Cheryl Mendelson

Conditional Giving: Adapt or Miss Opportunity Perhaps the most significant philanthropic trend over the past thirty years is the growing movement away from unconditional giving to conditional giving, one that will persist for decades to come. Further, donors have and will be putting more conditions on all phases and aspects of their giving. The condition we've kvetched about the most, largely because it has proven inconvenient to our our budgeting, is simply the growing tendency to restrict or designate gifts for specific purposes rather than let them be used at an organization's discretion. The more significant the level of giving, the greater the tendency to restrict the purpose of the gift. Yes, there are still many donors giving without restriction but they give at more modest levels and are the ones that we are losing in the greatest volume. This trend has been persistent and more pervasive, and will continue notwithstanding the decrying being done or the effort to "educate" donors to surrender their instincts and abandon their values and just "trust us." Yes, some donors, particularly certain foundation leaders and those deeply wedded to specific causes will be more trusting of organizations that best address their issues. They will engage in some "trust-based" giving but they are very much the anomaly and there is no evidence that a counter trend is growing. Being a responsible philanthropic guide requires one to help clients navigate the philanthropic world as it is, not be distracted by what some think donors "should do." But, there are many other conditions that donors are placing on their entire giving experience that are too infrequently noted or adapted to, some of which are shared below. The growing popularity of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) can be seen as another condition put on giving. By using DAFs, often in lieu of year-end giving to favored organizations, donors are saying, "I want more time to think about my giving, engage in greater due diligence, and look for organizations that will engage me in more compelling and collaborative ways." Once again, rather than trying to understand why these decisions are being made and accepting that we must find more satisfying and sustainable ways of building new philanthropic partnerships, some elements of our sector denigrate the motives and character of those creating DAFS. Arguing that more money would come into our sector if governments cracked down on DAF loopholes is bizarre contortion of logic. Can we imagine donors, having been told that they could not use DAFs or if they did, that they had to give away a certain portion every year, would feel more favorably toward the organizations that had limited their choices? Donors have been and will continue to place more conditions on their giving. Those tendencies reflect both a loss of trust in institutions and a desire to make their giving more rewarding by bringing more of themselves into the process.

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On one hand, connecting with donors giving from #donoradvisedfunds isn't rocket science - a DAF is just another account that a donor can give from like a checking, brokerage, or retirement account. On the other hand, DAF donors tend to have higher net worth and be more planful with their giving, so it is definitely worth segmenting these donors and stewarding accordingly. Thanks to our great team for putting together this resource to help #nonprofit #development professionals plan for and steward gifts from DAF donors! #philanthropy #charitablegiving

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To Find Your Best Fundraising Opportunities, Remember: A significant portion of donors are underwhelmed or dissatisfied with their giving experience, including yours. You may have assumed that are satisfied because they continue to give and continued to be stewarded. Yet we so often fail to realize that few donors are dissatisfied with their personal treatment but underwhelmed by: ⏹ The lack of a compelling plan to more fully realize your mission promise ⏹ The insufficiency of information about concrete, specific, sustainable differences being made ⏹ The absence of major-gift-worthy ideas Donors want to be feel a part of something bigger than themselves but too often are met with small administrative concerns. They want to contribute to an organization that is attacking the root causes of societal concerns but too often are presented band-aid budget-balancing concepts. They want to hear from those who are delivering essential services and making incremental progress notwithstanding great challenges but all too often are treated with gauzy, rah-rah rhetoric from on high. Too often we assume stewardship is about thanking and recognizing but our research shows the vast majority of donors feel adequately thanked but under-involved in mission delivery and under-informed about mission impact. So job one is to check in with your donors, find out what they feel is missing, and to respond to their philanthropic yearnings. You can then bring on more supporters by remembering the same lessons. A significant portion of donors at other organizations are similarly dissatisfied or underwhelmed, including those giving to prominent and seemingly successful organizations. You can dislodge and ultimately win over donors from those organizations if you provide what they are not getting at other organizations but only if: ⏺ You put forward fundraising concepts that are society-serving, that demonstrate how to give through your organization not just to it for mundane needs ⏺ You demonstrate how donors will be a part of the action and provided an inside view of mission delivery ⏺ You establish the means of creating regular conversation with donors so you can learn from their most rewarding philanthropic experiences and avoid replicating their most dissatisfying and under-whelming ones. The tactical imitation, lack of strategic imagination and formula playing, albeit with the latest tech, that pervades our field won't allow us retain or optimize the potential of the donors we already have much less fetch new ones.

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The Far Side of Fundraising Tip of the Week Transactional fundraising leads to high rates of donor loss. Most organizations lose 4 out of 5 first-time donors. The more rapidly and impersonally we secure support, the more we sub-optimize giving potential and the more rapidly donors depart. High rates of donor attrition, coupled with the continue contraction of giving households, spell long-term disaster for most nonprofits. Don't follow the transactional lemmings as they plunged into the sea. Adopt sustainable practices. You may be in the minority but you will help your organization survive and eventually thrive. This one requires that you closely to see who stands out in adopting sustainable practices.

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Learn the steps for making a professional capital campaign solicitation that we train our committee members to use. Read now!

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The CVI Action Plan is here! Driven by the expertise of our grantees, this plan charts a powerful course to reduce violence and foster safer communities. Explore the executive summary for the key strategies leading the way forward: https://loom.ly/IYjRorc

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"Immediately following the 2016 presidential election, 25 funders that participated in CEP’s Grantee Perception Report chose to add an optional module of questions about actions grantees and their funders were taking in response to a changed political environment. As a result, 2,226 nonprofits offered suggestions in response to the question: “What advice would you give to the Foundation as it seeks to be as effective as possible in this changing U.S. political landscape?” What a timely and practical set of suggestions!

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One of the highlights of working on the TODAY Show story, raising awareness for Caregiving Youth, was getting to know the folks at Kesem a little better. We were presented with a unique situation. The show's producers requested an interview with two Caregiving Youth: one from AACY in Florida and another available for an in-studio interview in LA. (Did you know there are only a handful of organizations in the US specifically helping young caregivers?) We reached out to these groups, and Kesem was able to step up in a major way on a tight timeline. They connected with Rocco and his mom, who were willing to share their story. Incredibly grateful for their partnership. The Kesem team is amazing. Both the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) team and Kesem took great care in selecting the students to interview and understanding the sensitivity of their circumstances. *It's a big deal for a high schooler to talk to the world about this. The gravity of these caregiving situations is hard to capture. The two boys featured in this story are so brave. The weight of caring for a parent battling a life-threatening illness is a situation no kid should have to face "alone" without recognition and support. Everyone involved did an incredible job conveying the strength and resilience of these young caregivers and those they care for. The families participating did it because they believed it was important to bring this issue to light – they did it to help others. What we're doing feels relatively new to many. Yet, AACY Founder Dr. Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD has been a leading voice on this issue for years. Through her tireless leadership and collaboration on advocacy efforts, direct services programs, research, and education, the vision is turning into reality. However, we still have a long way to go. The UK, for instance, already recognizes and supports "young carers" through legislation, schools, and community programs. The United States should do the same. Is it a private funding issue, a government responsibility, or both? I believe, and I'll bet you'll agree, the answer is a combination of both. ### Alicia Kabir Domonique Hollins (McClendon) - many thanks to you and your team.

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“Eventually, we will look back on this moment in history as a turning point for workers’ power and voice, where Black workers led a transformation in how we think about and create good jobs that benefit workers, businesses, and communities. Further, we will reflect that building Black voice and power at work helped empower Black voice and power in our democracy, at a time when—more than ever—we needed to protect basic rights and freedoms for all. Philanthropy has a chance to help make history—or be left behind.” Why Philanthropy Must Support Labor Justice - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

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The Trends report captures and tracks leading trends in the field of family philanthropy. Conducted every five years, this research identifies emerging issues, changes in funding priorities and governance practices, innovative approaches to giving and decision making, and anticipated future giving patterns and practices among US-based philanthropic families nationally. Ultimately, it aims to equip donors with data they can apply to their decision making. Trends 2025

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Grants should tie to your strategy rather than strategy being determined by pursuing grants. Grants are wonderful in their rightful place as part of an overall fundraising strategy.

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A capital campaign case for support is a document that outlines the needs and benefits of a nonprofit’s capital request. Read this case for support example to help assess your own case. #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

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