Clairification
APRIL 7, 2025
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.
Ann Green's Nonprofit
APRIL 14, 2025
In an ideal world, a newsletter can be a great way to engage with your donors. In the real world, that doesnt often happen because most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. Theyre too long and filled with boring articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is. A newsletter is a vital part of the ask, thank report, repeat formula and you cant just go on autopilot.
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The Fundraiser Coach
APRIL 13, 2025
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.
Hands-On Fundraising
APRIL 1, 2025
Supporters dont just give to charitiesthey give to people, experiences, emotions, and connections. And in 2025, expectations are higher than ever. Fundraising success isnt just about asking for money; its about creating meaningful supporter experiences that keep donors engaged, inspired, and coming back time and again. Here are 10 ways to enhance your supporter experience […] The post How to Elevate Your Supporter Experience in 2025: 10 Proven Strategies for Fundraisers appeared first on H
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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.
Pamela Grow
APRIL 11, 2025
I launched my consulting career smack-dab in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis. Id just come from working at a family grant-making foundation, and I witnessed something Ill never forget. Local nonprofit after nonprofit, small and heavily reliant on grants, shutting their doors for good. It was heartbreaking. But it was also eye-opening. In transitioning to fundraising, I always had three words running through my brain.
Grants & Fundraising Brief brings together the best content for grants & fundraising professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Clairification
APRIL 21, 2025
Shifting politics are creating economic uncertainty for all, and its especially scary for U.S. nonprofits who, on average, receive about a third of their total funding from Federal grants. This means nonprofits today need toshift emphasis (and budget) toward individual donor engagement strategies. Giving USA reports 75% of all giving (lifetime + bequests) came from individuals last year.
Ann Green's Nonprofit
APRIL 7, 2025
As you work on your nonprofit messages, remember the word why. Why, you ask? Because a lot of nonprofit communication doesnt focus on why something is important. Theres usually a lot of what and how, but not much why. The typical fundraising letter and newsletter article rambles on about accomplishments without explaining why something matters. Some organizations also like to pour on the statistics.
The Fundraiser Coach
APRIL 2, 2025
This is post # 2 of my B.R.I.D.G.E. framework series — a practical, connection-based framework to help fundraisers deepen donor relationships and secure more major and transformational gifts. If you missed the first post on how to Build Connection , you can read it here. Today we’re moving to the second step: Establish Rapport —the one that too many fundraisers rush through, or skip entirely.
Hands-On Fundraising
APRIL 8, 2025
Dont automate your communication Every day it seems theres another shiny new toy, based on AI, to make fundraising faster and easier. Its surely tempting for an overworked nonprofit staffer with scary-big goals to hit. But while there are certainly areas that might be turned over to automation, communicating with the people who support your […] The post Choose Humanity: Why Real Conversations Beat Automation appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
APRIL 14, 2025
After Edward Blum's complaint to the IRS about the Gates Foundation's "illegal" scholarship program for students of color, the Seattle philanthropy giant said it would change the scholarship's eligibility criteria to include all races. By Alex Daniels Susan Walsh/AP After Edward Blum's complaint to the IRS about the Gates Foundation's "illegal" scholarship program for students of color, the Seattle philanthropy giant said it would change the scholarship's eligibility criteria to include all race
Tony Martignetti
APRIL 14, 2025
Lynn Bohart: Your Improved Fundraising Messaging Do your fundraising messages engage and connect with your donors and prospects? Or do they merely inform? Do you know how to craft an engaging story? And what makes stories so valuable anyway? Lynn Bohart answers all these questions and more, as she encourages you into persuasive writing and … Continue reading Nonprofit Radio for April 14, 2025: Your Improved Fundraising Messaging → Lynn Bohart: Your Improved Fundraising Messaging Do y
Clairification
APRIL 17, 2025
Today I want to remind you thatpart and parcel of your personal mission, as a philanthropy facilitator , is to bring supporters opportunities for meaning and purpose. Because when you help increase others sense of wellbeing, not only is the world a better place but these folks are more likely to demonstrate gratitude by giving of themselves. Meaning drives us to act with generosity and resolve.
Ann Green's Nonprofit
APRIL 21, 2025
Our world is chock full of information. When I was growing up, we just had a few TV channels to choose from. Now there are countless streaming options. We also have email, the internet, and social media, just to name a few. Its not only the volume of options, its also the content. And in our current climate of crisis and uncertainty, its information overload on steroids.
Blackbaud
APRIL 18, 2025
As a nonprofit digital strategist and technology coach, I think I have the best job in the world. I get to partner with nonprofit teams that are full of dedicated, smart, and hard-working people. Ive noticed, though, when it comes to effectively growing their communication and giving programs, many of these seasoned development pros are feeling a little stuck.
Hands-On Fundraising
APRIL 22, 2025
Zoom in… How close can you get? If you want to write better, one resource I love is the Very Good Copy newsletter from Eddie Shleyner. Recently, he wrote about photography and zooming in to get a better image. He quoted photographer Robert Capa: If your pictures arent good enough, youre not close enough. Getting […] The post Zoom in for more effective stories appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.
GrantNews
APRIL 17, 2025
Teachers: Looking for Grants to support your work? It’s common knowledge that teachers regularly dig into their own pockets to cover classroom essentials. They need to decorate learning spaces and stock up on basic supplies like paper, pencils, tissues, and cleaning supplies. These expenses often come out of personal savings. For now, the federal government offers a $300 tax deduction to help with these costs.
The Grantsmanship Center
APRIL 9, 2025
Category: Proposal Writing and Grantseeking When writing a grant proposal, assume the reader doesnt know much about your community or the challenges and problems your organization is addressing. Context is information that gives the reader a frame of reference for concepts in the rest of the proposal. Context provides insight into the particular makeup and/or challenges of your community; and sometimes helps create a visual image for the reader.
Clairification
APRIL 10, 2025
Survival Depends on Collective Commitment and Deep Support Too often, fundraising is relegated to an administrative function rather than a mission-central function. Its viewed as a necessary evil. As a result, either no one embraces it as central to their job description, or someone is hired and shunted off to a corner to do the dirty work. Others dont necessarily feel a need to cooperate or support the fundraising effort.
Think and Ink Grants
APRIL 16, 2025
Over the weekend, while many Americans were cheering on their kids at soccer games or tuning into their favorite sports teams, something major happened in the world of federal fundingquietly and without much public fanfare. DOGE, the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, officially took control of Grants.gov, the main platform for applying to federal grants.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
APRIL 7, 2025
The gift from billionaire Sanford Weill and his wife, Joan, brings together researchers from several institutions to study how nutrition and metabolism impact the bodys ability to control cancer. By Maria Di Mento John Abbott Sanford Weill, second from left, with Weill Cancer Hub Easts scientific leads, from left, Dr. Jedd Wolchok of Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr.
Hands-On Fundraising
APRIL 15, 2025
Facts fail where stories sail. When I see what comes into my inbox or mailbox from nonprofits, the ones I shake my head at usually have something in common. They ask for a gift based on a list of statistics and accomplishments. And I understand the urge. You’re proud of the work you do. You’re […] The post How to raise more money? Less sell and more tell appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.
GrantNews
APRIL 18, 2025
What is the Donor Cycle and why should nonprofits care? The Donor Cycle (aka Donor Lifecycle) is a term used in reference to first-time donors (to a given cause). As nice as it is to receive a donation, the real work for a nonprofit is to KEEP that donor engaged and involved in order to see continued donations in the future. A nonprofit looking to make donors a part of their donor cycle has to do more than just write a thank you note.
Candid
APRIL 7, 2025
The results of the Council on Foundations latest CF Insights Annual Survey , which tracks community foundation activity in fiscal year 2023, present a mixed picture: The U.S. economy had begun to recover from the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, driving greater returns on invested assets, yet individual giving fellnot only for community foundations but across the broader sector.
Clairification
APRIL 14, 2025
Its Tax Day April 15 th — in the U.S. No fun. Nobody likes paying taxes. Nobody likes thinking about paying taxes. Bummer. A subject most folks avoid like the plague. And thats the point. Talking about taxes is mostly bad news. It puts folks in a sour mood. It makes them want to move on and think about something else. So, why Why , oh why , oh why , oh why do nonprofits talk to donors so much about taxes?!?!
Blackbaud
APRIL 3, 2025
During the recent webinar, Unmasking Fraud in Not-for-Profits: Five Key Schemes and Five Preventive Steps , we engaged with hundreds of accounting and finance professionals from not-for-profit entities across the country. Individuals shared their thoughts and perspectives on the fraudulent activity they are seeing in their organizations and methods to mitigate risk.
Tony Martignetti
APRIL 7, 2025
Nick Grono: Nonprofit Leadership For Current & Aspiring Theres a new compassionate, inspiring and valuable guidebook on nonprofit leadership. Its aptly named, How To Lead Nonprofits. The author, Nick Grono, shares his thinking on the role of the CEO, your team and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), because the success of the people leading throughout … Continue reading Nonprofit Radio for April 7, 2025: Nonprofit Leadership For Current & Aspiring → Nick Grono: Nonprofit
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
APRIL 21, 2025
The gift from L.A. philanthropists Gene and Mindy Stein aims to help young children with complex medical conditions navigate mental health challenges. By Maria Di Mento Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Mindy and Gene Steins gift will support a program that provides trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, infant-family mental health screenings and treatment for infants and toddlers receiving specialty medical care at the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
GrantNews
APRIL 7, 2025
Grants for Women Entrepreneurs are fueling success; proving that women mean business! Across every industry, female-led businesses are shattering barriers, rewriting the rules, and driving economic growth. Two out of three women entrepreneurs are making their mark in fields once dominated by men. It shows that the passion and business acumen demonstrated by Women Entrepreneurs makes solid business sense.
Candid
APRIL 1, 2025
The field of disaster philanthropy is facing a perfect storm of global crisesconflicts, climate disasters, economic instability, and growing humanitarian needsas disaster relief and humanitarian aid organizations face a changing funding landscape. Abrupt halts in foreign aid and heightened scrutiny of federal funding have created widespread uncertainty.
Grant Writer Team
APRIL 17, 2025
Your Next Grant Starts with the Right Preparation Crafting a winning grant proposal takes effort, planning, and the right support. It is usually not for the faint of heart because it is not typically easy task. That is why GrantWriterTeam is here for you. Our professional grant writers provide the tools and confidence you need to successfully pursue funding opportunities that support your nonprofit mission.
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