Kimberly O'Donnell, CFRE, ACC (she/her/hers)

👻 Year-End Fundraising Doesn't Have to Be Scary!👻 Our second annual "Blueprint for Success - Year-End Fundraising Workshop" was full of tricks AND treats to help nonprofits make the most of their year-end campaigns. If you missed it, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! 🎥 Watch the Webinar Recording  Catch the full session to learn how journey-focused strategies can turn your year-end fundraising from a haunted house into a happy harvest. Get practical tips, creative ideas, and some spooky-good insights on how to engage your supporters! 🛠️ Want Extra Help Carving Out Your Plan? 🎃   We’re offering one-on-one Blueprint sessions to help nonprofits develop a customized, step-by-step plan that’s as easy as pumpkin pie. Our experts from Giving Insight and JB Advance will make sure your campaign is ready to scare away any year-end stress. 👀 Ready to Dive In? Click here: https://bit.ly/Blueprint24 Let’s make your year-end campaign a real *treat* this year! #FundraisingTips #NonprofitSuccess #YearEndGiving #FundraisingWebinar #NonprofitFundraising #GivingInsight #JBAdvance #HalloweenFun

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The association community, through ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, has urged both presidential campaigns to recognize and prioritize the contributions of trade and professional associations in their policy agendas. From the letter, associations account for over 1 million jobs, generating more than $71 billion in wages, and hold more than 272,000 events every year that attract nearly 52 million participants and generate $42 billion in spending. Associations also pay almost $28 billion in federal, state and local taxes each year, and events generate an additional $7.5 billion in taxes. https://lnkd.in/g5bkmP7Q #associations #associationmanagement #policy #vote

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The new special report from Edelman Trust Barometer on Business and Racial Justice shows once again the critical role employers have to make tangible progress addressing inequity at work. This is one reason so many organziations turn to Catalyst Inc. "Trust in “my employer” to address racial injustice stands out, but the challenge remains for all institutions to navigate these turbulent waters and foster genuine inclusion and equity". https://lnkd.in/g-CMgHuh #Businessimperative #Recommit #Catalyst #TheCatalystEffect

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A new administration and an evolving market and economic environment are influencing donors’ financial plans and their giving appetite. We break down the top three factors that will impact their charitable giving, and share ways you can connect with donors in 2025. https://hubs.li/Q02Zc4hc0

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“What do LPs want to see from a GP offering an impact fund?”   In this New Private Markets article, featuring insights from Monument Group, Toby Mitchenall lays out some best practice recommendations for fundraising success in the impact space, ranging from a detailed theory of change to incorporating sustainability objectives into performance reviews. #PrivateEquity #ImpactInvesting #Fundraising

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As a proud member of National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG), we recommend participating in this ten-minute survey to inform the 2024 Philanthropy Benchmark Survey: Insights on the Role of Consultants and Advisors in Advancing Giving. Link to survey here: https://lnkd.in/ggYjtX-H The results will help assess the practice of philanthropy by understanding the behavior and attitudes of grantmakers and the consultants and advisors who serve them. #philanthropy #funding #grantmakers

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Building authentic relationships is at the heart of successful fundraising. It's about more than just donations—it's about connecting with people, understanding their values, and fostering long-term partnerships. When trust and sincerity guide our interactions, the support we receive becomes more meaningful, lasting, and impactful. Let's focus on creating real connections that inspire lasting change.

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Fundraising can be a tough journey, but it's crucial for driving your mission forward. Our new handbook for Executive Directors offers valuable insights and solutions to overcome the most common challenges nonprofit leaders face, including: 🔹 Limited Resources 🔹 Lacking Donor Engagement 🔹 Evaluating Program Effectiveness 🔹 Executing a Strategic Plan 🔹 And more! Dive into our comprehensive guide today! https://hubs.la/Q02GPvxn0

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The National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) and 21/64 have partnered to explore the ways that consultants and advisors help foundations and donors achieve their goals, and how consultants and advisors can better serve the needs of their clients. If you are a donor, grantmaking foundation staff or trustee, consultant to grantmakers, or philanthropic advisor who works with donors, this survey is for you! It will take no longer than 15 minutes. Learn more and take the survey: https://lnkd.in/drfkGKgv

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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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Leading a nonprofit in this uncertain moment? Check out this election scenario planning toolkit developed by The Bridgespan Group. An impressive set of resources and reflection questions to prepare for the unknown (it’s never too late) or known at some point post Election Day (and all the legal challenges). https://lnkd.in/epMs7gSV

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🙏 A huge thank you to our amazing panelists from Community Boost, CCS Fundraising, Social Impact Solutions, and Pursuant - An Allegiance Group Company for sharing their insights at our "Data Driven Impact: Harnessing Analytics for Nonprofit Success" webinar! Your expertise has been invaluable in helping nonprofits leverage data for greater impact. Missed the webinar? No worries! You can watch the recording here: https://hubs.ly/Q02GZzn70 #NonprofitSuccess #DataDrivenImpact #TheGivingBlock #Analytics

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#csr leaders - this blog post includes important actionable tips for impact admins who are looking to use data to both tell a compelling story of this year’s impact and also to generate actionable insights for next year! I am always happy to chat about how Deed's dashboards and reports make data easy to access, easy to use, and easy to apply by corporate impact teams. #dosomethinggoodtoday #dataforgood #techforgood

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🔥Check out this week’s popular webinar (now on demand) from Bonterra, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Carahsoft (and ME!) on the challenges and benefits of #impactreporting for #nonprofits. #representation #outcomes Kimberly O'Donnell, CFRE, ACC (she/her/hers) Porscha Pressler 🎯Improve decision making, program outcomes, and secure funding. ➡️Hear about the sector’s evolution, benefits, and challenges in this area from me and ➡️some gain some actionable, practical tips from Kelley Hecht of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

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Ever considered funding the social sector as a force multiplier? It's fascinating how modest grants can catalyze remarkable outcomes - yet this powerful approach to grantmaking remains largely unexplored and under documented. 🔍News: Alliance Magazine, in collaboration with WINGS and Propel Philanthropy, has just released the fourth installment in their groundbreaking five-part series. These articles feature in-depth conversations with five visionary funders who share their insights on infrastructure funding and its transformative impact on the social sector. 🎯 Why This Matters: If you're curious about maximizing philanthropic impact through strategic infrastructure funding, this series offers valuable perspectives and practical insights. 📚 Dive deeper into these compelling stories at: https://lnkd.in/ghKtnvgQ

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Wondering how to secure grants effectively and amplify your organization's impact? Check out our latest blog post on Grant Readiness! Learn about essential steps to ensure your organization is prepared for success in the competitive grant landscape. From assessing your organization's readiness to taking proactive steps to strengthen your foundation, our blog covers it all. Learn how to showcase your past achievements, clarify funding needs, and prepare compelling documentation to stand out to potential funders. Don't miss out on valuable insights and strategies to elevate your grant-seeking efforts! Read the full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/eU-EDr96

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Shouldn't We Be "Onboarding" New Donors? Are our traditional notions of stewardship responding to one of the deepest donor desires - to belong? Have we convinced ourselves that what they want most is to be thanked and recognized? Our research shows that most donors feel sufficiently thanked but inadequately informed about the impact of their investment. But isn't the best way to inform them to show, not tell, them? Does it not make sense that the sooner we welcome and "onboard" them, the better our chances of retaining them not just as a donor but as a member of our community? And, if they feel as if they are a member of our community, will they not be more receptive to future funding requests? We know that considerate and informative onboarding is a key factor in employee retention, so does it not stand to reason that the same would be true for new donors? Some of the best onboarding practices for new staff, according to Kelly Main of Forbes magazine, include: ⏺ Give out a welcome package ⏺ Make the first day exciting ⏺ Share your definition of success ⏺ Stay true to your culture ⏺ Check in regularly ⏺ Involve senior leaders Is one of the major reasons we lose so many first-time donors that we don't welcome them into our organizations and provide them materials and experiences that make them feel like insiders and valued members of our community? Wouldn't a more formal and systematic onboarding approach greatly increase our chances of retaining them for years to come? https://lnkd.in/eCFnAkV9

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