Ask most boards what their job is when it comes to fundraising, and you'll hear some version of "the ask," (if you're lucky!). What often doesn't makes the list is stewardship: thanking donors, keeping them informed, and making them feel like partners rather than a line on a spreadsheet. That usually gets left to the development team, which is a strange division of labor, since board members often bring exactly the credibility and personal relationships that make stewardship land.

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.

Developing a reserve fund is a crucial part of maintaining your nonprofit’s stability and sustainability. As YPTC’s nonprofit financial management guide explains, “When you’re in survival mode, you might spend every dollar that comes in. To be sustainable, make sure you’re building an operating reserve. This can help provide a safety net during times of uncertainty, economic downturns, or other adverse circumstances.”

However, donors might wonder why or how you’re generating enough funds for a reserve in the first place. They might ask themselves: “Does this organization truly need my contributions if they already have enough extra funds leftover to put in reserve?”

To help you balance building your reserve and retaining donor support, this guide offers tips for advancing your reserve strategy while reinforcing donor confidence.

If you sit on a nonprofit board or finance committee, you've probably heard the word "fiduciary" used to describe an advisor. What often gets missed is that your board already carries fiduciary responsibility, with or without an advisor in the picture.

This distinction matters more in the nonprofit space than almost anywhere else in personal or institutional finance because the money your board oversees isn't personal wealth. It's donor-restricted, mission-restricted, and entrusted to your organization by people who expect it to be stewarded responsibly. That raises the stakes on transparency, prudence, and oversight in a way that a typical investment conversation often doesn't capture.

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.

Keeping supporters continuously engaged between major fundraising campaigns is a modern challenge that many nonprofit teams face. As a result, digital connection has become an increasingly important strategy for long-term retention and advocacy.

There’s a myth in the nonprofit world: parking cash in a savings account is the “safe” choice. In reality, it can be one of the costliest decisions a board makes, and often the one no one thinks to question.

That doesn’t mean the market is always “safe” either. Investing always carries risk, including the risk of loss. But holding everything in cash carries a cost too, even if it never shows up on a statement. The question your board actually needs to answer isn’t which option is risk-free, because neither one is. It’s whether your decisions are intentional, and tied to what each dollar is actually meant to do.

While membership dues alone used to be enough to power many associations’ operations, economic and industry shifts have made this strategy riskier. Association executives must intentionally expand alternative income streams to build long-term sustainability.

Your foundation’s brand is not defined by a polished logo or a catchy tagline. It typically rests on its reputation. As the philanthropic landscape evolves, communities and stakeholders are asking for more from funding institutions. Specifically, greater authenticity and open communication.