August 24, 2022 Though Giving Remained Strong Amid Crisis, COVID, Inflation and Other Woes Gutted Many Nonprofits August 24, 2022/ Holly Hall Record levels of charitable giving allowed most nonprofits to persevere during the pandemic, but the layered challenges of recent years have proven too much for many, especially smaller groups and service providers.Read More
July 25, 2022 Charities Aiding Immigrants and Refugees Fare Better When They Raise Money from Private Sources July 25, 2022/ Holly Hall Ongoing crises and political developments have challenged nonprofits serving immigrants and refugees, but sometimes also pose fundraising opportunities. Unsurprisingly, well-established operations tend to have a leg up.Read More
March 29, 2022 How Northern California Charities Have Grappled With the Pandemic, Other Fundraising Challenges March 29, 2022/ Holly Hall Northern California’s charities face a set of unique challenges, made all the more difficult by the ongoing pandemic. We spoke with several fundraisers in the region to see how they have fared in tough times. Read More
March 24, 2022 Organization Serving Military Families Exults After Big Cash Infusion From MacKenzie Scott March 24, 2022/ Holly Hall “There is probably not a word big enough to say how excited we are about this gift,” says the head of Operation Homefront. With $20 million from MacKenzie Scott, the group will expand the number of military families it serves.Read More
February 09, 2022 Mourning the Loss of Robert Sharpe, Legendary Fundraising Expert, Tireless Truth-Seeker February 09, 2022/ Holly Hall Robert Sharpe, the well-known planned giving expert, tragically passed away last week at 68. Holly Hall reflects on his career and his dedication to telling the truth about American philanthropy.Read More
November 30, 2021 Is the Golden Age of Philanthropy (and Fundraising) Finally Dawning? November 30, 2021/ Holly Hall For years, scholars have predicted a surge in charitable giving as a result of massive wealth transfer between generations. Data on bequests suggest it may finally be emerging. Are fundraisers ready to take advantage of it? Read More
October 04, 2021 Facing Donor Decline, How Can Fundraisers Shift Their Playbooks? October 04, 2021/ Holly Hall According to marketing executive Greg Warner, donor decline demands a shift toward a more personalized approach geared toward the best prospects, with plenty of attention to donors’ “digital body language.” Read More
September 15, 2021 Fundraising Is Becoming a Bigger Part of the News Business, Bringing Hope and New Challenges September 15, 2021/ Holly Hall With advertising no longer offering stable revenue for news outlets, private donations are becoming a larger part of the industry. Fundraisers share their success stories and insights into how philanthropy fits into the business.Read More
July 15, 2021 How Charities Focused on Music Are Beginning to Climb Out of the Pandemic July 15, 2021/ Holly Hall Music nonprofits faced difficult challenges during the pandemic, with crucial revenue streams shut down for months. We spoke with fundraisers to find out how they got by—and how they are moving forward. Read More
April 26, 2021 How the Pandemic Spurred a Rise in Giving to Worker-Focused Charities April 26, 2021/ Holly Hall As COVID-19 prompted mass layoffs and exacerbated existing inequities in employment, it also shone a light on the essential roles many low-income workers play. We look at how these factors have affected nonprofit fundraising.Read More
March 11, 2021 How Housing and Homelessness Fundraisers Are Faring in Difficult Times March 11, 2021/ Holly Hall Organizations working in housing and homelessness have faced tough challenges over the past year. We check in with several groups to learn how they’ve adjusted and to better understand this unique fundraising space.Read More
March 04, 2021 How Bill and Melinda Gates Seek to Reverse Declines in the Ranks of Small Donors March 04, 2021/ Holly Hall Over the past two decades, growing inequality has contributed to declining numbers of “everyday donors.” Decidedly non-everyday donors Bill and Melinda Gates have made it a priority to counter this trend. Read More
February 17, 2021 Mourning the Loss of a Legendary Fundraiser: A Reporter's Lament February 17, 2021/ Holly Hall Naomi Levine, who led a transformative fundraising campaign that made NYU the top-tier institution it is today, passed away last month at the age of 97. Longtime philanthropy reporter Holly Hall reflects on Levine’s life and their friendship.Read More
February 11, 2021 As the Dance Community Struggles Financially During COVID, Performers Suffer the Most February 11, 2021/ Holly Hall With donations and revenues becoming unreliable at best, leaders in the dance community have had to adapt their fundraising to meet the moment. Nevertheless, individual dancers, in particular, are experiencing severe financial distress.Read More
January 12, 2021 Pandemic and Economic Woes Decimated Many Nonprofits' 2020 Fundraising Returns January 12, 2021/ Holly Hall Facing a raging pandemic, economic recession and restricted options for fundraising, many charities are being forced to slash their budgets. Nonprofit leaders report layoffs and other cuts as a result of low fundraising returns in 2020.Read More
December 09, 2020 Planned Giving Proves to Be a Fundraising Lifeline in the Pandemic December 09, 2020/ Holly Hall It’s been a brutal year for fundraisers as they struggle with health and economic crises and constraints on in-person interactions. But according to a recent survey, “Gift planning is a durable area of fundraising, even in a pandemic.”Read More
December 07, 2020 In Pandemic, Mental Health Charities Struggle With Fundraising Challenges and Increased Need December 07, 2020/ Holly Hall The pandemic is causing rates of depression, stress, substance abuse, anxiety and other psychological problems to rise sharply. Fundraisers at charities addressing mental health issues say donations aren’t keeping pace with the need. Read More
November 23, 2020 Key Misperceptions in Philanthropy: Annual Meeting Aims to Educate Affluent Donors November 23, 2020/ Holly Hall Every year, Goldman Sachs brings wealthy donors together with leading experts from the philanthropy world. Here’s a quick sampling of what those donors heard this time around, during a moment of crisis for nonprofits. Read More
November 11, 2020 Weak Branding Can Hinder Fundraising. A New Toolkit Offers Help to Nonprofits November 11, 2020/ Holly Hall Branding and marketing are important to fundraising, but nonprofits often skimp on costly design consulting. A new, free toolkit could help organizations level up. Read More
October 14, 2020 In a Chaotic Year, Fundraising for Women and Girls’ Charities is the Best and Worst of Times October 14, 2020/ Holly Hall A tumultuous year has sowed economic uncertainty and pulled donors in several directions. As a result, some organizations serving women and girls have seen funding surge, while others have struggled.Read More