January 02, 2024 How a Storied Arts and Humanities Institution Is Finding Support on Both Sides of the Atlantic January 02, 2024/ Wendy Paris Through its prestigious Rome Prize and other offerings, the American Academy in Rome gives artists and scholars a chance to live and work in the heart of the Eternal City. Fundraising, though, is an ever-evolving challenge.Read More
December 11, 2023 “A Massive Problem to Solve.” How Can Museums Engage Next-Generation Donors? December 11, 2023/ Mike Scutari As the largest wealth transfer in history takes place, fundraising trends don’t look so good for the arts. Sector stakeholders are trying to figure out how museums can better cultivate a rising generation of heirs.Read More
November 06, 2023 A “Pretty Severe Education” in Raising Capital Dollars: What It Took to Get NYC’s Civic Hall Funded November 06, 2023/ Mike Scutari Civic Hall, an 85,000-square-foot collaborative work and training facility, opened to the public on November 1. We heard from cofounder Andrew Rasiej about his seven-year effort to bring the project to fruition.Read More
October 30, 2023 How This Nationwide Matching Gift Campaign Galvanizes Support for Nonprofit News Outlets October 30, 2023/ Mike Scutari NewsMatch, the largest collaborative fundraising campaign to support nonprofit news in the U.S., kicks off on November 1. It leverages growing interest in nonprofit journalism, from big funders and small donors alike.Read More
October 19, 2023 Why Estate Planning Matters for LGBTIQ Donors and Causes October 19, 2023/ Katie Hultquist, Guest Contributor During this year’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week, guest author Katie Hultquist makes the case for planned giving as a deep and largely untapped well of support for LGBTIQ communities.Read More
September 27, 2023 Queer Fundraisers Need You Now September 27, 2023/ Jackson Cooper, Guest Contributor Drawing on past bad experiences with donors, guest author Jackson Cooper argues that organizations need to make sure they support their LGBTQ+ fundraisers, especially during a time of increased anti-LGBTQ+ animus.Read More
September 22, 2023 Six Questions for Victoria Philips, A Nonprofit Consultant Who's Worked on Two Continents September 22, 2023/ Ade Adeniji Victoria Philips grew up in Nigeria and went on to found an NGO in South Africa. Now based in San Diego, Philips runs a nonprofit consultancy. We connected with her to learn about her journey and get her perspective on philanthropy.Read More
September 12, 2023 My Journey to a Smarter Ask September 12, 2023/ Larry G. Raff, Guest Contributor Despite all the wealth-estimating tools out there, fundraisers are still mostly shooting from the hip when it comes to settling on an ask amount. Guest contributor Larry G. Raff walks us through his long effort to devise a better way.Read More
July 31, 2023 HBCU Moves: Seven Questions for Mildred Whittier, Spelman College Alumna and Fundraiser July 31, 2023/ Ade Adeniji Mildred Whittier helped launch Women for Golden Futures, a fundraising effort to support her alma mater Spelman College. We heard from her about the initiative, her history with Spelman, and how HBCUs can pull in more funding.Read More
May 18, 2023 “You Can’t Pick and Choose.” A Revealing Look at Why Leaders Accept Toxic Donations May 18, 2023/ Mike Scutari Unlike most nonprofit leaders who’ve received toxic gifts, Bard President Leon Botstein has clearly laid out his reasons for soliciting donations from Jeffrey Epstein. We suspect he isn’t the only decision-maker who thinks this way.Read More
March 31, 2023 Forgive, Forget, Receive: Why (Most) Toxic Donors Get a Second Chance March 31, 2023/ Mike Scutari A year after South Dakota declined to press charges against T. Denny Sanford, organizations have welcomed the billionaire back into the fold. We look at the complex calculus that goes into accepting support from “toxic” donors.Read More
March 07, 2023 How Can Nonprofits Access the Fortune Sitting in Community Foundation DAF Accounts? March 07, 2023/ Mike Scutari Donors are pouring money into DAFs managed by community foundations at a furious clip. Three community foundation leaders share tips on how nonprofits can put their work in front of philanthropic advisors and donors.Read More
February 16, 2023 In a Time of Crisis, Giving With Intention Means Relying on Good Information February 16, 2023/ Michael Thatcher, Guest Contributor As the ranks of small donors thin, it’s important that those who do want to give can assess their options with confidence. Guest author Michael Thatcher makes a case for impartial third-party evaluation as a vital part of that.Read More
January 03, 2023 The Data on Funding for LGBTQ Causes Is Seriously Incomplete. Here’s Why January 03, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe Claims of underfunding in the LGBTQ space aren’t wrong, but it’s also notoriously difficult to get a read on how much money is being moved and how much is needed. Ultimately, some of this handwringing may be unnecessary.Read More
November 11, 2022 How Can We Ensure the World of Social Impact Data Lives Up to Its Potential? November 11, 2022/ Shahar Brukner and Simon Dickson, Guest Contributors Useful data on grantmaking can be hard to come by. In this guest piece, the founders of a social impact data startup share why and how they’re seeking to democratize access to that information.Read More
October 24, 2022 IP Explainer: What Is the Difference Between Solicited and Unsolicited Requests? October 24, 2022/ IP Staff Philanthropy is difficult to navigate. That’s why we’ve produced a series of explainers to demystify the basics. Today, we break down a key distinction for fundraisers on the lookout for grant support.Read More
October 03, 2022 What Are Conservation, Pollution and Ag Funders Looking For Right Now? Fundraisers Weigh In October 03, 2022/ Michael Kavate Fundraisers in these fields see opportunity and uncertainty, and many organizations are hiring to take advantage. Here are some major shifts they’ve highlighted in the funding landscape.Read More
August 10, 2022 Think Tank Leaders Don't Lack for Ideas, But Fundraising Can Still Be Brutal August 10, 2022/ Celia Wexler Think tanks play a vital role in philanthropy’s efforts to incubate ideas and affect the course of policy. But on the left at least, many think tank leaders find themselves perennially chasing grants.Read More
July 25, 2022 Charities Aiding Immigrants and Refugees Fare Better When They Raise Money from Private Sources July 25, 2022/ Holly Hall Ongoing crises and political developments have challenged nonprofits serving immigrants and refugees, but sometimes also pose fundraising opportunities. Unsurprisingly, well-established operations tend to have a leg up.Read More
June 02, 2022 How Fundraisers for Filmmaking Adapted During the Pandemic June 02, 2022/ Sandra Lundgren Fundraisers for filmmaking reported steady revenue thanks to online events, shifts in their donor bases, and in at least one case, a windfall from a certain novelist-turned-donor. Five organizations filled us in on how they’ve evolved.Read More