Webinar: Building Lasting Relationships to Maximize Impact

Posted , by Elizabeth Vana, Client Coordinator. Topic: Donors, Fundraising, Gift Solicitation, Webinars and Videos.

Free Webinar: Building Lasting Relationships to Maximize Impact   This insightful session will deepen your understanding of donor engagement. Learn best practices for cultivating meaningful relationships, effective stewardship strategies and how to communicate your organization’s mission to inspire sustained support. Our team of experts will share: Real—world examples of donor cultivation and stewardship Strategies to… Read more »

How to Build Donor Relationships During Crisis

Posted , by Marissa Monell, Client Manager. Topic: Arts & Culture, Careers in Philanthropy, Crisis Fundraising, Donor Communication, Donors, Fundraising, Major Donors, Nonprofit Management.

A Day in the Life of an Executive Director During These Uncertain Times How Shawn Puller Keeps Garth Newel Music Center Moving Forward By Marissa Monell, Client Manager, The Curtis Group, and Shawn Puller, Executive Director of Garth Newel Music Center in Warm Springs, VA We are excited to continue “A Day in the Life… Read more »

Connecting with Millennials: How Nonprofits Can Build Relationships with Tomorrow’s Leaders

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Campaign Manager. Topic: Donor Communication, Donor Prospects, Fundraising.

The most recent AFP eWire featured three short, but informative, articles on tapping into the power of Millennials. Nonprofits know this influential generational group is more “connected” than any of its predecessors. But, how can the estimated 92 million members of the Millennial generation (born between 1980 and 2001) be motivated to effectively rally behind a… Read more »

Even Online, It’s All About Relationships

Posted , by Wendy McGrady. Topic: Donor Communication.

At the Hampton Roads Institute for Nonprofit Leadership Conference last Friday, I went to a good workshop by our Giving Institute colleague Jay Love of eTapestry. It was called “The Internet Unveiled: The Newest Tools & Website Trends for Relationship Building,” with the key words being “relationship building.” Jay’s message was to make sure your online… Read more »

Let Good Questions Guide the Work: A Thoughtful Approach to AI in Fundraising

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, President and Chief Operating Officer. Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fundraising.

There is no doubt AI can and will have a transformational impact on our work. In conversations with nonprofit leaders, a consistent challenge is not a lack of interest in AI—it is knowing how to evaluate where and how it should be used. There is no shortage of possibilities. But without a clear way to… Read more »

When AI Precedes Strategy: A Moment for Nonprofit Leaders

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, President and Chief Operating Officer. Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fundraising.

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 pattern we see across nonprofit sectors. And it points… Read more »

Five Ways to Make 2026 Your Strongest Fundraising Year Yet

Posted , by Keith Curtis, Chairman and CEO. Topic: Crisis Fundraising, Development Plan, Donors, Fundraising, Fundraising by Sector, Gift Solicitation, Major Gifts Programs, Making the Ask, Planned Giving, Year-End Giving.

Fundraising Review and Reflections: What Worked in 2025 and What to Change for 2026 By Keith Curtis, Chairman and CEO For nonprofits, 2025 often felt like a test. The philanthropic landscape is undergoing rapid changes, and nonprofits are having to evolve along with it. We saw a lot of emerging trends this past year—charitable giving totals rose,… Read more »

What the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy Reveals About Today’s Donors

Posted , by Keith Curtis, Chairman and CEO. Topic: Crisis Fundraising, Development Plan, Donors, Federal Funding Uncertainty, Fundraising, Fundraising by Sector, Gift Solicitation, Major Gifts Programs, Making the Ask, National Research Collaborative, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy Research & Events, Planned Giving, Year-End Giving.

  A version of this piece first appeared on Giving USA and The Giving Institute. We’ve expanded it here with added guidance for fundraisers. Turning Big Into Bigger: Engaging Your Major Donors With Data-Informed Strategies By Keith Curtis, Chairman and CEO Numbers tell a story, and research into donor behavior and giving trends gives organizations a roadmap to navigate… Read more »

The Future of AI in Fundraising: Amplifying Human Connection

Posted , by Emily Ruble, Associate Consultant. Topic: Donor Acknowledgement, Donor Communication, Fundraising, Making the Ask, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy Research & Events.

Level-Up Your Fundraising with AI By Emily Ruble, Associate Consultant “The future of AI is not about replacing humans, it’s about augmenting human capabilities.” – Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google AI is rapidly changing the rules in every sector and proving to be a powerful ally. Recently I attended the Fundraising.AI Global Summit, and learned a lot… Read more »

FREE Webinar: How to Keep Your Donors Happy — and Giving!

Posted , by Elizabeth Vana, Client Coordinator. Topic: Fundraising.

Rethinking Donor Retention: Building Connections in a Changing Landscape     Current fundraising trends reveal a challenging paradox: charitable giving is up, but donor counts are down. That means more dollars are coming from fewer donors—raising the stakes for building lasting, trust-based relationships. So how can your organization remain relationship-focused in an increasingly transactional giving environment?… Read more »