Brianne Caplan 🌟

🌟 Maximize Your Nonprofit's Impact with Predictive AI and Data Science! 🌟 As someone passionate about the transformative power of AI, I'm thrilled to share our latest cutting-edge paper from CCS Fundraising. In today's competitive landscape, nonprofits need advanced tools and timely insights to stay agile and effective. Our new paper on AI in Fundraising explores how predictive AI, powered by machine learning and advanced statistical methods, can revolutionize your fundraising strategy. Discover how these innovations can boost efficiency and lead to more impactful philanthropy. Dive into this interactive paper and see how AI can change the game for your nonprofit! 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/em33jKgv #PredictiveAnalytics #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Fundraising #NonprofitInnovation

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AI is going to be a gamechanger not only for businesses but also for nonprofit organizations and charities. If you don’t start today, tomorrow may be too late to benefit from the AI boom. Our motto is simple: Don’t be afraid be prepared. #AIfornonprofits #nonprofitleadersip

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I wrote about how meme-based online discourse is a problem for our democracy, and propose five possible solutions! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gtt26YfN #democracy #politics #essay

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Is the use of AI-generated grant proposals or development projects the next internal conflict in fundraising? In the last few months, I've already heard non-grant writing fundraisers tell their colleagues "all you need is Chat GPT in order to write a grant proposal" and "AI can write our development plan." Meanwhile, trained grant professionals know there are more nuances to consider than just putting your information into a program and utilizing the received information. It will be interesting to see how this discussion plays out in fundraising.

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🙌🏾 Exciting news! 🌍 After years of hard work, I'm thrilled to introduce Fundraising N Black— the first-ever culturally relevant fundraising platform for Black and BIPOC Fundraisers. 💥 Our mission? To revolutionize how Black-led and BIPOC-focused nonprofits thrive in the fundraising space. 📢 Want to make a difference? DM me to explore how we can support nonprofits in your area. 👇🏾 Learn more at the link in the comments. #KiaCroomFundraising #Nonprofit #Fundraiser #TheGoToBIPOCFundraiser #SocialJusticeFundraiseHer

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New and Improved Fundraising Metrics The metrics that will actually lead to improved fundraising performance will not be about tasking fundraisers but about creating the conditions that allow fundraisers to be successful. The usual fundraising metrics have not: 🔹 Reversed the public's mistrust in institutions 🔹 Stemmed the loss of giving households 🔹 Slowed the rate of donor attrition 🔹 Helped donors better understand the impact of their giving 🔹 Substituted for the lack of major gift worthy content 🔹 Addressed donors' declining interest in subsidizing organizations Those metrics, therefore, are geared toward getting fundraisers to produce more without addressing the major obstacles in their way. The new metrics must be focused on creating the conditions that will increase the chances of fundraising success. They could include: 🔸 How many major gift concepts have been tested with current and prospective donors. How many have received a score of 4 or better (on a 1 to 5 scale)? 🔸 The results of a donor satisfaction survey or interviews of top donors to determine the baseline score in the current year, then a plan to address the issues that donors have identified as needing improvement, and how those scores compare year over year. 🔸 The results of service satisfaction surveys or service delivery assessments to quantify how well the organization is delivering on its mission promise for those it was established to serve 🔸 The results of needs assessment to determine if there is a rising or falling need for the service provided by the organization and, if rising, what additional programs and investments will be required to meet that need Without better organizational performance metrics, fundraising metrics are relatively meaningless and counterproductive. Fundraising metrics cannot compensate for organizations that don't sufficiently address what donors have every right to expect.

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🤖 Can AI replace human fundraisers? 🤔 This was the big question Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE and I tackled in the latest episode of the Fundraising.AI Podcast. Some key points we discussed: ✅ AI's scary-good ability to persuade and even manipulate people ✅ Short-term financial upsides vs. long-term risks to donor relationships ✅ Why philanthropy is inherently human-centric and requires trust "There's a subtle but profound difference in asking someone for money and manipulating someone to give." Tune in for to hear us explore this critical issue facing the #nonprofit sector! And let us know your thoughts - should fundraising remain human-centric or is autonomous fundraising inevitable? https://lnkd.in/eZTp8G8q

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According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global), overall donor retention rates hover between 40-45%. Since the cost of retaining your donors can be up to 5x cheaper than acquisition, the more donors you can retain year-over year, the more cost-effective your acquisition efforts become. The question is: HOW can your nonprofit implement an effective donor retention strategy that works with today's modern donor? Virtuous' 'Donor Retention Playbook' helps nonprofits of any size with the tactics and strategies to help retain your donors. You’ll also gain the tools to create a map for each donor segment which will act as a daily reminder to your entire team of who your target audience is and how you can reach them. Get the ebook for free: https://lnkd.in/efS8N4W6

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I'm doing the most minimal of funder / foundation research. I'm looking at funders that have racial equity and democracy funding portfolios. The number of foundations that don't accept unsolicited proposals is mind blowing. Of the 17 foundations I looked at so far today, seven do not accept incoming requests for funding. Can we talk about how inequitable this is? [Update: I looked at 34 foundations. Fourteen do not accept unsolicited proposals. That's around 41%. If we assume this applies to Foundations writ large, this is ... not great]. Foundation staff know a lot in their specific area, but there's no way they can know every single organization nationally, let alone internationally. Also, this begs the question of how relationships impact funding strategies and implementation. This all seems a bit suspect, and imbalanced to follow white supremacist giving practices. [Yes, I get that staff capacity plays into this system. But, that is not a good enough reason to have such a system. Esp. if you claim you use a racial equity lens for your grant making]. #responsiblephilanthropy #racialequity

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In a period of rising violence, isolation, and fierce individualism, I wonder how I can resist these limiting practices. Beyond being civically engaged, how can I build habits and cultivate patterns that show a new way forward, one that is rooted in a belief that we are all interconnected. RoadMap's latest report, Practicing Liberation, explores these ideas through the expertise and experience of seasoned progressive capacity builders. It is an assessment of the current moment and how to most powerfully support organizations in moving society towards equity and liberation. I hope you'll give it a read.

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Check out this week's DRT blog! Navigating Election Season: A Call for Civil Discourse As another election season heats up, we find ourselves surrounded by intense political rhetoric. From passionate campaign speeches to heated debates, the discourse is as diverse as our democracy. Yet, in this sea of voices, we must not lose sight of a crucial element: civil discourse. Engaging in respectful dialogue, especially with those with different views, is essential for a healthy democracy. This election season offers us more than just the opportunity to vote; it's a chance to elevate our political conversations. We can demonstrate that it's possible to disagree without being disagreeable and challenge ideas without attacking individuals. Remember, our goal isn't to avoid disagreement—robust debate is healthy. Instead, we aim to disagree in productive ways and strengthen our communities. For those seeking to enhance these skills further, join our upcoming webinar, “Cultivating Resilience and Unity in Schools During Political Times,” on September 17th. It's an opportunity to gain additional tools and engage with your peers. https://lnkd.in/eJQY66fa Let's learn to disagree respectfully and engage in dialogue that builds understanding and strengthens our democratic foundations. https://lnkd.in/ekGRw5Gj

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AI isn't just for tech giants and computer nerds 🖥 – the tools available today represent a huge opportunity for nonprofits to grow their footprint and multiply their community impact. That's why I'm partnering with Matt Kouri and Good Works Community to lead a brand new workshop on AI for Nonprofits next Tuesday (April 30th)! 💥 Together, we will look at some practical applications of AI in fundraising, program development, and community engagement and introduce strategies and real-world examples to help you make the most of new software on the market. We'll also talk about small, practical steps you can take today to start integrating AI into your day-to-day work. You won't want to miss it! Head to the link below to grab your spot 👊

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I have officially been in digital fundraising for 10 years today. 😮 And in 10 years, many things have changed. But some things haven't. Fundraising is fundraising. Community is community. On and offline. So don't freak out if your cost-per-acquisition, email deliverability, tracking, etc. are worse than they have ever been. Focus on the fundamentals. Integrate everything. Test new tools and channels. Experiment and play with AI in your workflow. And then iterate. 💖

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This piece below by Erin Reilly (Twilio) calls for a re-look at nonprofit funding. Erin talks about the urgent need for funding models that support not only direct programmatic efforts but also investments in technology and technical talent. Technology-driven scaling of social missions and impact is a no-brainer. And yet many funders focus on programmatic outcomes and just in time impact as their funding principle. Couple of years ago I asked a panel of funders, why they shouldn't learn lessons and adopt a model similar to impact investing? The simplest answer was something like - where should we start? who should take the first step? Anyways, are you seeing a change out there? What is your perspective? #TechInclusiveFunding #Data4Good https://lnkd.in/gi4hvKpZ?

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Bring your best use case (and learn from others) - Join me for this webinar on AI in Fundraising with Nonprofit Net, Inc. on Tuesday!

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Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talks about the need for a "whole-of-society approach" to advancing social connection. We've tried to heed that call in our work at Einhorn Collaborative, supporting a broader range of efforts that engage actors across sectors. That includes: Projects like Team Up to enlist large national civic organizations with a presence in local communities to help people build connection across difference through service. Research groups like Building H to measure the impact of products on consumers’ health and urge companies to do better to improve social connection and other health outcomes. Initiatives like Human Connections AI to bring together social connection experts with technologists to puzzle through how AI companions can be designed to enhance and not degrade human relationships. Another project that has helped us explore a facet of the whole-of-society approach is the Connective Tissue Framework, which puts forward a range of recommendations for how government – especially at the local level – can create the structural conditions and everyday opportunities for people to experience healthy connection. I've learned a lot from Sam Pressler, lead author of Connective Tissue. In this piece, I asked Sam to share more about the story behind the framework and a few highlights. https://lnkd.in/esayJU3b

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Fundraisers, does the idea of using AI sound overwhelming and scary? No worries, Dynamic Development Strategies, LLC has the solution. Join Andrew Crim, M.Ed., CHCP and I on May 21 for "AI and Fundraising Applications." This virtual and FREE workshop will explain the history of AI, how we're already using this technology, and share prompts to use in common fundraising activities. https://lnkd.in/gQ5HEBua AFP Fort Worth Metro Chapter Association of Philanthropic Counsel North Texas Chapter of GPA

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Everyone wants to live in a safe and vibrant neighborhood. Yet, too many neighborhoods have deteriorated to the point where neither of these baseline conditions are present. I'd like to live in a Chicago where every neighborhood has basic amenities that are walkable, where there are a variety of housing options with various price points, and where there is a virtuous cycle of business development. I don't think there is any debate on the statement above. However, reasonable people can disagree on how we get from where we are now to where we want to be. Article below, represents the thinking coming out of North Philly: 1. Support for Non-profit Acquisition of Real Estate 2. Support for Residential & Commercial Tenants 3. Support at the Intersection of Local Residents and Legacy Businesses I welcome a healthy debate on what to build and how to finance it. Please weigh in :)

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