Fundraising Talks
News and updates from the USM Office of
Advancement Research
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Google’s new Gmail “Manage Subscriptions” feature that launched in July makes it easier for users to see and unsubscribe from marketing emails, which could challenge nonprofits that rely on email fundraising. Email volume is expected to rise again this year, but crowded inboxes raise the question of how much is too much.
This article by NonProfitPRO recommends using six key performance indicators to guide email frequency and strategy:
- Delivery Rate – The percentage of emails that successfully reach inboxes. A healthy program maintains 95 percent or higher, ensuring you’re not paying to store invalid or inactive contacts.
- Open Rate – The share of recipients who open your email. A strong range is 40–60 percent. High open rates (with low unsubscribes) indicate subject lines and frequency are working and that you may be able to safely send more.
- Click-Through Rate – The percentage of people who click links after opening. Aim for 3 percent or higher. This shows whether your content and calls-to-action are engaging.
- Send Volume – The total number of emails you send. Using smart-send tools (like send-time optimization or segmentation) ensures messages reach the right people at the right time.
- Unsubscribe Rate – The percentage of recipients opting out. Keep it below 0.5 percent. Rising unsubscribes mean your content, frequency, or targeting isn’t matching audience expectations.
- Revenue per 1,000 Emails – How much money is raised for every 1,000 emails sent. A common benchmark is $60 per 1,000. This metric ties directly to your open and click-through rates.
Today’s most effective email programs focus on quality over quantity. AI and segmentation tools can help nonprofits personalize communications, but success depends on using data to balance frequency with donor engagement. Click here to read more.
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In 2025, two-thirds of companies report their nonprofit partners have lost government funding, leading to layoffs and program cuts. In response, corporations are offering more unrestricted and in-kind support (technology, capacity building, volunteers) but are also reducing the number of nonprofit partners.
Amid political and legal pressures, companies are tightening oversight of corporate citizenship programs. About one-third now require senior or legal approval for some grants, and over half have expanded coordination with compliance teams, updated guidelines, and strengthened due diligence.
Corporate philanthropy is under pressure to align more closely with business priorities, demonstrating financial discipline and governance. Although giving remains steady, geopolitical tensions, trade issues, tax changes, and supply chain disruptions are causing companies to delay growth and reassess their giving strategies. For nonprofits, this means increased uncertainty, potential staff and program cuts, and possible consolidation or mergers as corporate funding decisions shift. Click here to read more.
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Strong prospect research goes beyond wealth, giving history, and board memberships. The best major donor profiles focus on how to cultivate relationships, not just whether someone can give. Five key data points make profiles more actionable:
- Recent Life Events: Milestones like retirement, business sales, or new family members often trigger both capacity and motivation to give.
- Family Interests: Spouses’ or children’s passions can unlock new donor connections.
- Giving Patterns: Gift size, geography, and type of recipient reveal how to frame your ask.
- Crowdfunding Donations – Small, personal gifts on platforms like GoFundMe can signal authentic passion.
- Due Diligence and PR Risks: Vet prospects for potential reputational risks and understand how they engage in public discourse.
Actionable donor profiles lead directly to stronger cultivation strategies. Adding one of these data points can elevate your research.
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Universities are facing declining enrollment, reduced international tuition, post-COVID challenges, and new costs like compensating athletes. Presidents now expect advancement offices to help bridge these gaps. According to BWF, the solution is intelligent automation that frees staff from repetitive tasks like gift entry, data pulls, acknowledgments, and event registration so they can shift into higher-value work like research, donor engagement, and frontline fundraising.
However, automation isn’t just about buying software. Success requires a strategic roadmap that involves sequencing which processes to automate, retraining staff, addressing CRM data quality, and ensuring systems integrate smoothly. The biggest challenge is managing the human side of change. Staff must see automation as job evolution, not elimination, through transparent communication and development plans.
Done right, automation enhances the donor experience by streamlining important tasks while personal interactions such as major gift conversations, stewardship, and customized outreach remain human. Click here to read more.
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Deborah Drucker, manager of prospect development at the City College of New York, gave prospect development professionals a space to discuss AI use and challenges, which turned into APRA's AI roundtable.
Two major themes emerged from the discussions: data privacy and organizational policies. Privacy concerns are widespread, from legal obligations in healthcare and higher education to fears that AI could share proprietary data. First-degree uses (direct input) and second-degree uses (third-party AI tools) both carry risks.
Most organizations are still developing guidelines and policies and questions remain about leadership, technology vetting, and rules for different AI uses. Despite concerns, AI is here to stay, and hands-on experience is essential. Having a designated AI lead in your team can help guide usage, set policies, and ensure safe, effective adoption. Click here to read more about the roundtable.
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As you have undoubtedly heard or seen, donor-advised funds are growing in popularity. DAFs offer donors tax benefits and simplified giving while providing nonprofits with a new revenue stream. Planned Parenthood’s mid-level program, for example, saw DAF grants jump ninefold during a targeted campaign, with DAFs now accounting for 37 percent of mid-level revenue.
DAFs also represent a largely untapped opportunity in peer-to-peer fundraising. The Alzheimer’s Association integrated DAF payments into its Walk to End Alzheimer’s platform, raising $1.2 million across 1,858 gifts in ten months. Their success relied on three pillars: technology integration, staff training, and participant education.
Nonprofits can significantly grow mid-level and peer-to-peer revenue by proactively engaging DAF donors, aligning messaging, and providing clear tools and education for both staff and participants. Click here to learn how.
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