Intentional Asks: Meetings, Gifts, and Everything In Between
People give when they feel emotionally connected—so events should be engineered to build relationships and reinforce a donor’s sense of purpose. Events as a Key Tool in Major Giving Fundraising events are often seen as high-effort, low-return endeavors when it comes to major giving. However, when structured strategically, events can be powerful relationship-building tools that move individuals along the major
Bequests Are Timeless: Why Now’s the Moment to Prioritize Legacy Giving
Economic uncertainty can slow down many things, but it doesn’t stop generosity, especially the kind rooted in legacy. At Make Philanthropy Work, we believe gift planning is one of the most resilient fundraising strategies, especially bequests. While annual gifts may fluctuate with economic conditions, donors’ long-term commitments often remain steady or grow. That’s why we’re encouraging every organization to take
How Fundraising Events Strengthen Major Gift Strategy
People give when they feel emotionally connected—so events should be engineered to build relationships and reinforce a donor’s sense of purpose. Events as a Key Tool in Major Giving Fundraising events are often seen as high-effort, low-return endeavors when it comes to major giving. However, when structured strategically, events can be powerful relationship-building tools that move individuals along the major
Dark Side of Fundraising: How to Avoid Pitfalls and Build Donor Trust
Here’s one fundraising takeaway I’d love to share: do NOT go to the Dark Side of fundraising, go to the light!
Six Steps to Get Through an Economic Downturn
Last year’s significant growth in charitable giving was driven by donors’ desires to make an impact during the height of the pandemic and additional resources via a strong stock market. According to the Annual Giving USA Report, philanthropy grew 4.0% in 2021 over a solid year in 2020. However, this growth trend did not keep up with inflation, and we
MPW’s 2025 In & Out Fundraising List
Our team of experts is excited to share what we know will bring you fundraising success in 2025 and what you should leave behind in 2024. Leave us a comment below to let us know what you think is in or out in for fundraising this year!
Securing the Future of Education: Strategic Planning and Fundraising
Sustainable revenue models for educational institutions across the United States are becoming increasingly challenging to create and maintain. At Make Philanthropy Work, we urge student-serving organizations to consider integrating fundraising goals into their strategic plans to generate revenue long-term.
Development and Campaign Committees: A New Era
We experienced a dramatic transition for development and campaign committees. Pre-pandemic, these volunteer groups mostly served to obtain contributions for nonprofit organizations and universities. However, organizational needs have shifted over recent decades toward volunteers who can strengthen donor relations more than ever.
Crafting a Winning End-of-Year Giving Strategy
Preparing for end-of-year giving, or campaign season as we often call it, has a unique starting point for all organizations – I’m speaking toward those who have mid-level sophistication and an established routine end-of-year program.
Making the Case: A Development Team for the Long Haul
The why and the how of creating, cultivating, and keeping a development team long-term is no doubt, incredibly vague across the landscape of organizations facing rapid fundraising turnover.
We are excited to showcase how a fundraising team for the long haul will exponentially support your organization for years into the future – and practical ways to bring this into reality.
Unleashing Your Leadership’s Fundraising Potential
CEOs, Executive Directors, and Presidents play a significant role in an organization’s fundraising potential, and fundraising leaders who work with them can, in tandem, take development to a greater level of sophistication and effectiveness.
Attracting and Stewarding Donor-Advised Fund Holders
Donor-advised funds are top of mind for all of us working in fundraising, and those who choose to invest via a DAF should receive ample, individualized attention from organizations to cultivate their involvement over time. With DAFs on a consistent rise across the philanthropic landscape (according to the 2023 DAF Report from the National Philanthropic Trust, grantmaking from DAFs has more than doubled in the last five years – check out our previous post on Five Major Shifts in Fundraising Over the Last Five Years to learn what other areas you should spotlight) and many donors and organizations struggling to navigate this shift, attracting stewarding DAF holders in ways that address their specific needs and concerns should be a top goal in your stewardship plan.