How 400 fundraisers looked at the same donor and saw 400 different wallets
In research that would make statisticians weep into their spreadsheets, 400 advancement officers were given identical donor information and asked to determine appropriate ask amounts. The result? A variance wider than the Grand Canyon – from $50K to $3M for the EXACT SAME donor profile. That’s not fundraising science; that’s fundraising astrology. Let’s bring some science to this art before ...
3 Sobering Fundraising Truths About the WWIII Tariff War
There are three fundamental truths about philanthropic giving and today's tariff war. 1. People give from disposable income and assets and rarely to the point of affecting their lifestyle or financial security. 2. The tariffs outlined by President Trump yesterday will reduce everyone's disposable income. For small-dollar donors, this will likely substantially reduce their giving even more than the declining ...
Capital Campaigns Just Got More Complicated
Creating the case for support and launching a campaign are a heavy lift for most organizations. Now, campaign leaders must contend with the existential question from leaders and donors – will federal grant and budget cuts weaken your organization? Will your organization be able to fulfill its core mission-centric programs today and after the campaign is completed? Hospitals Take the ...
March Madness Shutdown
The role of government is being redesigned. It is comically safe to say the architects of this redesign do not know how our government works or what it does for Americans and people the world over. However, the chaos and redesign by a blunt instrument are nothing compared to what will likely happen when Congress needs to come up with ...
Nonprofits at the Crossroads: Surviving a Constitutional Crisis Means Radical Adaptation
America’s nonprofit sector is facing an existential crisis. Appreciated stock contributions are at risk, federal funding is threatened, and a March government shutdown is not out of the question. This isn’t merely a downturn—it’s a constitutional crisis demanding radical adaptation. Success requires hard-nosed prioritization. Organizations must identify mission-critical programs and essential staff while considering previously unthinkable options, such as mergers, consolidations, ...
Reflections on the Origin of Donor Abacus
Baptist Health South Florida and the opening of the Miami Cancer Center Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the earliest days of Abacus and its success with Baptist Health South Florida. Its use and success motivated me to institutionalize this major donor fundraising tool beyond my private consulting clients at Copley Raff. In 2013, the Baptist Health South Florida Foundation engaged ...
