Fundraising Consulting and Coaching
This year’s Emerging Philanthropy Conference, co-hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Western Pennsylvania Chapter and Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council, was buzzing with energy. From the keynote address to the last session of the day, a common theme emerged: How fundraisers spend their time matters. Who they spend it with matters even more.
This year marks a milestone most donors, and more than a few fundraisers, probably missed: the 20th anniversary of the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006. Signed into law on August 17, 2006, the PPA was written to shore up corporate pension funding and reform retirement savings accounts like 401(k)s. But tucked inside was a provision that would go on to reshape charitable giving: the IRA charitable rollover, better known today as the qualified charitable distribution (QCD).
National Make-A-Will Month: One Question Could Unlock Your Organization’s Biggest Gifts Why is National Make-A-Will Month important for nonprofits? It’s an ideal time to encourage donors to create or update their estate plans and consider including a charitable gift in their will. As bequest giving reaches record levels, one simple conversation could lead to your organization’s largest future gifts.
Last month, we shared the first five of our top fundraising tips, a look back at the blog posts that resonated most with our readers over the past decade. If you missed Part One, you can find it here. This month, we’re wrapping up the list with tips #6 through #10. These fundraising tips cover some of the topics we’ve returned to most often in our work: engaging your board, building a fundraising plan, taking care of yourself as a fundraiser, advance preparation for year-end, and the power of mentorship in our field.
Ten years ago, Advancement Advisors opened its doors with a straightforward belief: fundraising works best when it’s built on relationships, strategy, honesty and transparency. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside more than 120 organizations across the region, and our blog has been one of the ways we’ve shared fundraising tips, insights, and lessons learned along the way.
New tax law changes and nonprofits are increasingly connected as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is expected to reshape charitable giving patterns in 2026. The legislation is projected to reduce total annual charitable donations by a small but measurable amount, primarily affecting high-income donors and corporate giving while potentially increasing participation from small-dollar donors.
Introduction from Maureen Mahoney Hill, CFRE At Advancement Advisors, fundraising assessments are one of the most valuable services we offer, helping nonprofit organizations evaluate where they are getting the best return on their investment of time, money, and energy. Through that work, we are always on the lookout for low-cost, high-impact opportunities that can extend our clients’ reach and deepen community awareness of their mission. When we find something worth sharing, we share it. That is why we are excited to feature this guest post from our colleague Vanessa Capozzi of i.e. Interactive Services on the Google Ad Grant for nonprofits, a program that many organizations qualify for but few are fully utilizing.
Before you launch a capital campaign, restructure your development office, or implement a new planned giving program, there is an important question worth pausing to answer: How strong is your fundraising foundation right now? Conducting a development audit for nonprofits, sometimes called a fundraising assessment, can help organizations answer that question with clarity.
When I launched Advancement Advisors ten years ago, our focus was simple: build nonprofit fundraising partnerships grounded in experience, trust, and results. A decade later, after working with more than 120 organizations, that focus has not changed. What has grown is our understanding of what truly sustains effective partnerships and creates lasting impact in the nonprofit sector.
“Topsy-turvy” aptly describes fundraising today, and the trends we’re seeing as we move into 2026. Advancement Advisors has been analyzing the latest data and strategies to help nonprofit leaders navigate these shifts. In this blog, we explore the fundraising trends of 2026 that matter most, how they affect donor behavior, and how you can respond with clarity and confidence to strengthen your organization.
This year’s Emerging Philanthropy Conference, co-hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Western Pennsylvania Chapter and Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council, was buzzing with energy. From the keynote address to the last session of the day, a common theme emerged: How fundraisers spend their time matters. Who they spend it with matters even more.
This year marks a milestone most donors, and more than a few fundraisers, probably missed: the 20th anniversary of the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006. Signed into law on August 17, 2006, the PPA was written to shore up corporate pension funding and reform retirement savings accounts like 401(k)s. But tucked inside was a provision that would go on to reshape charitable giving: the IRA charitable rollover, better known today as the qualified charitable distribution (QCD).
National Make-A-Will Month: One Question Could Unlock Your Organization’s Biggest Gifts Why is National Make-A-Will Month important for nonprofits? It’s an ideal time to encourage donors to create or update their estate plans and consider including a charitable gift in their will. As bequest giving reaches record levels, one simple conversation could lead to your organization’s largest future gifts.
Last month, we shared the first five of our top fundraising tips, a look back at the blog posts that resonated most with our readers over the past decade. If you missed Part One, you can find it here. This month, we’re wrapping up the list with tips #6 through #10. These fundraising tips cover some of the topics we’ve returned to most often in our work: engaging your board, building a fundraising plan, taking care of yourself as a fundraiser, advance preparation for year-end, and the power of mentorship in our field.
Ten years ago, Advancement Advisors opened its doors with a straightforward belief: fundraising works best when it’s built on relationships, strategy, honesty and transparency. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside more than 120 organizations across the region, and our blog has been one of the ways we’ve shared fundraising tips, insights, and lessons learned along the way.
New tax law changes and nonprofits are increasingly connected as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is expected to reshape charitable giving patterns in 2026. The legislation is projected to reduce total annual charitable donations by a small but measurable amount, primarily affecting high-income donors and corporate giving while potentially increasing participation from small-dollar donors.
Introduction from Maureen Mahoney Hill, CFRE At Advancement Advisors, fundraising assessments are one of the most valuable services we offer, helping nonprofit organizations evaluate where they are getting the best return on their investment of time, money, and energy. Through that work, we are always on the lookout for low-cost, high-impact opportunities that can extend our clients’ reach and deepen community awareness of their mission. When we find something worth sharing, we share it. That is why we are excited to feature this guest post from our colleague Vanessa Capozzi of i.e. Interactive Services on the Google Ad Grant for nonprofits, a program that many organizations qualify for but few are fully utilizing.
Before you launch a capital campaign, restructure your development office, or implement a new planned giving program, there is an important question worth pausing to answer: How strong is your fundraising foundation right now? Conducting a development audit for nonprofits, sometimes called a fundraising assessment, can help organizations answer that question with clarity.
When I launched Advancement Advisors ten years ago, our focus was simple: build nonprofit fundraising partnerships grounded in experience, trust, and results. A decade later, after working with more than 120 organizations, that focus has not changed. What has grown is our understanding of what truly sustains effective partnerships and creates lasting impact in the nonprofit sector.
“Topsy-turvy” aptly describes fundraising today, and the trends we’re seeing as we move into 2026. Advancement Advisors has been analyzing the latest data and strategies to help nonprofit leaders navigate these shifts. In this blog, we explore the fundraising trends of 2026 that matter most, how they affect donor behavior, and how you can respond with clarity and confidence to strengthen your organization.