Al Franken, the comedian and former U.S. senator from Minnesota, had a routine on the television show “Saturday Night Live” when he punctuated commentaries with this phrase: “What’s in it for me, Al Franken.” The simple concept is benefit. The challenge for nonprofit managers is applying the concept of benefit to fundraising and marketing. There are many types of benefits. It can be for you,…

As many as 81% of new donors to a nonprofit don’t return to give again, according to data in a survey by Classy, a San Diego-based fundraising platform. Getting them back doesn’t have to be like rolling a large rock up a hill. A 20-page guide, “13 Donor Retention Email Templates,” aims to convert more new donors into long-time supporters using a strategic email engagement plan.…

Nonprofit public media have been around for years but in the past decade newsrooms of all kinds have launched, or shifted, to nonprofit business models in response to a changing landscape for news media. Fundraising is more than just small-dollar donors and membership subscriptions — it’s also major gifts, which can lead to legacy gifts and planned giving. During the first Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit,…

A greater desire to be approached by charities was found among potential donors who are considered racial minorities than those of the overall U.S. population, according to new data in the Donor Trust Report 2021: Profiles in Charity Trust and Giving from the BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s Give.org For example, 25.1% of white survey participants said they would like charities to approach them more or…

Individual donors maintained their commitment to charitable giving throughout the pandemic, even expanding their giving in less traditional ways, while corporations increased giving and multi-year pledges, with particular focus on health causes. Those are some of the insights from new research by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Understanding Philanthropy in Times of Crisis: The Role of Philanthropy in COVID-19 examines…

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, donors who increased their giving are more likely to be young people and donors of color, and one-third said they are likely to be annual donors or even monthly sustainers. “Tipping Point: Aligning with Supporters in a Changing World,” a survey released today by The Blackbaud Institute, examines how donor and nonprofit behavior has…

The American Cancer Society (ACS) received its largest ever contribution of cryptocurrency, $250,000 from Christian Linge of SafeBreast communities from Oslo, Norway. It will go into the ACS Cancer Crypto Fund. Linge will be recognized as a “Visionary Donor.” He is already listed on the ACS Crypto Cancer Fund Wall of Honor for an earlier gift of $10,000 or more on behalf of SafeBreast Communities.…

COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States during 2020, with heart disease and cancer in their usual positions in the top two spots, respectively. The nation’s death rate increased during 2020 for the first time since 2017, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). COVID fueled the age-adjusted rate increase of 15.9% — from…

Good news, you’ve received a $1,000 contribution from a generous donor. Of course, as a responsible and caring nonprofit manager, you’ll send a gracious acknowledgement of the donation. It’s not just good manners, it’s good development practice to let donors know that their money is going to work for things they care about—and that your organization is the way those things will get done. According…

How many emails should nonprofits send? As many as you can make interesting, according to Woodrow Rosenbaum. He is chief data officer for the GivingTuesdayData Commons. Rosenbaum emphasized the points that the past several years have been anything but typical for fundraising but also that organizations must not be shy about asking for donations — especially in difficult times.  The comments were made during a…

The number of affluent households where donors participated in impact investing nearly doubled compared with 2017, with minorities and younger individuals more likely to participate. The 2021 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households is the eighth in the series of biennial studies researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in partnership with Bank of America.…