For nonprofits on calendar fiscal years, you are likely deep into the budgeting process for 2025. Even if you follow a different fiscal year, you may be considering how potential economic shifts will impact your budget in 2025. As you enter 2025, we want to remind you of some best practices to help you navigate a shifting economic landscape.

One of the most important aspects of a nonprofit, and perhaps the most underestimated, is the responsibility of your Board of Directors. When recruiting these members, many think you just need to look for check writers who will support you financially. And that’s great! But if you look at the long-term success of all areas of your organization, not just your bottom line, there are a few other factors to consider.

This year, in the World Giving Index, the United States emerged as the most charitable country – with 72% of Americans reporting that they helped a stranger, 61% donated to a charity and 42% volunteered their time. But, as economic and societal shifts occur, that ranking may change. With the recent Giving USA 2024 report – the social sector’s annual report – Social Impact Architects once again partnered with Wise Resource Development to drill down on today’s giving trends and help your fundraising team make sense of them for future planning.

In the evolving landscape of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), staying updated on legal developments is critical. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education, stating that these institutions can no longer use race as part of the decision-making criteria for admissions. While this move is specific to higher education, the potential implications for nonprofit practices and philanthropic initiatives are currently being tested in court.

If you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re as passionate as I am about making a real difference in the world through your nonprofit. But let’s face it, navigating fundraising can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster ride with unexpected twists and turns. Nonprofits often find themselves chasing any available funding, instead of focusing on fundraising that will lead to long-term financial sustainability.

 Did you know that your financial reports tell an important story about the sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of your organization? You heard it right! When funders are reviewing your organizational budget, balance sheet, statement of activities, IRS Form 990 and financial audit, they’re on a mission to uncover critical information about your nonprofit.  

As you step into the new year, are you ready to hit the ground running toward your fundraising goal? Set yourself up for success by checking the structural integrity of your nonprofit’s three-legged stool.

All fundraisers know the importance of stewarding relationships with their donors, but many feel they are falling short. Many of our clients experience feeling over-worked and under-resourced. When that happens, essential activities, like donor stewardship, can often fall through the cracks.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. While it is commonplace to celebrate your loved ones on this day, more social sector organization are using this day to celebrate supporters and employees. For some inspiration, my friends and fellow consultants, Suzanne Smith of Social Impact Architects and Aimee Sheahan of Sheahan Communications, and I share our ideas and best practices on how to “show love” to these VIPs. For an added layer of fun, we have used The 5 Love Languages as a guide.

A successful annual campaign will bring in sustainable, unrestricted revenue and build long-term donor relationships.

Crowdfunding is a great way to build brand awareness, and it has become a popular way to fundraise by nonprofits, for-profits and even individuals. Thanks to social media, many of these efforts have gone viral like RAICES and the Ice Bucket Challenge. In fact, the crowdfunding industry has grown to generate $17.2 billion a year in North America alone. Still, this is not simply a “build it and they will come” approach. Success does not happen without a thoughtful campaign strategy.

When getting started writing grants, the whole idea can seem very overwhelming. There’s all kinds of coded language, weird requests, and (sometimes) a standoffish feeling from funders. Asking for money is not something that comes naturally to everyone. Luckily, there’s a few key tips that will get any grant writer off on the right foot.

When my son was about seven years old, he asked me how long I was in college. When I told him eight years, he was astonished. “I can’t believe you went to college for eight years to be a volunteer!”

I was working at Volunteers of America at the time, and I got a great chuckle at his confusion. He didn’t understand that I got paid to do a job. But this interaction highlights a real conflict in the world of nonprofit – the undervaluing of nonprofit staff.  Following are the biggest mistakes that nonprofits make when determining pay for employees:

We often hear that working with event committees is too much work and they don’t really do much to support the event anyway. This frustration, while common, is usually a result of not knowing how to fully maximize the potential of a volunteer committee. Here are some tips that will help you be more successful in working with committees.

I started my career as a special event fundraiser and I have a very firm belief that fundraising events serve a valuable role in the world of fundraising, but only if implemented WISEly. Many nonprofit professionals hate fundraising events and it is usually because of one or more of these reasons…

“I Can’t Ask My Friends to Give” Have you said this before? Me, too.

Sometimes it sounds more like, “I am protective of my friendships.” Or, “If I ask my friends to give, then they will do the same and we’ll just be swapping donations.” [Insert other excuses about why you can’t introduce your giving opportunity to your friends here.]

Grants can be catalytic funding for a nonprofit. This type of funding can help you get the capacity you need for significant growth, launch a new program, hire staff, or take your agency to a new level of mission work. If you are trying to determine if your organization is ready for grant solicitation, consider these six important questions.

I’m glad you’ve chosen to learn more about working with Wise Resource Development. I founded Wise six years ago out of the belief that I could make a greater impact as a consultant. To explain, let me take you back 30 years to the Westminster Manor apartments in Arvada, Colorado…