Fundraising Consulting and Coaching
Planning for the Unpredictable As a professional fundraiser for over 30 years, I’ve weathered countless storms—the 9/11 terror attacks, the Great Recession, devastating natural disasters, divisive elections, and numerous tax law overhauls. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned? Rather than hoping for stability to return, successful fundraisers deliberately plan for uncertainty.
Corporate philanthropy remains a relatively small portion of overall charitable giving, but it is growing. According to GivingUSA, corporate giving accounted for just 7% of total donations in 2023. However, it has experienced a 14.3% growth rate over the past five years, more than double the overall giving growth rate of 5.3%.
Charitable giving has always reflected the state of the economy, and 2024 was no different. As the economy outperformed expectations, with the stock market achieving double-digit growth rates, affluent donors played a key role in helping their causes thrive. However, inflation continued to challenge everyday donors, limiting their ability to contribute. This resulted in a familiar pattern: while overall giving increased, the number of donors decreased.
The other day, while driving in the city, I pulled over to let a trailer truck pass through a narrow street. As the driver maneuvered his massive vehicle past mine, he flashed the most enthusiastic wave of thanks. That small gesture didn’t just make me smile—it made my day. It was a powerful reminder of the impact a simple “thank you” can have. As we approach the busy end-of-year giving season, a time when more than 30% of annual charitable donations are made, much of our attention naturally turns to the ask. We refine our strategies for direct mail campaigns, emails, text messages, phone calls, and personal conversations. But here’s the thing: just as critical to your long-term fundraising success is the thank you.
Recently, I received an email from a friend who serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She was looking for advice on how to boost fundraising efforts, as the small-scale initiatives they had relied on for years—like basket raffles and holiday greenery sales—weren’t generating enough revenue anymore.
For over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working as a fundraising consultant, guiding nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions through strategic philanthropy. While the journey has been deeply rewarding, it’s important to recognize that, like any career, consulting comes with its own set of challenges. Here, I’d like to share some insights into the pros and cons of being a fundraising consultant.
As I shared in Part 1 of my Great Wealth Transfer blog post, we are anticipating a transfer of over $70 trillion in assets over the next 20 to 25 years as the Baby Boomer generation ages. An estimated $12 trillion will be coming to nonprofits in the form of bequests and other planned gifts. If you are not already talking to your donors about including a gift for your organization in their will or estate plan, now is the time to start. If you are a small shop, you don’t need a complex planned giving program; most planned gifts come in the form of bequests. Determine what planned gifts your organization can accept and make sure your gift acceptance and acknowledgment policies are updated. Consider the following strategies to strengthen your planned giving efforts and ensure your nonprofit is ready for the opportunity the Great Wealth Transfer brings: Ask your donors to consider a bequest or beneficiary designation for your organization. Once a nonprofit is included in a will or estate plan, the donor is likely to fulfill that commitment. When you meet with donors, include these options in your conversations. Focus on building relationships with your donors. Like
(Author’s Note: This is the first part of a two-part series on the impact of the Great Wealth Transfer on fundraising. Part 2, coming out next month, will focus on planned giving.) We are in the midst of the Great Wealth Transfer. Over the next 20 to 25 years, as the Baby Boomer generation ages, we can anticipate a transfer of over $70 trillion in assets. By 2030 GenXers & Millennials will have five times as much wealth as they have today. These younger donors, with new-found wealth, are going to become the next philanthropic powerhouses. An estimated $12 trillion will be transferred to nonprofits through 2045 as older donors leave considerable charitable gifts in their estate plans. Already more than $45 billion is bequeathed yearly to nonprofits and the transfer is just beginning. If you are not asking your donors for planned gifts, someone else will. Knowing that major and planned giving are poised for explosive growth over the coming years, what should your organization be doing to take advantage? The new generation of donors will include more women, people of color and younger donors. This will bring a shift in traditional giving. Courting these donors and keeping them
Donor advised funds (DAFs) offer flexibility, simplicity and tax advantages, making them a smart choice for donors. According to the National Philanthropic Trust, donor advised funds (DAFs) hold more than $228 billion in assets, and 12% of individual giving dollars now comes from DAFs. DAFs, which allow donors to get the tax write-off immediately, are like private foundations but with fewer regulations. Money in the fund is invested, and donors can recommend grants to their favorite charity. However, unlike foundations, there are no distribution requirements for DAFs, making them a more attractive option for donors but a continuing frustration to fundraisers and the nonprofits they serve. Rather than sending grant requests to large institutional fund holders or banging down the doors of your local community foundation asking for their donor list (which they will not and should not give you), here are some easy and effective ways you can tap into the resources being held in donor advised funds: Include donor advised funds in all conversations and calls to action for giving in your communications and appeals. It can be as simple as an additional checkbox on a response card or a PS on an appeal letter. Feature giving from
Having gift acceptance policies in place is best practice. But it can take a lot of time to draft policies, and as a fundraiser, you are already overwhelmed with things on your to-do list. Taking policies to your board for approval can lead to long and sometimes unproductive discussions about minute issues in the fundraising process, taking the board’s attention away from bigger issues. And policies need to be updated regularly, as laws and tax regulations change. So why bother? To protect you and your fundraising team, that’s why. To give your frontline fundraisers back up to what they are telling donors and prospective donors, to provide consistency in your fundraising program and messaging, and to build trust with your donors. The National Council of Nonprofits says, “A written gift acceptance policy can help manage the expectations of donors (while treating them with respect) and also serves as guidance for board and staff members who are on either the asking or receiving end of contributions.” Having a gift acceptance policy in place is a best practice, both in relationship to donors and managing risk. And, most importantly, it is a requirement of the IRS. And yet, in Advancement Advisors’ practice,
Planning for the Unpredictable As a professional fundraiser for over 30 years, I’ve weathered countless storms—the 9/11 terror attacks, the Great Recession, devastating natural disasters, divisive elections, and numerous tax law overhauls. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned? Rather than hoping for stability to return, successful fundraisers deliberately plan for uncertainty.
Corporate philanthropy remains a relatively small portion of overall charitable giving, but it is growing. According to GivingUSA, corporate giving accounted for just 7% of total donations in 2023. However, it has experienced a 14.3% growth rate over the past five years, more than double the overall giving growth rate of 5.3%.
Charitable giving has always reflected the state of the economy, and 2024 was no different. As the economy outperformed expectations, with the stock market achieving double-digit growth rates, affluent donors played a key role in helping their causes thrive. However, inflation continued to challenge everyday donors, limiting their ability to contribute. This resulted in a familiar pattern: while overall giving increased, the number of donors decreased.
The other day, while driving in the city, I pulled over to let a trailer truck pass through a narrow street. As the driver maneuvered his massive vehicle past mine, he flashed the most enthusiastic wave of thanks. That small gesture didn’t just make me smile—it made my day. It was a powerful reminder of the impact a simple “thank you” can have. As we approach the busy end-of-year giving season, a time when more than 30% of annual charitable donations are made, much of our attention naturally turns to the ask. We refine our strategies for direct mail campaigns, emails, text messages, phone calls, and personal conversations. But here’s the thing: just as critical to your long-term fundraising success is the thank you.
Recently, I received an email from a friend who serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She was looking for advice on how to boost fundraising efforts, as the small-scale initiatives they had relied on for years—like basket raffles and holiday greenery sales—weren’t generating enough revenue anymore.
For over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working as a fundraising consultant, guiding nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions through strategic philanthropy. While the journey has been deeply rewarding, it’s important to recognize that, like any career, consulting comes with its own set of challenges. Here, I’d like to share some insights into the pros and cons of being a fundraising consultant.
As I shared in Part 1 of my Great Wealth Transfer blog post, we are anticipating a transfer of over $70 trillion in assets over the next 20 to 25 years as the Baby Boomer generation ages. An estimated $12 trillion will be coming to nonprofits in the form of bequests and other planned gifts. If you are not already talking to your donors about including a gift for your organization in their will or estate plan, now is the time to start. If you are a small shop, you don’t need a complex planned giving program; most planned gifts come in the form of bequests. Determine what planned gifts your organization can accept and make sure your gift acceptance and acknowledgment policies are updated. Consider the following strategies to strengthen your planned giving efforts and ensure your nonprofit is ready for the opportunity the Great Wealth Transfer brings: Ask your donors to consider a bequest or beneficiary designation for your organization. Once a nonprofit is included in a will or estate plan, the donor is likely to fulfill that commitment. When you meet with donors, include these options in your conversations. Focus on building relationships with your donors. Like
(Author’s Note: This is the first part of a two-part series on the impact of the Great Wealth Transfer on fundraising. Part 2, coming out next month, will focus on planned giving.) We are in the midst of the Great Wealth Transfer. Over the next 20 to 25 years, as the Baby Boomer generation ages, we can anticipate a transfer of over $70 trillion in assets. By 2030 GenXers & Millennials will have five times as much wealth as they have today. These younger donors, with new-found wealth, are going to become the next philanthropic powerhouses. An estimated $12 trillion will be transferred to nonprofits through 2045 as older donors leave considerable charitable gifts in their estate plans. Already more than $45 billion is bequeathed yearly to nonprofits and the transfer is just beginning. If you are not asking your donors for planned gifts, someone else will. Knowing that major and planned giving are poised for explosive growth over the coming years, what should your organization be doing to take advantage? The new generation of donors will include more women, people of color and younger donors. This will bring a shift in traditional giving. Courting these donors and keeping them
Donor advised funds (DAFs) offer flexibility, simplicity and tax advantages, making them a smart choice for donors. According to the National Philanthropic Trust, donor advised funds (DAFs) hold more than $228 billion in assets, and 12% of individual giving dollars now comes from DAFs. DAFs, which allow donors to get the tax write-off immediately, are like private foundations but with fewer regulations. Money in the fund is invested, and donors can recommend grants to their favorite charity. However, unlike foundations, there are no distribution requirements for DAFs, making them a more attractive option for donors but a continuing frustration to fundraisers and the nonprofits they serve. Rather than sending grant requests to large institutional fund holders or banging down the doors of your local community foundation asking for their donor list (which they will not and should not give you), here are some easy and effective ways you can tap into the resources being held in donor advised funds: Include donor advised funds in all conversations and calls to action for giving in your communications and appeals. It can be as simple as an additional checkbox on a response card or a PS on an appeal letter. Feature giving from
Having gift acceptance policies in place is best practice. But it can take a lot of time to draft policies, and as a fundraiser, you are already overwhelmed with things on your to-do list. Taking policies to your board for approval can lead to long and sometimes unproductive discussions about minute issues in the fundraising process, taking the board’s attention away from bigger issues. And policies need to be updated regularly, as laws and tax regulations change. So why bother? To protect you and your fundraising team, that’s why. To give your frontline fundraisers back up to what they are telling donors and prospective donors, to provide consistency in your fundraising program and messaging, and to build trust with your donors. The National Council of Nonprofits says, “A written gift acceptance policy can help manage the expectations of donors (while treating them with respect) and also serves as guidance for board and staff members who are on either the asking or receiving end of contributions.” Having a gift acceptance policy in place is a best practice, both in relationship to donors and managing risk. And, most importantly, it is a requirement of the IRS. And yet, in Advancement Advisors’ practice,