Giving USA 2019: Giving reached $427 billion amid a complex year!

Posted , by Keith Curtis, President. Topic: Donor Retention, Donors, Fundraising, Giving USA, High-Net-Worth Individuals, Major Donors, Major Gifts Programs.

On the heels of a decade of unprecedented growth, we celebrate the year for what it was – a complex year with incredible generosity. I could spend hours talking to you (but I won’t) about studies, statistics, shifts in giving patterns, the impact of the economy, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, public policy, and… Read more »

A Day in the Life of a Campaign Coordinator

Posted , by Abbie Hacker, Campaign Coordinator. Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Preparing for a Campaign.

How Kari Vincent Keeps the United Way of South Hampton Roads Moving Forward By Abbie Hacker, Client Manager, The Curtis Group and Kari Vincent, Foundation and Major Gifts Manager, United Way of South Hampton Roads We are excited to introduce a brand new series written by you. It’s called “A Day in the Life of…,”… Read more »

Retain Your Donors in 5 Steps

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Vice President. Topic: Boards of Directors, Development Plan, Donor Prospects, Donor Retention, Donors, Fundraising, Major Donors.

I had the privilege of presenting at the spring conference for the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington last week. One of the things I spent some time discussing was the importance of focusing on donor retention. In my opinion, too many nonprofits are stuck in this cycle of having to acquire a huge… Read more »

8 out of 10 Charities Raised Same or More Funds in 2018

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Vice President. Topic: Development Plan, Fundraising, Philanthropy Research & Events, Professional Development.

According to an article on the survey conducted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2018 Year-End Fundraising Survey, 54% of nonprofits reported raising more money in 2018 compared to 2017 and 28% reported raising the same amount. Only 18% reported raising less.   Respondents considered the impact of external factors such as the economy and… Read more »

6 Fundraising Trends to Watch in the New Year

Posted , by Keith Curtis, Founder, President. Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Fundraising, Funds and Funders, High-Net-Worth Individuals.

As we celebrate The Curtis Group’s 30th anniversary, I could reflect and reminisce on the past, and maybe I will at a later date. But today, I would rather look to the future of fundraising and philanthropy. Below are six philanthropic trends that I think will impact fundraising in 2019. High-net-worth donors continue to give… Read more »

Does your development plan avoid these common pitfalls?

Posted , by . Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Fundraising, Nonprofit Management.

A Strategic Plan is Not a Development Plan. Your Development Plan is the Next Step  Has your organization recently updated its strategic plan or is about to begin that process? If the answer is yes, that is great news! Thinking about your short- and long-term organizational goals and strategies to achieve them is integral to… Read more »

Fundraising Trends To Improve Donor Relations and Fundraising Strategy

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Vice President. Topic: Donor Communication, Donor Retention, Donors, High-Net-Worth Individuals, Major Donors, Major Gifts Programs, Philanthropy Events.

Earlier this month, we enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new ones at the 2018 VFRI conference. This year in particular was incredible as I had the opportunity to chair the conference. I was inspired by the passion that my fellow fundraisers have for their organizations and for our profession. I was invigorated by… Read more »

Giving USA 2018: Giving reached over $400 billion!

Posted , by Keith Curtis, Founder, President. Topic: Donor Communication, Donor Retention, Giving USA, High-Net-Worth Individuals, Major Gifts Programs.

Powered by a booming stock market and a strong economy, charitable giving by American individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations to U.S. charities surged to an estimated $410.02 billion in 2017, according to Giving USA 2018: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2017, released today. Giving USA is the longest-running and most comprehensive report of its kind… Read more »