Forget bake sales and car washes (although, hey, we still love those classics). Have you ever felt like your fundraising toolbox is getting a little…tired? We've all been there. But what if there was a hidden gem, a strategy that could boost your bottom line with the current donor base you already have? 

In this article, we'll shed light on the often-overlooked superpower of life insurance gifts. We'll break down the "hows" and "whys" in a way that's easy to understand and leave you feeling confident and equipped to chat with your donors about this powerful giving option. So, ditch the fundraising fatigue and get ready to discover a strategy that's as strategic as it is impactful. 

According to 360MatchPro, nonprofits raise an average of $287 per monthly donor each year. When comparing that figure to the average annual revenue per one-time donor of $192, it’s clear that recurring donors can significantly boost your donation revenue. 

However, major and recurring donors don't just show up out of the blue (most of the time). The most successful nonprofits don’t just solicit donations and then forget about their donors. Instead, they build long-lasting relationships with donors through dedicated donor stewardship plans. 

In this guide, we’ll review three communication tips you can implement to improve your existing endowment and major donor stewardship strategy. As a result, you’ll fine-tune your approach and form even stronger bonds with your supporters.

Are hidden friction points in your donor journey causing you to lose valuable supporters? 

In today’s fast-paced world, people are constantly bombarded with distractions and have little patience for complicated processes. Any friction in your donor journey—whether it’s before, during, or after making a donation—could deter potential donors from completing their contributions, leading to missed opportunities for your nonprofit. 

That’s where donor journey optimization comes in. This strategy involves analyzing and improving each step of the donor's journey, from initial awareness to post-donation follow-up.

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.

Your nonprofit has ambitious goals; whether you’re planning to expand one of your programs, construct a new building, or set up an endowment fund, uncovering major donors who are eager to provide significant financial support is essential to your success. But among all the individuals stored in your database, how do you know which ones are the most promising prospects to pursue? 

Legacy giving serves as a tried-and-true (if often underutilized) source of revenue for nonprofits. 

Planned gifts like bequests provide a range of benefits, including stable funding over time and opportunities to deepen relationships with your organization’s most dedicated supporters and their families. Creating a thriving legacy giving program is a worthy investment for organizations of all sizes. 

But even with a well-managed program, you may be inadvertently limiting the potential of your investment by keeping a narrow focus on just one type of gift.  

To help you maximize the impact of your legacy giving program, we’ll take a look at today’s legacy and non-cash giving options that might be excellent choices for some of your nonprofit’s donors.

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.

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!