Ask a development director how their endowment is doing, and they'll usually tell you about performance: the latest return, how the market's been treating the fund, what the investment committee said last quarter.

It's rarer for them to mention the donors they are stewarding and prospecting to support this long-term initiative.

Once an endowment is established, many nonprofits shift into maintenance mode. The fund exists, it's invested, and growth becomes something the market handles rather than something the fundraising team actively pursues. But an endowment doesn't have to grow through investment returns alone. It can grow because donors keep choosing to grow it. One of the keys, however, is knowing who to ask and how to have that conversation.

As a nonprofit leader, you have probably heard of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA). But are you familiar with what it includes and who needs to follow it? Don’t let your organization pay the penalty of being noncompliant with this important act. This post covers the key components of the law and its goals, who it applies to, an overview of steps organizations should take to ensure compliance with the act, and potential penalties for noncompliance.

Many nonprofit boards spend the bulk of their fundraising conversation on one question: how do we bring in new donors? It makes sense. New donors feel like growth. They show up in board reports as a number moving in the right direction.

But that focus can overlook a bigger opportunity sitting inside the donor base you already have. According to Neon One's 2026 Recurring Donor Report, which analyzed transaction data from more than 4,000 nonprofits, the average lifetime value of a recurring donor is $7,288, more than double the $3,607 lifetime value of a one-time donor. Recurring donors also stick around far longer, giving an average of 7.5 to 8 years compared to 1.5 to 2 years for one-time donors.

If you've ever waited weeks for a simple account statement, or been told you couldn't access your own organization's money, you might assume that's just how it goes with investment advisors. It's not, and we want you to know that your organization shouldn't be treated like that.

Receiving an endowment gift is a milestone. It signals that a donor believes in your mission enough to fund it, permanently. But that check arriving is the beginning of a serious set of responsibilities, not the end of the conversation. And many nonprofit leaders are not handed a roadmap when it happens.

A well-governed nonprofit investment program should have more than good returns and a solid IPS. It has independent checks built into the structure, so no single firm has unchecked control over both the management and the holding of your assets. Understanding how third-party custody works is one of the cleaner ways a board can strengthen its oversight without adding complexity.

For many nonprofits, one of the biggest fundraising challenges isn’t donor generosity, it’s donor confusion.

Donors want to help. They want to do the right thing. But when tax laws change, even well-intentioned supporters can feel unsure about how (or whether) their giving still “counts” when tax time rolls around.

That’s why the addition of the above-the-line charitable deduction for non-itemizers in 2026 is something every nonprofit leader and fundraiser should understand and communicate clearly to donors this year.

This change may not solve every fundraising challenge, but it could remove a common mental barrier for millions of donors who don’t itemize their taxes. And considering the IRS reports that 87% of tax filers take the standard deduction, chances are this change may affect a lot of your donor base.

Let’s break down what this change means, why it matters to your organization, and how to talk about it without sounding like a tax advisor.

Make-A-Will Month is an annual initiative that happens every August. It is designed to raise awareness about the importance of creating a will and planning for the future. It’s a time when individuals are encouraged to take stock of their assets, reflect on their legacy, and ensure that their final wishes are legally documented.

For nonprofits, Make-A-Will Month presents a unique opportunity to engage with supporters in meaningful ways, secure long-term funding, and build stronger, more lasting relationships. By actively participating in a Make-A-Will Month campaign, your organization can take a significant step toward ensuring its sustainability and continued success.

Want help getting ready for Make-A-Will Month? Canopy has a free Make-A-Will Month Toolkit you can download to get started and maximize the impact of your campaign.

Endowment spending decisions are rarely about the number alone. Board members and nonprofit leaders are responsible for supporting today’s programs while safeguarding resources for the future, which means multiple factors must be considered when setting a withdrawal rate. 

For many nonprofits, the question isn’t if professional investment guidance will be helpful; it’s when. 

Early on, managing reserves and small investment accounts internally may feel manageable. But as assets grow, donor generosity increases, and boards ask more thoughtful questions, the responsibility around stewardship naturally becomes more complex. 

So how do you know when it’s time to partner with an investment advisor? 

This post walks through the common signs nonprofits experience as they grow, along with what an advisor can help with and how to choose the right one.