2025

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Nonprofit Crisis Response Tip-a-Day-DO-Dah!

Clairification

No matter your politics, this is crisis time for many nonprofits who rely on federal grants and loans (about 30% of all charities ). It’s also crisis time for the beneficiaries of many nonprofits, who are scared, stressed, depressed and otherwise at loose ends due to the rapidly changing environment. Many of the resources on which folks once relied have disappeared or are at risk.

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How to Make 2025 a Successful Year for Your Nonprofit

Ann Green's Nonprofit

Happy New Year!Its hard to believe its already 2025. I hope 2024 was a successful year for your nonprofit organization. If it wasnt, you can work to make 2025 a better year. And if you were successful, you want that to continue. Many individuals make New Years resolutions and set goals. Your nonprofit should do the same. As with personal resolutions, you want your goals to be realistic and attainable.

Calendar 294
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Follow these rules and raise more

Hands-On Fundraising

Here are some basic rules that I use when I write to donors. After many years writing for donors, there are a few rules I always keep in mind. Because I know when I do, what I write raises more. So consider following these rules as well. I hope they help! Rule 1. Kind beats […] The post Follow these rules and raise more appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

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What’s in My Inbox | Gratitude as Resistance from Camp Ten Oaks

Pamela Grow

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
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AI for Grant Writing: 20+ ChatGPT Prompts You Can Use

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.

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Think Like a Donor and Raise More Major Gifts

The Fundraiser Coach

One of the biggest challenges we face as major gift fundraisers is balancing two distinct ways of thinking: our internal, metrics-driven mindset versus the donor-focused approach that builds relationships. In the office, we're measured by revenue, the number of donors engaged, meetings booked, and Asks made (and successfully closed!). These are essential benchmarks, but when we sit down with donors, they’re not thinking in those terms.

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Nonprofit Radio for May 5, 2025: Connect Small Donors To Your Major Donor Event & Add Experiential Elements To Your Events

Tony Martignetti

Jenn Lejano & Jess Ray: Connect Small Donors To Your Major Donor Event Jenn Lejano and Jess Ray show you how to connect folks who would never come to your expensive event, to your expensive event. Theyll help you broaden event support by engaging donors youre probably leaving on the sidelines, with actionable strategies to … Continue reading Nonprofit Radio for May 5, 2025: Connect Small Donors To Your Major Donor Event & Add Experiential Elements To Your Events → Jenn Lejan

Nonprofit 184
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Successful Fundraising is Emotional Fundraising

Joe Garecht Fundraising

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.

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The Gates Foundation, the World's Biggest Philanthropy, Announces Plans to Shutter in 2045

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

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 126
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Demystifying Grant Attachments: A Complete Guide to Boost Your Funding Success

Millionaire Grant Lady

The writing part of grant writing is a relatively small percentage of the actual work required to win grants at a high level consistently. To someone who is new to writing and submitting grants, the entire grant process can feel convoluted, overwhelming, and tedious. Even if you know that the potential funding could be enormous for your organization, the process of dealing with so many details can be tedious, time-consuming, and disheartening.

Funding 130
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Pre- and Post-Award is like PB&J

RBW Strategy

Thinking through the post-award experience from a pre-award vantage Picture this – you work at a nonprofit and have a big, audacious project that you are looking to get off the ground. You are carefully researching different funding sources and feel strongly that federal grant funding will help provide the financial boost that you need to get things moving.

Award 130
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Unforgiveable Nonprofit Thank You Letter Mistakes

Clairification

I recently received a prickly thank you letter that made my blood boil. Not because it was so bad, but because it wasnt good. It didnt make me want to renew my support. And thats unforgiveable. Because the point of the first gift is to get a second one. Otherwise, donor acquisition costs you more than you make. Its simply not worth the effort unless you commit to donor retention.

Nonprofit 244
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5 Best Practices for Nonprofit Employee Onboarding

Ann Green's Nonprofit

Your nonprofit needs a skilled, dedicated team to advance its mission. Use these onboarding best practices to set your new hires up for lasting success. By Debbie Willis Every new employee brings passion, talent, and a fresh perspective to your nonprofit. However, recruiting and retaining these essential team members is not always easy. In fact, 60% of nonprofit leaders report experiencing staff-related concernswhether thats a lack of staff capacity or losing staff because they cannot provide co

Mentor 205
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10 Metrics to Track Your Fundraising Campaign Success

Hands-On Fundraising

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
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6 Tips to Increase Lead Generation on Your Nonprofit Website

Pamela Grow

Does your nonprofit want to increase engagement with your marketing and fundraising efforts? If so, you need a lead generation strategy. You may have heard of lead generation in a business setting, but nonprofits can also effectively use this concept to drive engagement online and boost support for their missions. The top nonprofit websites capture audience interest at all stages of the donor funnel or journey.

Nonprofit 147
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"Thank U, Next" Fundraising

The Fundraiser Coach

In the world of major gift fundraising, relationships ought to be at the heart of the work we do. As I noted in " Affinity Eats Capacity for Breakfast ," chasing dollars without alignment to donor values can lead to missed opportunities and eroded trust. With the pressure of ever rising revenue goals, lack of full staffing, or a focus on "getting the gift," some fundraisers fall into the trap of treating donors like transactions.

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Stop the Boilerplate Burnout: How to Keep Your Grant Story Fresh Without Losing Your Sanity

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

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
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Women Entrepreneurs and the Power of Business Grants

GrantNews

The power of business grants presents real opportunities for women entrepreneurs. With over 13 million female-led businesses in the U.S., accounting for about 42% of all businesses nationwide, that’s no small feat! For women entrepreneurs, securing start-up capital can be a real challenge. Many turn to grant funding to launch and expand their business ventures.

Grant 116
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The 3 Fundraising Sayings My Clients Hear Me Say Over and Over Again

Joe Garecht Fundraising

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.

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As the Tax Bill Heads to the Senate, Here's How Philanthropy Is Fighting Back

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

How the new tax bill would impact foundations and nonprofits and the scramble to limit the damage. By Ben Gose POLITICO via AP Images House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks during a press conference after the House passed budget reconciliation legislation on Thursday. How the new tax bill would impact foundations and nonprofits and the scramble to limit the damage.

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Foundation Grants vs. Government Grants: What the Millionaire Grant Lady Recommends

Millionaire Grant Lady

As you are building your nonprofit, most nonprofits early on come to understand that they must increase their funding so they can serve more people, serve the community, and do all the things that they got into this industry to do. As you are building revenue sources, you need to focus on diversifying funding sources. There are three main types of grants.

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4 Top Donor Retention Strategies to Keep Your Year-End Donors

CauseVox

Its officially 2025! We made it through 2024, and with it the final push for year-end donations. Now is the time to make sure that your organization has donor retention strategies in place to bring those year-end supporters with you into 2025. You might be asking why you need to put a ton of time and energy into bringing your donors back for a second donation.

Retainer 115
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If You’re Not Promoting Donor Advised Funds, You’re Leaving Major Gifts on the Table

Clairification

Use of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a way for individuals to make charitable contributions continues to rise and grants from DAFs are becoming a growing source of income for charities of all shapes and sizes. An ever-broader group of donors are embracing them to approach philanthropy in the thoughtful, strategic way once reserved only for mega-donors who could afford to set up private foundations.

Funding 157
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How Are You Building Relationships With Your Donors?

Ann Green's Nonprofit

Why does making a donation often feel like a transaction? Organizations get so caught up in the raising money part that they forget about building relationships with their donors. Giving Tuesday is the worst example of this, with Year End close behind. Generally, it happens way too often. Remember this Building relationships is just as important as raising money.

Donation 173
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How hard are you making it to give?

Hands-On Fundraising

How hard are you making it to give? Seriously, giving shouldn’t be so confusing. The other day as we paid our bills, my husband and I pulled an appeal from our pile to make a donation. Then we turned the response form over and over, trying to figure out what to do. I’m a professional… […] The post How hard are you making it to give?

IT 157
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Post-Event Follow-Up to Foster Long-Term Donor Relationships

Pamela Grow

Nonprofit events are a powerful way to showcase your mission and raise critical funds. From the excitement of bidding in an auction to the inspiring stories shared on stage, these events are unforgettable experiences for your attendees. However, many organizations make the mistake of letting all that energy fizzle out when the event ends. Without a thoughtful follow-up strategy, the momentum youve worked so hard to build fades, leaving attendees and supporters with awkward silence.

Metrics 147
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Invite to Action: Ask with Connection and Confidence

The Fundraiser Coach

Welcome back to the B.R.I.D.G.E. series! If you missed the last posts, we began with Build Connection and Establish Rapport. Today, we step into the part many fundraisers both anticipate and avoid: Invitation to Action or the Ask. It’s time to Invite to Action Inviting isn’t demanding. It’s not persuading or convincing. It’s just that: an invitation.

Education 130
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Training Junior Grant Writers—Without Losing Your Mind or Missing Deadlines

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

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
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Grants that Empower Women and Girls!

GrantNews

We need to empower women and girls with the resources they need to thrive! Whether it’s mothers and daughters breaking barriers together, female athletes excelling in their sports, or women entrepreneurs building their dreams, grants are here to fuel their success. From education and training to job opportunities and overcoming financial obstacles, these essential funding sources provide the support that paves the way for growth.

Grant 121
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The 3 Keys to Successful Major Donor Outreach

Joe Garecht Fundraising

Building a strong donor pipeline at your organization means engaging in constant donor outreach. This means reaching out through mail, email, and social media for your low-dollar donors. For larger donors, this means reaching out through phone calls, meetings, and text messages, in addition to mail and email. The rules of successful fundraising arent always intuitive.

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How Philanthropy Can Tap Unemployed USAID Workers to Fix Democracy at Home

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Funding a 'Democracy Corps' national service program would ensure valuable expertise doesn't go to waste. By Michael Jarvis and Dean Jackson Getty Images/iStockphoto Funding a 'Democracy Corps' national service program would ensure valuable expertise doesn't go to waste.

Funding 118