Fundraising Talks
News and updates from the USM Office of
Advancement Research
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 | | Naming opportunities continue to be a critical component of fundraising in higher education, but the landscape has grown more complex as donor expectations evolve and campaign goals increase. In this article from CASE, Terry Burton, president of Dig In Research and an expert on naming rights, says that institutions are seeing higher asking prices, more limited‑term namings, and that there is increased donor interest in endowments rather than brick‑and‑mortar projects. Donors today are savvier, often seeking multiple or layered naming recognitions and placing greater value on strong stewardship and community impact. Burton emphasizes the importance of institutions developing clear naming policies, gathering external market data, and taking time to align opportunities with both institutional priorities and donor interests. He advises advancement teams to slow down negotiations, avoid rushed decisions, and maintain clear governance processes, as naming gifts carry long‑term reputational implications. Overall, thoughtful planning, transparency, and authentic relationships are key to successful and sustainable naming partnerships.
| | Strong fundraising depends on strong data, yet many organizations are held back by donor records that are outdated, incomplete, or inconsistent. Rather than attempting an overwhelming database overhaul all at once, institutions can make meaningful progress by starting with targeted audits that identify missing contact details, demographic gaps, and relationship information. Addressing deeper issues such as duplicate records, inconsistent titles, unlinked family or corporate connections, and unclear communication preferences can further strengthen the foundation for donor engagement. Establishing and consistently applying clear data entry standards is essential to keeping records accurate over time. Tools like data appends can help fill in missing information and flag deceased or unreachable constituents, though human review is necessary. With cleaner data in place, advancement teams are better equipped to design targeted outreach, which leads to improved stewardship, and more effective fundraising strategies. | | | |
Major donors are becoming more strategic, hands‑on, and outcomes‑focused, according to Giving USA’s Impact Giving Insights, which surveyed fundraisers on shifts in the major donor landscape. Fundraisers report that many donors now want to take initiative in their giving, seeking direct involvement and tangible results rather than just making unrestricted contributions. This desire for active engagement often shows up through restricted gifts tied to specific outcomes, along with expectations for frequent, data‑driven reporting. Increasingly, major donors are loyal to the causes they care about (rather than individual organizations) and are willing to support nonprofits they believe are producing measurable impact. To adapt, institutions are emphasizing deeper in‑person relationship building, as well as clearer and more concise impact communications. Additionally, institutions are staying open to donor ideas while staying aligned with institutional mission and values.
| | | Nonprofits are facing declines in donor participation, with recent data showing that the donor base fell 3.6 percent in 2025 and that most first‑time donors never give a second time. Because retaining donors is far more cost‑effective than acquiring new ones, fundraisers are focused on identifying and cultivating donors who have strong long‑term potential. Fundraising experts emphasize that mission alignment and donor affinity are critical to attracting high‑quality supporters, particularly for major gifts. According to NonProfitPRO, intentional communication, meaningful experiences, and clear demonstrations of impact help deepen donor relationships and increase lifetime value.Technology and data analytics play an important role in prospecting and efficiency, but as we know, human connection remains essential to successful donor engagement. Click here to read more about how nonprofits should balance broad donor acquisition with thoughtful cultivation of aligned supporters to build a sustainable and resilient donor base for the future. | | | |
Recent research from GoFundMe and GivingTuesday shows that Gen Z adults are participating in philanthropy at higher rates than older generations. Gen Z's engagement is driven primarily by personal relationships and social connections, with giving often taking visible, digital forms such as sharing campaigns, peer‑to‑peer fundraising, and advocacy. For Gen Z, generosity frequently starts with participation rather than financial capacity, making community fundraising an entry point into broader charitable involvement. The data also reveals that this generation gives in more ways and more frequently, despite lower average incomes. Nonprofits should rethink digital platforms as spaces for active engagement and not just transaction processing. Click here to learn more about meeting Gen Z where they already engage.
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