Fundraising Talks
News and updates from the USM Office of
Advancement Research

Upcoming Events


Webinar: Utilizing AI to Accurately Predict Major Gift Donors

When: December 6, 2023 at 12:00 pm EST


Navigating Securities Holdings & EDGAR with Thomas Turner

When: November 15, 2023

 

AFP Webinar: Measuring and Evaluating the Results of your Fundraising Strategy and Plan with KPIs

When: December 6, 2023

Tell Me More...

Looking for funding opportunities? We've identified a few funds that might be useful to you. Visit the links below to learn more about the requirements and deadlines for these opportunities. 


Truist Foundation

Deadline: November 30, 2023

 

France-Merrick Foundation

LOI Deadline: December 1, 2023

 

Teagle Foundation

Deadline: December 1, 2023


Mellon Foundation

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Contact Us


Sapna Varghese

Director of Advancement Research

301.445.2709


Lois Baker

Prospect Researcher


Bethany Jones

Office Clerk

301.445.1950

Letter from the Director

Welcome to November’s Fundraising Talks. We are getting closer to the holidays and the season of giving. Giving Tuesday, which is on November 28 this year, is just a few weeks away. Statistics from last year’s Giving Tuesday show that giving on this day reached a record high as U.S. donors gave an estimated $3.1 billion. Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for institutions to encourage philanthropic support from donors whose support will likely result in a successful year-end fundraising campaign. Even though we see some signs of optimism from the current economic state such as low unemployment and an increase in gross domestic product, people are spending less due to inflation and rising interest rates. For development professionals, this does not provide a clear picture on how philanthropic activities might turn out in the future and causes uncertainty regarding the charitable giving behaviors of donors.


Data from The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s survey provides more details on how fundraisers feel about the current and future philanthropic landscape. The Chronicle surveyed 1,000 fundraisers to analyze how they feel about giving in the first nine months of 2023, especially during uncertain economic conditions. The Chronicle's data shows that donations of over $1 million were significantly down in the first nine months of 2023 compared to 2022. “The total value of these donations declined roughly by half year-over-year, and the number of gifts dropped, too.” Some of the highlights from the fundraising survey results are:


  • There is some anxiety related to the giving pattern of donors. Most are confident that they are likely to meet fundraising goals for the year, but they are noticing that donors are giving less or not giving at all, while some are delaying gifts.
  • 42 percent of fundraisers reported that their nonprofits raised roughly the same amount as last year.
  • 70 percent said that donor giving is negatively affected by economic uncertainty.
  • 47 percent stated that their organizations are making moderate adjustments in fundraising strategies to respond to current economic conditions, while 10 percent made major adjustments.
  • 54 percent reported that they are facing challenges in filling open fundraising positions, and 45 percent reported that they are working longer hours to make up for vacant positions.


Despite economic conditions, we should continue to cultivate relationships with donors and keep asking for support. Implementing newer strategies such as connecting with new groups of donors or connecting with wealth advisers to identify DAF donors, might be helpful. Instead of being worried about a lack of donors, development professionals should continue to use tactics to maintain up-to-date data and analyze it to discover new opportunities during economic uncertainty. We wish you the best on your Giving Tuesday efforts and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with questions, comments, or any assistance with fundraising research!


Best Regards,

Sapna and USM Advancement Research Team

Join the USM Forum!


Join the USM's Forum on the Personify CommUnity platform! USM Forum is a virtual space where colleagues working in advancement (fundraising, research, alumni engagement, marketing and communications, etc.) across the System can meet and discuss current trends in their fields, ask for professional advice, and share whatever else is on their minds. 

 

The USM Forum has org charts for each institution as well as past recordings of USM webinars that you may have missed. Once you have signed up for an account, you can view and contribute to the Resources section – maybe you want to share an event invitation, a timely news article, or a Giving Day appeal video you’re proud of!

 

We hope that you will join us on USM Forum and that this will become a valuable resource where we can share, collaborate, and learn from one another.

 

In order to begin using USM Forum, please click here. Select “Register” and use your USM email to create an account. Once you can access the site, create a profile and begin posting and interacting. Have fun!

How to Attract, Keep and Engage the Next Generation of Board Members

The article from NonProfitPRO emphasizes the need for nonprofits to involve young professionals and community members in their boards. Nonprofits should reimagine the qualifications for their board members and consider professional expertise, personal experience, and diversity. The article suggests five ways to engage younger generations for board leadership, including proactively seeking and recruiting candidates, providing leadership development opportunities, demonstrating the importance of board diversity, offering opportunities to enhance their values of social responsibility, and being tech-friendly. Additionally, the article suggests ways to keep young leadership in the pipeline. Organizations need to ensure that young board members feel valued, be open to new ideas, and be open to networking and mentorship. Click here to read more.

Four Persistent Capital Campaign Myths, Dispelled With Data

The inaugural State of Capital Campaigns Benchmark Report dispels several myths about capital campaigns in the nonprofit sector. First, the report challenges the belief that only large organizations can conduct successful capital campaigns and shows that smaller organizations with budgets under $1 million can achieve success by focusing on a compelling case for support, clear planning, and dedicated leadership. Second, the report debunks the idea that capital campaigns harm annual funds, as 79 percent of organizations currently in campaigns reported increased or stable annual funds. Third, the report states that a wealthy board is not a prerequisite for a successful campaign, as board member contributions accounting for an average of 14 percent of campaign goals. Finally, the traditional donor pyramid remains relevant, with major donors contributing significantly to campaign goals. Click here to read more in-depth about the findings.

Five Ways to Ensure Your Social Media Content Works in Time for Giving Tuesday

This article from Nonprofit Tech for Good discusses the importance of using social media effectively for nonprofit organizations, especially in preparation for Giving Tuesday. Here are the five key strategies the article suggests to improve social media content:


  • Posting with intention and purpose
  • Using hashtags strategically to avoid overloading posts
  • Selecting the right social media platforms based on your audience
  • Creating unique and engaging content to stand out
  • Utilizing paid advertising to reach a broader audience due to the decline in organic traffic on social media platforms


Click here to read more.

Five Fundraising Power Principles to End Your Year Strong

The Engage Blog talks about the importance of a strong end-of-year fundraising effort for nonprofit organizations. The blog post states that 30 percent of annual giving occurs in the last three months of the year, with 12 percent in the last three days. The following are practical strategies institutions can take to maximize year-end fundraising success:


  • Analyze, clean, and segment donor data for personalized appeals
  • Following up with donors to ensure contributions are collected
  • Optimize the digital experience for donors
  • Express gratitude with timely thank-you notes and involving key staff and board members in the process
  • Share fundraising results with donors and celebrate achievements


Click here to read more.

Five Payment Trends to Grow Your Nonprofit’s Donations

Advancements in payment technology have significantly influenced spending behavior, and these trends have also affected the nonprofit sector, where catering to the latest payment methods can boost donation volumes. This article from nten discusses payment trends that are emerging in the nonprofit space. First, online donation forms have become increasingly popular, particularly in the space of mobile giving. Next, digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay have made donating easier, and organizations that support digital wallets have seen significant increases in mobile giving. Third, recurring payments are on the rise, as they give donors the option to make ongoing, smaller contributions, and many payment solutions offer recurring payment scheduling features. Next, kiosks and tablets at events allow donors to use credit or debit cards in-person. Finally, donor-advised funds are increasing in popularity. Click here to read more about these trends.

Build a Robust Corporate Giving Program for Impact and Sustainability

Corporate philanthropy accounted for only 6 percent of the $499.33 billion donated to charity in 2022, leading nonprofit leaders and fundraisers to question the value of corporate fundraising efforts. However, a strong corporate program can offer long-term benefits, such as developing a pipeline of volunteer leadership that can serve as a valuable resource for individual donors, this blog post from GG+A argues. The post provides three in-depth ways a corporate giving program can accelerate long-term growth in your organization. The solutions include developing a pipeline of volunteer leadership, identifying mutual benefits that align with your mission, and being mindful of your capacity. Click here to read more.