Are you effectively thanking and engaging your donors? I often encounter well-intentioned nonprofits that are hurting their acknowledgment efforts through common mistakes: 1. Slow response. You risk losing donors—and donations—by waiting too long to send thanks. Some say that 48 hours is the ideal turnaround time, but if that’s not realistic for your organization, aim… Read more »
Study Finds Next Gen Donors Driven by Personal Values & Desire for Social Impact
Rick Moyers, vice president of programs and communications at the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, recently wrote in The Chronicle about a new report, “Next Gen Donors: Respecting Legacy, Revolutionizing Philanthropy.” The results included some interesting data from 300 high-capacity donors in their 20s and 30s. They are all individuals poised to become very influential… Read more »
Highlights from “Donor and Board Member Engagement” Webinar Hosted by Bloomerang
Bloomerang, a company specializing in donor databases, hosted a webinar recently titled “Everything You Need to Know about Donor and Board Member Engagement.” We are cautious of programs that boast these superlatives—”Everything”, really? But we knew the hosts were authorities in their field and signed up to participate. While Jay Love, CEO of Bloomerang, and Bryan… Read more »
Higher Donor Retention Rate Translates to Higher Charitable Receipts
“Are higher retention rates associated with higher totals in charitable giving?” This is the question that the Nonprofit Research Collaborative sought to answer in their most recent survey focused on donor retention rates. More than 770 organizations across every subsector participated in the study. Interestingly, the results are almost exactly the same as the NCR’s… Read more »
From the Donor’s Perspective
As a part of our daily work we spend a lot of time listening to donors share their candid impressions of our client’s organizations as a whole; everything from the effectiveness of the staff and board to the way they are cultivated. Through the planning study, development assessment and capacity building interview process we learn… Read more »
Komen-Planned Parenthood: The Importance of a Crisis Communication Plan
An article that ran last week in the Chronicle of Philanthropy got us thinking about the recent controversy between Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood. No matter where you stand on the issue, there are valuable lessons to be learned for any nonprofit. The most obvious to us is the importance of a solid crisis… Read more »
Are You Receiving Gifts From Donor-Advised Funds?
While in Chicago, I attended a presentation on the role of community foundations in today’s giving environment. Jason Baxendale, director of gift planning for The Chicago Community Trust, and Terry Shavone, The Columbus Foundation’s vice president for donor services and development (both of which are ranked in the top 10 largest community foundations in the… Read more »
When AI Precedes Strategy: A Moment for Nonprofit Leaders
By Wendy McGrady, President and Chief Operating Officer Artificial intelligence is already being employed by nonprofits. Often, this use is not the execution of formal strategy, but rather because well-intentioned staff are experimenting and improvising with AI in an effort to work more efficiently and keep pace. At The Curtis Group, this is a… Read more »
What Motivates Affluent Households’ Giving?
What Motivates Affluent Households’ Giving? By Hilary Fulp, Vice President Last week I attended an invitation-only presentation in Hampton Roads hosted by Bank of America on their new research on high-net-worth households’ giving–the 2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households. At this event, The Curtis Group President Keith Curtis, Bank of America’s Managing Director &… Read more »
Debunking 3 Myths: A Campaign’s Impact on Annual Giving
Debunking 3 Myths: A Campaign’s Impact on Annual Giving A campaign is a transformational time in any organization. It is exciting, energizing and yes sometimes challenging. Having worked with nonprofits in campaigns, I have heard and disproved many myths surrounding campaigns and how they negatively impact an organization. Today, I am debunking three of… Read more »
