exactly why we do what we do. And in this moment when political hostility toward LGBTQ+ youth and families is mounting, and inclusive spaces are being questioned, defunded, or erased entirely this one from Camp Ten Oaks stopped me in my tracks. Subject line? Nothing flashy. Just an honest, heartfelt thank you.

AI 147

AI Donation Fundraising IT 147

Advertisement

This prompt guide for ChatGPT contains 20+ tested ChatGPT prompts, along with tips on how to use this tool the best way. Nonprofits can engage with ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, refine project plans, and craft compelling narratives for grant proposals.

ChatGPT

Grant Professionals Association

MAY 1, 2025

It matters not how organized your application was at the time of submission if you dont hold a proper kick off meeting right from the start. Between the time of submission and award, things change, including factors that could affect your grants success. For instance, maybe your organizations priorities have shifted, or you have lost key personnel. These are all valid concerns when you receive an award notification.

GPC 64

GPC Award Finance Grant 64

Candid

MAY 6, 2025

Studies have shown trends in individual giving and volunteering vary by generation. Not only do they differ in how much time or money they give, how and how often, to which causes, and whyeach generations preferences are also shifting. The latest Giving by Generation report from Giving USA Foundation and Dunham + Company shares findings about giving across generations from an online survey, conducted in November 2024, of 1,500 U.S. donors who gave at least $20 to charity in the past year.

Government 59

Government Education Media Fundraising 59

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

MAY 12, 2025

Grant writers, raise your hand if youve ever opened an old proposal and discovered that the current executive director left two years agoand your orgs mission statement has since gone through three rewrites and a rebrand. Yep. Weve all been there. Keeping the organizational grant story updated can feel like trying to change a tire while the cars still moving.

Burnout 130

Burnout Grant Grants Finance 130

Joe Garecht Fundraising

MAY 13, 2025

Ive noticed a trend in fundraising communications recently. They seem to be more formulaic than ever before. Many of the fundraising letters and newsletters I receive are interchangeable just take the few sentences about Organization Xs mission and insert Organization Y, and theyre essentially the same letter. Some of this is undoubtedly good: more non-profits are learning what works and what doesnt and proceeding accordingly.

Fundraising 130

Fundraising LOI Proposal AI 130

Center for Major Gifts

MAY 4, 2025

Transform your nonprofit's legacy giving program with the power of donor stories no big budget required. A great article by Claire Meyerhoff. Viken Mikaelian The Planned Giving Marketing Challenge Most Nonprofits Face If your nonprofit’s planned giving marketing is non-existent or disorganized, you’re not alone. Most charities lack a dedicated planned giving director, a five-year bequest marketing plan, or a budget for direct mail campaigns focused on legacy gifts.

Budget 52

Budget Media Education Nonprofit 52

Grant Professionals Association

MAY 1, 2025

Grant writing is a profession grounded in trust. Funders rely on grant professionals to present accurate, compelling narratives supported by credible data. However, in the competitive world of grant funding, it is easy, sometimes even natural, for well-meaning professionals to unintentionally misinterpret or misuse data. In most cases, misrepresentation of data does not stem from deceit, but rather from a lack of awareness, pressure to perform, or insufficient training.

Ethics 59

Ethics Grant Writing Grant Grants 59

Blackbaud

MAY 23, 2025

Creating an effective donation form is crucial for maximizing contributions and ensuring a seamless donor experience. A well-designed form removes friction, builds trust, and encourages donors to complete their gifts. As a result, optimizing your donation form can significantly impact your fundraising success. In this blog, well cover everything you need to know about the key foundations of an effective donation form , along with practical tips and tricks to boost conversions and satisfaction al

Donation 76

Donation Fundraising AI Metrics 76

Candid

MAY 5, 2025

Roughly 1.4 billion adults around the world remain unbankeddisproportionately women, rural residents, and individuals earning low or irregular incomes. These groups often face multiple barriers such as distrust of financial institutions, lack of sufficient funds, limited connectivity in rural areas, lack of identification documents, and the resulting high transaction costs, which limit opportunity for economic participation for those who need it most.

Policies 52

Policies Policy Finance Ethics 52

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

MAY 12, 2025

Youre deep in a federal proposal, juggling 10 stakeholders, two budgets, and a narrative that still needs serious polishthen your inbox pings: Hey, can I shadow you today? Welcome to the wild world of mentoring junior grant writers. Sure, its rewarding. But lets be honestit can also feel like trying to teach someone to drive while youre still fixing the engine and steering with your knees.

Training 130

Training Logic Model Grant Grants 130

Joe Garecht Fundraising

MAY 5, 2025

Over the past 25 years, Ive worked with hundreds of non-profit clients. And the vast majority of those clients have heard me say one (or all) of the following maxims. I repeat these sayings often because they are true, and each captures something important that can help your non-profit better understand the fundraising process. Here are my top 3 fundraising sayings, in no particular order: #1: Big vision, big gifts.

Fundraising 130

Fundraising IT 130

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

MAY 13, 2025

Nonprofit executives Jordan Shenker and Keena Friday share tips on how to recruit and keep great staff members. While nonprofits cant always compete with corporate salaries, they can offer other perks and opportunities to entice strong candidates, such as professional development, family-friendly policies, and workplaces where everyone feels valued.

Retainer 45

Retainer Policies Policy Nonprofit 45

Future Fundraising Now

MAY 5, 2025

Here are six commonly believed fundraising untruths, from Clarification: Totally FAKE Nonprofit News: 6 Fundraising Untruths. Free yourself from these beliefs, and things will go much better for your fundraising: Hiring a fundraiser will do the trick. One super-smart, deeply experienced fundraising professional can have a big impact on your fundraising.

Fundraising 69

Fundraising Grant Grants Donation 69

Blackbaud

MAY 13, 2025

Navigating the process of preparing for an audit can be a daunting task. The time and resources needed can be significant, especially with respect to internal controls. Not having sufficient control documentation can create a more time-consuming process and lead to your external auditors identifying recommendations or deficiencies. Internal controls are an area of heavy focus during financial statement audits.

Policies 72

Policies Policy Ethics Finance 72

The Fundraising Coach

MAY 16, 2025

As a major gifts officer, you face a unique challenge: your boss likely doesn’t understand what you actually do all day. This disconnect creates frustration on both sides and can undermine your effectiveness. Let me break down why this happens and what you can do about it. Nonprofit Leaders Don’t Learn Fundraising Most nonprofit leaders don’t understand fundraising.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Training Education Management 52

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

MAY 9, 2025

If youve ever been asked to just whip up a million-dollar grant by Friday, youre not alone. One of the biggest hidden stressors in grant writing isnt the funders, deadlines, or formatting nightmaresits navigating the expectations of well-meaning but misinformed executives and board members. You know the type. They hear the word grant and immediately imagine giant checks floating down from the sky, as if by magic.

Grant 130

Grant Grants Grants Calendar Grant Calendar 130

Candid

MAY 2, 2025

As federal funding cuts, freezes, and executive actions create uncertainty across the sector, many nonprofits are struggling to find the resources they need to serve their communities. Roughly 30% of U.S. nonprofits report receiving government grants. Some are learning, with no advance notice, that this funding has been revoked or eliminated going forward.

Proposal Writing 84

Proposal Writing Grant Grants Proposal 84

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

MAY 8, 2025

Bill Gates said his foundation will give away $200 billion over the next 20 years, accelerating donations in global health and other areas. By Stephanie Beasley AP Bill Gates plans to donate $200 billion from his foundation the largest amount a private foundation has ever given away. Bill Gates said his foundation will give away $200 billion over the next 20 years, accelerating donations in global health and other areas.

Donation 123

Donation 123

Blue Avocado

MAY 13, 2025

Community engagement is the lifeblood of many successful nonprofits. By fostering strong connections with the people they serve, organizations can create lasting impact and build a sense of shared ownership. When we recently asked the Blue Avocado community: “How does your nonprofit involve the local community in its programs and initiatives?” and, once again, nonprofit leaders came through!

IT 65

IT Nonprofit Utilities Education 65

Blackbaud

MAY 5, 2025

Even when your grant review process involves internal staff or people who have reviewed applications before, it can still be a bumpy process. Processes and technology change. Life happens. But when deadlines get missed and reviews take longer than expected, that delays getting funds to your grantees. Creating a streamlined and efficient grant review process can make sure you make data-driven and timely decisions so you can award your grants, and your grantees can drive impact.

Grant 59

Grant Grants Application Applicant 59

Planned Giving

MAY 12, 2025

Introduction: What Is Planned Giving and Why Does It Matter? Planned giving, also known as legacy giving, is the art of securing future gifts from donors through their estate plans. These gifts are often the largest and most impactful contributions a donor will ever makewith the average planned gift ranging from 200-300 times larger than a typical annual donation.

Policies 52

Policies Policy Readiness Insurance 52

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

MAY 8, 2025

Isolation and the burden of being the go-to expert can lead to overwhelming pressure. Being the sole grant writer in an organization can feel overwhelmingyou’re often expected to be a strategist, writer, researcher, and administrator all at once. To cope effectively, heres what works best: 1. Clarify Expectations Early Meet with leadership to define realistic goals: How many grants per quarter?

Grant 130

Grant Grants Grant Calendar Grants Calendar 130

Grant Professionals Association

MAY 29, 2025

There are no grants for animal-related nonprofits! This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from nonprofits serving animals struggling to find grants. Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth! As a grant writer focused solely on nonprofits that help animals, I recognize this niche requires some unique hacks. At the same time, I can confirm there are plenty of grant opportunities for non-profits serving animals and the people who love them.

Funding 52

Funding LOI Grant Grants 52

Ann Green's Nonprofit

MAY 19, 2025

Whether youre setting up your website or improving an existing one, explore best practices for promoting your nonprofit online effectively in this guide. By Carl Diesing Your website is an essential tool in your online marketing kit. It serves as the foundation of your digital strategy by providing a place for any individual to find the information they seek about your nonprofit, whether thats your mission statement, impact on beneficiaries, how to donate, or volunteer sign-up forms.

Engineering 189

Engineering Nonprofit Donation Calendar 189

Candid

MAY 29, 2025

According to a survey conducted in March by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about three-quarters of the 1,229 respondents gave at least $1 to charity in the past year. The largest share, 23%, donated between $101 and $500 total. The survey goes beyond what causes the support to explore who they think should receive charitable assistance and who is responsible for helping those in need.

Insurance 100

Insurance Insurance Government Donation 100

Blackbaud

MAY 12, 2025

Navigating the budget approval process in nonprofit organizations can sometimes feel like a maze full of frustrating dead ends. You know your budget is the map to reach your organizations goals, but the labyrinth-like challengeslike endless review cycles and unclear decision-making authoritycan derail financial plans and slow down mission-driven activities.

Budget 93

Budget Nonprofit Training Goals 93

Gail Perry Group

MAY 29, 2025

By Gail Perry, with expert insights from Dr. Kathryn Gamble Lets be honest: if youre thinking about launching a big capital campaign , the words feasibility study might make your eyes glaze over. But heres the thingweve seen it again and again. In our opinion, a smart, well-run feasibility study can be a make-or-break moment that sets the tone for your campaigns success.

Consultant 64

Consultant Consulting Consulting Readiness 64