Nonprofit Investment Management Blog

Megan Lencoski

Megan Lencoski
Megan is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations achieve their goals of maximizing impact and growing revenue streams. With over 9 years of experience working in nonprofit development, she understands that every organization is unique and faces different challenges. That’s why she meets nonprofit leaders where they are and tailors her approach to their specific needs. By providing customized guidance, practical solutions, creative fundraising techniques, and access to an extensive network of resources and specialized tools, Megan helps organizations create effective strategies that will help them achieve their revenue goals.

Recent Posts

Questions You Should Be Asking If Your Nonprofit Is Choosing a Financial Advisor

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Mar 6, 2024 1:04:01 PM

Are you struggling to find the right investment advisor for your nonprofit? 

You’re not alone. As a former Development Director, I know the overwhelming feeling of navigating the complex world of investments. When your mission’s success is at stake, you may be unsure of where to start and whom to trust with our nonprofit’s financial future.

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Topics: Nonprofit

From Lost to Found: Turning Lapsed Donors into Loyal Supporters

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Feb 29, 2024 2:23:27 PM

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Topics: Nonprofit

6 Ways Your Website Is Hurting Your Major Giving Program (and how to fix them)

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Nov 28, 2023 8:00:00 AM

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Topics: Nonprofit

How to Get Ready for Giving Tuesday When You’re Feeling Behind

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Nov 16, 2023 2:06:46 PM

 

Do you struggle to stand out on Giving Tuesday?  
Are you worried about donor fatigue at year-end?  
Are limited resources and technology hurdles holding your campaign back? 

As the Nonprofit Development Specialist at Carnegie Investment Counsel, I often hear these concerns. So when NXUnite reached out to me to be a panelist on their webinar, "The Final Push: Preparing for Giving Tuesday," I jumped at the opportunity!  

It was a great event where we shared strategies, trends, and innovative approaches that can help set your Giving Tuesday efforts up for success. I was joined by some seasoned development professionals who have been around the Giving Tuesday block many times: Laurie Hochman, Marketing Director from Auctria, and Kel Haney, Senior Consultant at Donorly. Along with our moderator, Colleen Carol from Nexus Marketing, we shared insights and ideas you can adapt to fit your campaign, including: 

  • Effective Giving Tuesday campaign strategies. 
  • Tech and tools to support your Giving Tuesday efforts. 
  • How to measure impact and success after the day. 

But don’t worry if you missed it. You can watch the recording here or read on. In this article, I’ll share our insights so you can be ready for Giving Tuesday! 

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Topics: Nonprofit

Tips for Engaging Donors in Conversations About Life Insurance Policy Donations

Posted by Megan Lencoski on May 19, 2023 2:00:00 PM

 

In life, there are many difficult discussions that are inevitable but affect us all. A topic that is among the most uncomfortable to discuss is the end of our life. This fact causes most fundraisers to shy away from discussing life insurance policy donations with donors. But as a nonprofit leader, you know that managing your nonprofit investments and finances is essential. 

Did you know that by avoiding the topic, you are doing a disservice to both the donor and your organization? 

If you haven’t incorporated life insurance policy donations into your overall fundraising plan, you are losing out on significant revenue potential for your organization. In addition, you are denying the donor the mental health and tax benefits that come with making a large impact. In this article, we’ll explain why you should be talking about life insurance policy donations with your donors, and give you six actionable tips to bring up this difficult topic.

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Topics: Nonprofit

Maximizing Impact: Benefits of Donating Life Insurance Policy to Charity

Posted by Megan Lencoski on May 5, 2023 9:00:00 AM

Did you know individuals can donate a life insurance policy to support their favorite cause? Donating a life insurance policy to charity is a smart way to make a substantial contribution that can often result in a larger payout than a single gift the donor could have made in their lifetime. Moreover, by working with their investment advisor, donors can take advantage of unique tax benefits. Let’s explore how to donate a life insurance policy and what the benefits are.

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Topics: Nonprofit

What Is Investment Management for Nonprofits? Maximizing Returns While Maintaining a Charitable Mission

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Mar 28, 2023 2:00:00 PM

Are you a nonprofit looking to increase your funds and generate additional revenue? Investing or creating an endowment may be something you’ve considered, but you may not know where to start. If you’re asking “what is investment management for nonprofits?” it’s smart to learn more about maximizing your returns while maintaining your charitable mission. In this article, we dive into if nonprofits can invest, why effective nonprofit investment management is important and we offer four tips to help you manage your organization’s funds.

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Topics: Nonprofit

What Every Nonprofit Should Know About the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Feb 21, 2023 2:00:00 PM

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, the steps organizations should take to ensure compliance with the act, and potential penalties for noncompliance.

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Topics: Nonprofit

Is My Nonprofit Too Small? 4 Misconceptions About Setting Up an Endowment Fund

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Feb 14, 2023 2:00:00 PM

Are you a small nonprofit wondering if you're too small to establish an endowment fund? The truth is endowments are not only for large organizations. Small nonprofits can benefit greatly from setting up a nonprofit endowment fund. In this blog post, we discuss the misconceptions small nonprofits have about endowments and the benefits they can provide for financial stability, sustainability and attracting donors.

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Topics: Nonprofit

5 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Prepare for the Great Wealth Transfer

Posted by Megan Lencoski on Dec 20, 2022 2:00:00 PM

In our last post, we discussed what the great wealth transfer is and why your nonprofit should start preparing now. Here are five ways to prepare for the great wealth transfer so you can maximize your potential donations.

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Topics: Nonprofit

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