Philanthropy is a longer-term option for making gifts to help people in need over multiple years’ time while charity focuses on immediate relief to the needy.
A retired farmer wanted to donate $202,000 in grain. One charity said no—“We only take cash and stocks.” Another said yes, turned it into a high-yield gift annuity, and gained a grateful donor for life. The first charity? Left with nothing. This isn’t about generosity—it’s about competence. When nonprofits cling to outdated rules, they don’t just miss gifts. They drive donors away. Inflexibility isn’t policy. It’s failure.
For too long, nonprofits have relied on reactive fundraising—chasing grants and emergency appeals. Today’s foundations demand more, prioritizing organizations with sustainable strategies over those operating crisis-to-crisis. The $68 trillion wealth transfer presents unprecedented opportunities, but only for nonprofits with modern planned giving programs. As Trump-era policy shifts demonstrated, diversified funding models provide essential resilience. Organizations clinging to outdated methods—like complex calculators and printed newsletters—are losing to those focused on donor relationships and digital engagement. The future belongs to nonprofits that plan strategically, not those that plead desperately.
As more uncertainty rattles the markets and the economic downturn deepens, donations will dry up. Even your most consistent donors will reevaluate their charitable giving as the threat of a recession looms. And the Wall Street roller-coaster will affect stocks as well as cash.
In this fast-paced ever-changing world, the nonprofit landscape can ebb and flow on a year-to-year basis. So how does your nonprofit remain relevant while navigating the internal and external opportunities and pressures that impact the organization?
As more uncertainty rattles the markets and the economic downturn deepens, donations will dry up. Even your most consistent donors will reevaluate their charitable giving as the threat of a recession looms. And the Wall Street roller-coaster will affect stocks as well as cash.
Many churches focus only on the collection plate… meaning they are leaving millions of dollars on the table. Major donor efforts (and church planned giving programs) are essential to the financial health of your congregation. Read this article to learn why planned giving is essential for your church.
Achieving trust doesn’t happen overnight. Yet it is the most important element of fundraising for your nonprofit organization. Building trust takes time, persistence, consistency, and dedication. It also takes audience awareness of your “brand.” And creating that awareness means consistent marketing — an investment far too many nonprofits are afraid to make.
Many fundraisers and advisors hold a deeply rooted belief that donors should always use an attorney to draft their wills. Yet many wealthy (and not-so-wealthy) individuals have had success with using an online will planner to handle their estates. This article looks at whether online will planners can be used for creating wills and bequests that support your non-profit.
Fundraising analytics are important for the health of your non-profit’s development program. Without basic wealth and demographic information, you won’t be able to effectively fundraise from those in your non-profit’s CRM. If your database doesn’t provide basic fundraising analytics, you can, with a little work, do it yourself. Here’s how to do it effectively.
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