CCS Fundraising

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Building trust in your school, college, or university is more important than ever to maintain giving levels. Public trust in educational institutions is declining overall. Political polarization continues to heighten leading up to the US presidential election, which can be a recipe for increased criticism and controversy. Independent schools and especially higher education institutions are not immune, as evidenced by congressional hearings and presidential resignations. Confidence in higher education has declined steadily over the past decade, with 57% expressing a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in 2015, compared to 48% in 2018 and 36% in 2023.

As we enter election season, many institutions are wondering how political shifts may impact their fundraising. In these moments of transition, the guidance that comes with strong leadership is essential. Your educational institution can’t control the volatile tides of politics or public opinion, but you can control how you communicate and engage your constituents to uphold your brand. We have outlined four guiding principles to help you build trust and maintain fundraising.

1. UNITE YOUR LEADERS

The most important antidote to the challenges of fundraising under controversial circumstances is a strong and collaborative partnership amongst the Chief Executive Officer (President or Head of School), the Chief Advancement Officer, and the Board Chair. These three key leaders must be aligned and fully supportive of one another throughout the election and transition of power. 

Ensure that trustees are prepared to articulate and defend the rationale for the institution’s actions. 

  • Convene the Board to prepare a shared understanding of the issues. 
  • Maintain frequent contact with the Board, updating them regularly, seeking their advice. 
  • Invite opposition in the Board room but emerge united. 
  • Work together to create mutual understanding about how to face challenges that may impact philanthropy. 

2. FOCUS ON MISSION AND IMPACT

Revisit your institution’s mission and strategic plans and take an inventory of your communication and marketing pieces. Are you telling a consistent story about your impact on students, alums, and the broader community? Do these align with your stated vision?

Frame the polarizing issue in the context of the school’s mission. State clearly that in our learning community: 

  • Human rights are respected and honored. 
  • Inquiry and debate occur in safe spaces. 
  • All students are held to the highest behavioral standards. 
  • All students are protected to safely pursue their studies. 

Openly acknowledge multiple perspectives.

  • Make it a practice across campus to regularly acknowledge more than two divergent points of view. 
  • Encourage educators, students, trustees, and families to exam circumstances from several different points of view, rather than from polarizing views. 
  • Regularly speak to and show empathy for these perspectives throughout the controversy. 
  • Ensure the institution takes a stance with multiple perspectives that is aligned with the school’s mission and values. 
  • Regularly and effectively communicate the stance to the full board and all constituent members. 
  • Resist any attempts by others to fracture your solidarity or to create a scapegoat out of one of you. 

Get clear on your institution’s value proposition.

What sets your institution apart? These differentiators are important for enrollment and fundraising. Feature stories of students, faculty, successful alums, innovative programs, and leading research. Gather and share data validating your impact (e.g., job placement rates, percent of students receiving scholarships or grants, participation rates in unique experiential learning opportunities). Use all communications channels (e.g., website, social media, direct mail, e-newsletters) to cohesively share these stories to provide proof of your positive impact. It’s hard for critics to argue with specific stories of impact backed by data.

In addition to protecting and promoting your brand, impact stories inspire higher giving levels. The number one donor motivation is the perceived or real impact of their gift. Fold this into your stewardship practices to ensure that your donors can see how they support your mission in specific and tangible ways.

3. PROACTIVELY ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCES

In many public relations crises, a common misstep is poorly timed communication. Information can be leaked and misconstrued by the media to create controversy. A preventative approach to avoid this is regular, proactive outreach to your constituents to keep them apprised of your unfolding initiatives.

The COVID-19 pandemic opened new and creative ways of engaging with constituents virtually. You can continue to leverage this technology to share key updates and invite conversations with alums, donors, parents, and the broader community. What in-person and virtual events does your institution offer throughout the year? Are you reaching all your key constituents? Might there be an opportunity to offer a webinar in which the president or key campus leaders provide updates?

When your board is considering key policy decisions, think through:

  • Who might have a stake in this policy or decision?
  • What information or context can we share in advance to foster understanding?
  • What is the right sequence for rolling this out, and to whom?

Use this information to steward donors in ways that will deter abrupt responses and demonstrate patience and gratitude. 

  • Anticipate which donors may respond negatively. 
  • Create opportunities for frequent and personalized updates. 
  • Regularly seek their advice from multiple perspectives. 
  • Ensure donors fully understand the complex challenges facing the institution’s leaders, and the time it will take for resolution. 
  • Express gratitude for continued support, before support is rescinded. 

4. EMPOWER YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERS AS AMBASSADORS

Your board members and other volunteer leaders are your strongest advocates. Equip them with stories and proof points they can easily share with their families, colleagues, and peers. This will amplify and provide credibility to your positive messaging efforts.

Gather quotes, video testimonials, or develop stories around these volunteer leaders to illustrate their commitment and confidence in the institution. As alums, donors, and community leaders, your volunteers exemplify your institution’s impact. Showcase their accomplishments and tie this back to their experience at your educational institution. You might consider capturing their responses to the following questions to ensure fundraising trust:

  • How did their time on campus set them up for success?
  • How does it continue to impact their life?
  • What motivates them to give back?

Thoughtful Donor Engagement Builds Trust in and Credibility for School, College, or University

It is a challenging time for independent schools and higher education amid declining public trust and increased political polarization. Fundraising professionals at these schools and colleges can successfully navigate these challenges by fostering collaborative leadership, consistently promoting positive impact stories, engaging proactively with donors and the wider community, and empowering volunteer leaders as advocates. These four guiding principles will help to maintain fundraising momentum while strengthening the trust and support of your biggest school advocates over the long term.

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Over the past few decades, many corporations have broadened their focus from optimizing profits to include social impact.

Today, corporations recognize the importance of aligning values, corporate culture, and their brand with the holistic needs and interests of stakeholders. This shift is evident as many corporations move from making small donations supporting many causes to adopting a purpose-driven approach emphasizing tangible impact. Increasingly, what a corporation chooses to support is closely linked to the causes and concerns that its customers, employees, shareholders, and other stakeholders care about.

Notably, the health and human services sectors have emerged as significant beneficiaries, receiving 26% of all corporate donations over a two-decade span, making them the predominant recipients of such contributions. Understanding the underlying motivations will help your organization navigate the competitive and ever-expanding landscape of corporate philanthropy and develop a sustainable corporate philanthropy program.

In this article, we share steps to uncover these motivations and guide you through building a robust pipeline of corporate prospects, cultivating meaningful relationships, crafting tailored proposals, and implementing a powerful and sustainable corporate philanthropy program.

How Corporations Give

Companies tend to give back to the community in a variety of ways, including:

Company-Sponsored Foundation/Community Grants

Larger companies may have a private foundation linked to their business and aligned with the company’s mission. Gifts are made through a formalized grantmaking application process. Company-sponsored foundations often focus on the geographic areas in which the company is located, the emerging needs of that market, and key priorities or constituent groups that align with the mission.

Matching Gifts

Many companies offer to financially match donations that are contributed by their employees to a nonprofit. The matching ratio will vary per company—from 1:1 up to 4:1. You may find Double the Donation helpful as a matching gift tool for your nonprofit.

Corporate Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships are a common type of support that nonprofits can receive from a new corporate partner. These sponsorships are typically associated with a form of recognition at a special event or program depending on the gift level.

Employee Volunteer Grants

For employees who give their time back to local nonprofits, some companies award volunteer grants directly to the nonprofit each year based on the number of hours an employee volunteered.

Build a robust pipeline

A sustainable corporate philanthropy program hinges on developing a robust pipeline of qualified prospects to ensure a continual source of substantial funding. It’s imperative to strategically identify corporations aligning with your organization’s mission and values; you might identify organizations whose mandate and interests focus on improving outcomes for vulnerable and underserved populations that overlap with your mission. Utilize existing databases and resources that monitor and track businesses based on geographic areas. Create a list of 10 to 15 well-respected companies in the local community that you want to build a relationship with. Start with the “About” page on the company’s website and branch out from there.

Consider the following questions:

  • What are the company’s goals, vision, and values? How do they align with your mission?
  • What community issues touch their business?
  • Who from the organization could be a good first contact? Consider a member of the CSR team, Foundation team, community engagement, etc.
  • What is the company’s CSR strategy or giving focus areas?
  • Has the company been in the news recently for a philanthropic investment? If so, what organizations are they supporting and at what level?

Understand Corporate Motivations

Understanding the underlying motivations that drive a corporation’s philanthropic efforts allows you to adapt your fundraising approach accordingly. Corporations are often motivated by marketing and brand alignment or employee satisfaction. Delving into their corporate landscape—including the impact on employees, customers, and stakeholders—offers invaluable insights and a high-level understanding of their values and how they may be philanthropically motivated.

Look at Yourself From Their Perspective

As you seek to uncover corporate prospects, it is equally important to consider how these corporate prospects perceive your organization. There can often be a lack of understanding about why an organization needs philanthropic support. Highlight how philanthropy impacts programs and services and tell that story of impact clearly and compellingly.

Identify and Connect

Next, explore existing connections to key decision-makers within your target corporations. Networking is a valuable tool for accessing and establishing initial contact. Identify individuals who bridge, facilitate introductions, and open doors—personal connections enhance the credibility of your approach.

The power of volunteers to amplify your prospect identification efforts cannot be overstated. Volunteers, including board members and other stakeholders, can play a pivotal role in identifying organizations whose business interests intersect with the populations positively impacted by your services. Their insights and networks expand the reach of your prospect identification process.

These steps culminate in a prospect pipeline that transcends wishful thinking and becomes meaningful and measurable. This comprehensive approach ensures that your identification efforts engage corporations with a capacity that aligns closely with your mission, values, and impact objectives.

Cultivating Strategies for Corporate Philanthropy

Cultivation is not a linear process but a strategic journey to foster genuine connections and long-term partnerships built on mutual trust. Cultivation moves the prospect closer to a successful gift request and creates a relationship founded on shared values and purpose.

To embark on this journey, gather historical and relevant information before creating a cultivation strategy. It is common to see organizations collaborating with corporations across various dimensions like sponsorship, vendor relationships, community engagement, marketing, and media relations. Consult your organization’s compliance and legal departments to ensure an approach doesn’t trigger conflicts of interest. Understanding the breadth of any existing or anticipated corporate partnership or relationship is important before establishing a cultivation strategy.

Initiate this process by identifying the 6Rs of cultivation.

Right prospectRight purposeRight amountRight
timing		Right solicitorRelevant factors or interests

This framework forms the foundation of a cultivation strategy. Invite subject matter experts and intentionally engage them during the cultivation process. If your corporate partner is enthusiastic about a particular service line or program, engage critical stakeholders or volunteers to answer questions and provide additional context.

Preparing for the request

If your organization has multiple locations or member organizations, consider creating one comprehensive approach for each corporate partner to eliminate internal competition and provide a unified and comprehensive request.

In the intricate dance of corporate philanthropy, crafting a proposal is more than a transaction; it is an art form that requires insight and strategic finesse. The pivotal precursor to unveiling your proposal is the briefing meeting, an opportunity to test the ask and gain a nuanced understanding of donor interests.

The briefing meeting is not just a formality but a strategic move to gauge the donor’s level of interest and specific goals. It serves as a crucial checkpoint to avoid surprises when the proposal arrives. From estimating capacity, preferred timing, and understanding their decision-making process, the timing of their budgetary process, and the insights gathered during the meeting pave the way for a timely, uniquely personal, and tailored proposal for your prospect.

Questions to keep in mind as you approach the request include:

  • Is there an application process?
  • Who are the decision-makers?
  • Does a request need to be presented to a board?
  • Is the corporation a local entity of a larger corporation? If so, which are we approaching?

The proposal

Proposals are personalized invitations to a collaborative partnership that creates real impact. Enriched by insights from the briefing meeting, the tailored pitch transforms a generic proposal into an inspiring and collaborative venture—a journey both parties embark on with a shared purpose.

A compelling proposal is a narrative that paints a vivid picture of long-term impact. It provides a detailed overview of the mission, clearly identifying the problem and conveying the consequences of inaction. It also clearly articulates the long-term vision, illustrating how the gift will contribute to achieving these objectives and making a tangible difference.

In personalized storytelling, it is often more compelling to “show” than to “tell.” A winning proposal often will captivate its audience by demonstrating the impact that can be achieved through investment, going beyond abstract ideas to share proof of concept instead. Acknowledging your corporate partner and their values, a strong proposal goes beyond a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and can highlight a deep understanding of their unique identity and aspirations.

Stewarding Corporate Relationships

Stewardship is essential to retaining and strengthening relationships with corporate donors. Collaborate closely with your corporate partners to create a stewardship plan meaningful to them. Whether they prefer impact reports, leadership updates, or in-person meetings, it is important not to apply a blanket approach to stewarding these relationships.

corporate fundraising is an investment—but it’s worth it!

Securing major gifts from corporations is about fostering enduring partnerships that create real impact. From building a robust pipeline to impactful recognition, each step contributes to a shared vision of positive change.

In this dynamic and competitive landscape of philanthropy, each step is a commitment to exploring a partnership model to its fullest. Transformative gifts from corporations are increasingly possible but require earnest planning and strategic thought. Investment in people and processes can move your organization from transactional small investments to transformative, long-term alliances that propel your growth.

Forecasting fundraising revenue can be difficult in any given year, especially in 2024, as the economy fluctuates and a presidential election looms. Amid so much uncertainty about the future, it helps to center your forecasting exercises around the following fundamental principles using our downloadable fundraising revenue forecast template.

DOWNLOAD EXCEL FORECASTING TEMPLATE
  • With so much unknown, focus on what you do know. As fundraisers, what we know is our donors—we know who they are, how they’ve given, and when they’ve given. We can use this information to make educated assumptions about how they might give next year.
  • Focus on the funding sources disproportionately impacting the total funds raised. The Pareto Principle applies to many nonprofits, where 80-90% of funds come from 10-20% of donors. If you can understand what this top percentage of donors gives, you can better understand the following year’s fundraising revenue.

Combine our template with the following tips to develop your 2024 fundraising strategies.

Step 1: Get the Lay of the Land

Before making fundraising revenue projections, set yourself up for success by looking at the following resources.

Historic Philanthropic and Fundraising Data

It can be helpful to get an idea of the broader philanthropic landscape for overall giving statistics while keeping in mind that donors continue giving generously despite fluctuating economies. Further, Giving USA projects that total giving will increase in 2024 and 2025. It’s helpful to have this information as a backdrop for your projections.

If you’re on a computer, click on the three ellipses below and then the desktop icon to expand the graph. If you’re on your phone, pinch to zoom in and out.

Similarly, you should spend significant time understanding your own fundraising and donor data. We recommend starting with these basics, but you can pull additional pertinent information into your projections.

Year-Over-Year Total Funds Raised for at Least the Past Five Years

This data around your year-over-year revenue for the previous five years helps you understand your baseline. If you have data going back further than five years, that’s even better for forecasting purposes.

Top Current and Potential Donors and Their Giving Histories

Compile a list of donors (individuals, corporations, and foundations) with the potential to give $10,000 or more in 2024, including prospects who have given $5,000 or more in the past, along with high-scoring donors from your wealth screening ratings.

Subtotals by Method and Revenue Stream

To understand your revenue, look at the funds received by each method. Your revenue streams may include major gift solicitations, online fundraising, direct mail, or grant applications.

Last Year’s Gift

List the number of donors at each giving level in this chart, as a historic gift table is key to understanding your revenue breakdown.

Step 2: forecast revenue from Top Donors

Once you have your data, focus on predicting revenue from your top donor group. Remember, your best prospects are those who have already given generously to your organization.

Set Up a Tracking Worksheet

Given the importance of these few donors, track every top donor by name using the first tab of our fundraising revenue forecast template. This worksheet will allow you to note each donor’s historical giving, what you plan to ask them for in 2024, and what you think they’ll donate.

If you’re on a computer, click on the three ellipses below and then the desktop icon to expand the table. If you’re on your phone, pinch to zoom in and out.

Note: The data in the table below is fictitious and for illustrative purposes only.

Estimate Each Donor’s 2024 Gift

Remember that what you expect a donor to give differs from the amount you ask for. We recommend being conservative with gift projections but optimistic with request amounts. Fluctuating economic conditions don’t mean you can’t aim high and be bold in gift requests—your mission is always important. Still, it’s best to be conservative in estimating a likely 2024 gift.

  • To start, look at the donor’s past giving and recent behavior.
  • Consider your organization’s “batting average” for gift requests. Historically, how much did funders give compared to what was asked of them?
  • Use research resources like wealth screening tools WealthEngine or iWave to gain context on a prospect’s financial capacity. Or reach out to us about our data analytics services that layer wealth screening results with custom affinity models to provide you with the most accurate estimates and precise insights.

Have a Personal Conversation with a Top Donor

Remember that the best indicators of what a donor might give come from personal conversations with the donor. Calling your top donors to check in is a great stewardship practice. During these calls, you can deduce the donor’s giving potential for the upcoming year. Additionally, these conversations can set up the next step: scheduling a solicitation meeting.

Step 3: Make a Plan for Each fundraising Revenue Stream

Once you have established projections for your top donors, it’s time to look at other fundraising revenue streams. Tab two of our fundraising revenue forecast template will help you track this information. For each revenue stream, look back at its past performance at your organization, then combine that organizational information with current industry trends.

Note: The data in the table below is fictitious and for illustrative purposes only.

Below are some overall trends we see. Remember that these trends are not universal for all organizations—even organizations of similar missions, sizes, and locations see their fundraising evolve uniquely.

Individual Major Gifts and Foundations

Giving by individuals remains the largest source of philanthropy in the US, and according to The Philanthropy Outlook 2024 & 2025, individual/household giving is predicted to increase by 2.6% in 2024 and by 3.4% in 2025.

Corporate Giving

Corporate philanthropy has remained steady in the last few years despite a fluctuating economy, the pandemic, and various worldwide crises. Growth of the Gross Domestic Product, a strong labor market, and low unemployment have strengthened this fundraising area, and corporate giving is predicted to increase by 1.9% in 2024 and by 2.6% in 2025, although these numbers are predicted to be below the historical 10-year, 25-year, and 40-year annualized average growth rates for this sector.

Direct Mail

Direct mail remains an effective fundraising strategy, with almost half of the surveyed organizations in the 2024 Philanthropy Pulse citing direct mailings as a donor engagement tactic. We suggest projecting flat or slightly increased totals here.

Online Giving

Digital giving has been trending up, as evidenced by the 63% of donors who prefer to give online via credit or debit card. We suggest projecting a mild increase, especially if your organization is undertaking digital marketing campaigns and harnessing events like #GivingTuesday.

Special Events

We advise being conservative with estimates around this engagement strategy, even though events are still a top donor retention strategy for 71% of nonprofits.

Bequests

Although bequest giving has declined recently, it remains a widely used gifting vehicle. Therefore, it’s best to plan conservatively.

Non-Bequest Planned Gifts

These gift types may see an increase. For example, donor-advised funds (DAFs) are on the rise, and The Philanthropic Trust estimates that DAFs now hold assets upward of $228 billion. We would therefore advise planning for an increase in non-bequest planned gifts in 2024.

Step 4: Put It All Together in a Gift Table

Next, use tab three of our fundraising revenue forecast template to bring all these data points together on your gifts table.

If you’re on a computer, click on the three ellipses below and then the desktop icon to expand the table. If you’re on your phone, pinch to zoom in and out.

Note: The data in the table below is fictitious and for illustrative purposes only.

The example above shows that most funds (95%) are projected to come from 12 donors. If we focus on accurately projecting these 12 donors’ gifts and making sure these gift projections come to fruition, we’ll be in good shape for 2024. Of course, we still need to get direct mail out the door, launch our online appeals, and fulfill the rest of our fundraising plans, but the bulk of our focus should be on the top part of this gift table.

Step 5: Turn Your Plan into Action

Now, it’s time to determine how to make your gift projections a reality. Tab four of our fundraising revenue forecast template will help plot out your projections month by month.

Keep This in Mind When Building Your Fundraising Revenue Timeline

  • For top donors, the next gift will often be a year out from their last gift. For foundations, the foundation granting cycle will inform timing.
  • You can also plot out the dates of your direct mail appeals and big online giving campaigns, so you know when to expect surges in revenue from these sources.
  • Plotting out sources like bequests is difficult, but most of your revenue should be anticipated in the chart.

Our fundraising revenue timeline template, as shown in the example below, helps you compare projections versus reality. You’ll know early on if you were too conservative or optimistic in your projections. After reviewing your progress, you can adjust your projections for the remainder of the year as appropriate.

If you’re on a computer, click on the three ellipses below and then the desktop icon to expand the table. If you’re on your phone, pinch to zoom in and out.

Note: The data in the table below is fictitious and for illustrative purposes only.

Tips for Successful Fundraising Predictions

Keep the following principles in mind as you continue planning for 2024 and adjusting your course as the year progresses.

  • Take time to pull and organize data and look at key trends.
  • Focus on your top donors.
  • Be optimistic with gift requests but conservative in projections.
  • Lay your projections on a timeline so you can adjust in real time.

Happy forecasting!

DOWNLOAD EXCEL FORECASTING TEMPLATE

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Research on how the US presidential election years impact giving is limited. We should look thoughtfully at 2020, the last election cycle, as the COVID-19 pandemic had unprecedented effects on the economy and how Americans gave. The following is what the data suggests about philanthropy in election years.

Philanthropy for Enhanced Democracy

While we don’t know if charitable giving will mimic 2020, recent grants indicate that donors, including mega donors, are willing to give to increase voter participation. The Open Society Foundations granted $50 million in December 2023 to encourage young people and women to vote, while MacKenzie Scott gave $10 million to the State Infrastructure Fund for increased voting participation and protected voting rights.

Aggregate giving in election years

The 2023 Philanthropic Landscape reveals that charitable giving increased in nine of the last 10 presidential election years, save for 2008 during the global financial crisis.  The charitable giving numbers for an election year tend to follow the trajectory seen in previous years, whether it is an upward or a downward trend. This trend has been observed despite variety in elected candidates, and thus indicates that philanthropy has and will remain resilient despite election outcomes.

Political Giving as a Share of All Giving

In the final few months of each presidential election, political giving spikes as a percentage of total giving, then resettles to lower levels shortly afterward. In more recent presidential election years, political giving appears to make up an increasingly large percentage of all giving during the months surrounding the election. The increasing share of giving during election seasons dovetails with other research that more and more Americans donate to political candidates over time. According to American National Election Studies (ANES) data, 12% of US adults say they donated to a political candidate in 2016.

Does Political Giving “Crowd Out” Individual Charitable Giving?

While political giving appears to be around $2.7 billion so far for the 2024 election year, it represents a small fraction of charitable giving, estimated to total $499.33 billion in 2023.

Though it may seem logical that donors of political campaigns may give less to charity in an election year, there is little empirical evidence to support this. In fact, a study by Blackbaud suggested that in the 2012 election, donors who gave to presidential and other federal candidates (as tracked by the Federal Election Commission) tended to increase their overall donations to charity that year.

“Rage Giving” After Presidential Elections

Following the 2016 election, the media widely reported increased donations to politically progressive causes, coined “rage giving.” Several small studies support that donors may be more inclined to donate to causes associated with the losing candidate’s party following a presidential election than they otherwise would be. While many of these studies have relatively small sample sizes and tend to focus on online giving—which grew by 42% between 2019 and 2021—the research provides some empirical evidence for the phenomenon of “rage giving.”

A Chronicle of Philanthropy analysis suggests that a similar phenomenon has occurred during at least three other elections. On average, nonprofits associated with the opposite political ideology of the winning presidential candidate saw a 57.55% increase in contributions compared to the previous year. Organizations associated with the same ideology as the new president saw an average 2.9% decrease in contributions.

Our Advice for fundraising in an election year

While it may be impossible to fully predict how a presidential election will impact philanthropic giving, we can offer insight into successfully engaging with your donors amidst the political climate.

Continue Fundraising Efforts

More than $3 billion was donated to the two major party candidates in the 2020 election, leading to concern about the competition that political giving may pose to charitable giving. While it is important to research the political giving of your largest donors before major requests, history tells us that donors continue supporting their favorite charitable causes during an election year. Record numbers of Americans voted in the 2020 presidential election; the sheer number of voters is an exciting indicator of increased civic engagement in the US, potentially having ripple effects on charitable giving and volunteering.

Practice Empathy and Awareness

Remember that emotions may run high, especially given the increased voter turnout during the last election. It is essential for charitable organizations to lead with empathy when communicating with donors, staff, and volunteers. Stay aware of how the election results may affect the lives of those closest to your organization.

Remain Committed to Your Mission and Communicate With Donors

Now is a time to reaffirm your organization’s mission, purpose, and values. If your mission was relevant before the election, it will be relevant afterward. With this idea in mind, continue donor communications, thoughtfully articulating your cause’s relevance to today’s world. Americans are passionate about various causes, from the environment to the arts to human services. These passions continue regardless of election outcomes, policy changes, and other societal factors.

Americans are generous, no matter the political climate

Today, as always, charitable giving is a way for Americans to support the values they cherish and empower the organizations that contribute to their communities and the world.

To get more data on philanthropy in the US, download CCS Fundraising’s latest Philanthropic Landscape, 12th edition.

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A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) should be essential to advancement professionals who have a responsibility in how they acquire, store, and use data. DEI is not a one-and-done concept and should be at the heart of everything a nonprofit does— especially regarding donor data.

Vered Siegel, Senior Director at CCS Fundraising and Chair of the Association of Advancement Services Professionals (aasp)’s DEI in Advancement Data Task Force, and Felecia McCree, Senior Director on CCS’s Systems & Change Management team and member of the task force, addressed this very subject in aasp’s 2024 eBook, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) for Advancement Services: Best Practices for Today’s Success. We asked them to expound on why and how advancement services should integrate DEI principles.

Q: Why should DEI matter to those in Advancement Services?

A headshot of Vered Siegel.

Vered: Ultimately, Advancement Services as a profession owns and is responsible for constituent biographical data in the fundraising database. To this end, DEI is a lens by which to look at our donors’ and prospects’ identities:

  • How do they define themselves, and how does our institution define them? Are those definitions aligned?
  • How does responsibility for identity data impact our fundraising success, our relationships with constituents, and our team’s strategy?

I think it comes down to promoting human dignity: accepting other people’s identities as part of the big picture of human flourishing. I got into the nonprofit sector because I felt called to promote that flourishing. Society commonly misjudges “data people” as disconnected from the humans our data reflects, but it’s absolutely untrue. We are the stewards of identity in data form.

Q: Why should organizations think about DEI in data collection, usage, and storage?

A headshot of Vered Siegel.

Vered: Splitting best practice recommendations across collection, storage, and usage in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) for Advancement Services: Best Practices for Today’s Success was critical because every organization is on a unique timeline in its DEI data management. For example, some organizations might read the document and notice that they align well with best practices in storage but haven’t considered all the implications of collection. By separating these three content areas, we reject the premise that if you’re early in your journey in one area, the rest is insurmountable. On the contrary—I think every organization can identify at least one area where they are at the cutting edge of the best practice today, even if the checklist for the rest might be quite long.

Q: What can we learn from equitable data practices?

A headshot of Felecia McCree.

Felecia: It is important to increase representation whenever possible—we continue to learn about disparities in past datasets that have led to inaccuracies in predictions, analytics, and outcomes. When organizations embrace equitable data practices, they become better informed in making decisions that impact all segments of the communities they serve. It allows them to consider everyone impacted by their analytical findings and recommendations, which is crucial for fostering inclusivity.

Equitable data practices can also help uncover hidden biases, helping nonprofits mitigate the risk of perpetuating disparities in underserved communities, and ensuring that future decisions are based on data that accurately reflects the diversity of their constituents.

Q: How does DEI help nonprofits better use their data?

A headshot of Felecia McCree.

Felecia: Nonprofits can only benefit when their accumulated donor data accurately reflects the communities they serve. That’s because it can lead to more targeted, effective, and inclusive outreach to those who will directly benefit from program offerings and services.

Additionally, DEI principles can help guide the ethical management of sensitive personal information. It is becoming more important than ever to protect the rights and privacy of those who are vulnerable to attack based on their gender identities or ethnic backgrounds.

Q: Are there any common mistakes nonprofits make when implementing DEI efforts in their databases?

A headshot of Vered Siegel.

Vered: Yes—I think the most common mistake nonprofits make to meet the moment is to focus effort and energy on collecting a large amount of data with no plan. It’s a well-intentioned mistake. The thought behind it is that even if you don’t know what you’d do with data about someone’s race or gender identity, it might come to use one day. But, I challenge nonprofits to consider the effort and energy expended in pursuing a data-maximalist ideology. If you’ve never needed it before, and it takes a great deal of time, effort, energy, and money to obtain and store, yet you have no plan for what to do with the data once you have it, was pursuing it really worth it?

Q: We know from the 2024 CCS Philanthropy Pulse report that many nonprofits struggle with communicating with donors about DEI. Do you have any advice for them?

A headshot of Vered Siegel.

Vered: I think it’s really interesting that giving to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ organizations grew in 2023 according to the 2023 CCS Philanthropic Landscape report. I sense that identity-based philanthropy benefits much more from data management that likewise embraces donor identities in a way that promotes their humanity and dignity. After all, if your organization serves queer inner-city youth but your database only tracks the gender options “male,” “female,” and “other,” how aligned is your DEI data strategy with your organizational mission? That’s why in that same report CCS recommends developing culturally competent donor cultivation/solicitation approaches. One way this manifests in advancement services is through segmentation: using data fields to divide your donors into categories to develop custom approaches to donor relationships.

But just because you can track something doesn’t mean your donors would like to be categorized that way. The eBook touches on this explicitly, asking: “Just because you can, does it mean you should?”

I can share a real-life example:

I once helped an organization build out their ask strings for direct mail. This was the kind of project where I would typically extrapolate the $10, $25, $50 from raw data and examine individual donors’ prior giving, engagement, and other factors to get the string just right. In discussing their prior formula, I learned that they only used numbers in multiples of five for their ask strings despite a sizable quantity of donors giving $18, $36, or $72.

The organization threw out those “non-standard giving amounts” as noise in the data, but the donors persisted in giving those amounts. I quickly pointed out that these donors were likely Jewish, and giving in multiples of 18 was a cultural norm for them. They were not just randomly giving these numbers to break the data model!

We carefully pulled out those donors, and instead of offering the $10, $25, or $50 ask strings, we built ask strings in multiples of 18. Over two years, engagement from these donors went up. They were more likely to answer phone calls, more likely to return an appeal with a check, and their giving increased over the two years I was with the client.

Cultural competency is critical for fundraising success

Explore DEI best practices in Advancement Services in aasp’s 2024 eBook, and learn more about CCS Fundraising’s Systems & Change Management services.

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CCS Philanthropy Pulse

February 13, 2025

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Your Guide to Finding, Engaging, and Retaining the Next Donor Generation

May 13, 2024

The future of philanthropy revolves around engaging our next generation of donors—Generation Z and Millennials. Understanding how to attract, retain, and grow your young professional pipeline will ensure long-term sustainability for your organization.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is top of mind for independent schools as they aim to drive equitable social impact, and communications provide a link between fundraising and DEI strategy. According to the 2024 CCS Philanthropy Pulse, 84% of respondents in the primary and secondary education sector indicated that DEI is important in developing their strategic plans for future fundraising priorities, distinguishing the sector as a leader in DEI strategy. In fact, 93% of schools discuss DEI with donors—a rate 6% higher than all sectors combined. Additionally, a recent study by the Graduate School of Education & Psychology at Pepperdine University​ revealed that one of the five pillars of DEI in education institutions is communication, community education, and outreach.

While working alongside our nonprofit partners and recognizing both our ongoing growth and the dynamic nature of our efforts, CCS Fundraising has learned helpful DEI communication strategies for independent schools drawn from community-centric fundraising principles, which we share below.

Integrate DEI In Your Donor Engagement Tactics

DEI Policies and Practices

Educating potential donors on your independent school’s DEI policies and practices is a key step in developing a more inclusive philanthropy model. Utilize the school website, annual reports, alum magazines, and donor conversations as crucial opportunities to underscore your dedication to DEI. Clearly outlining inclusive programs, policies, and practices, supported by relevant data, is a transparent and proactive way to positively shape your school’s community and culture. This strategic approach reinforces the idea that philanthropy acts as a catalyst for genuine and lasting positive change within the communities you serve.

DEI and Collateral

Fundraising materials are an opportunity to highlight a diverse narrative of students, parents, faculty, and alums and can feature testimonials from various perspectives and voices.  Ensure fundraising material visually reflects your school’s values and aligns with your school’s voice by instituting a review and approval process led by your DEI leaders.

Applying DEI to Outreach and Strategy

Within the donor cycle, where prospects typically navigate a shared “moves management” journey, it is important to recognize that each donor follows a unique path to a successful solicitation. Personalizing engagement involves considering various factors. For instance, prospects who have benefited from financial aid may find inspiration (or lack thereof) in their personal student experiences. Donors with an international background may approach philanthropy with perspectives distinct from those in American households. In addition, considerations around a prospect’s religious affiliations can significantly influence their interest in philanthropy. Attention to details, including meeting/event dates, numerical preferences, and preferred solicitors, allows you to tailor your approach thoughtfully.

DEI and Events

Whether your independent school is actively in a campaign or growing its annual fund, you are likely holding fundraising and engagement events throughout the year with various goals. When planning for these events, it is important to consider location, guest list, and programming to ensure that they are welcoming, inclusive, and serve the full community.

Location - When determining the event location, consider hosting on campus for familiarity and accessibility. If hosting an event off campus, consider a restaurant or event space, as events in private homes could feel exclusive.

Guest List - When creating the guest list, consider the event goals. For stewardship events, consider inviting donors at all levels and volunteers. For cultivation events, invite prospective donors with similar capacity and/or potential giving levels to ensure guests are aligned in their philanthropy approach.

Programming - When developing the program and remarks, consider featuring a variety of voices, including volunteers and donors with many years of consecutive giving, as well as major donors.

 DEI and Volunteers

Engagement is a key metric of campaign success and an excellent way to increase perspectives, promote diverse voices, and intentionally build inclusive teams.

Without deliberately keeping DEI un mind, however, volunteer committees—in campaigns or, more broadly, in volunteer leadership—may reflect singular perspectives or become particularly homogenous. When planning a volunteer committee, it is important to utilize a volunteer matrix, consider scheduling constraints, and prioritize long-term volunteer cultivation.

Use a Volunteer Inclusivity Matrix: When developing a volunteer committee, consider utilizing a volunteer matrix to ensure a better balance of voices on the committee. Consider all demographics when building an inclusive team of voices, including school-specific identities such as alum graduation year or parent-related constituencies such as parent associations, admissions volunteers, etc.  Actively ask yourself, “Who is not currently at the table?”

Consider Meeting Times:  Particular meeting times for a volunteer committee—including certain periods of the day, meeting lengths, and/or days of the week—may serve as a barrier to entry for potential members. Consider those with inflexible work schedules, care-related duties, or religious obligations.

Create Opportunities for Engagement and Skill Growth: Just like donors, volunteers require strategic cultivation and stewardship. Consider the long-term pipeline of volunteers and create opportunities for those who may be inexperienced in fundraising efforts. Be particularly thoughtful about proactive outreach, as these prospective volunteers may be least likely to self-identify for roles.

DEI in Stewardship

Major gifts, endowed funds, and scholarship stewardship are important ways to celebrate the impact of your school community’s generosity, recognize donors for their contributions, and inspire future philanthropy. In recent years, CCS has strategized in partnership with independent school clients to take steps to avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes such as:

  • Biases and stereotypes around the demographics and/or “typical profile” of a scholarship student 
  • Tokenism and othering of scholarship students 
  • Donor access to information about or contact with minors

Rather than providing scholarship funders with detailed reports about, or compulsory thank you letters from, scholarship recipients, schools have taken a comprehensive, uniform, yet detailed approach to steward donors who give to scholarships or have named scholarship funds.

A report might include:

  • Aggregate Data on Financial Aid Funds - Number of financial aid students by class or campus, notes from advisors or student testimonials (consider anonymizing students), historical growth of financial aid budget (total budget, #/% of students receiving aid)
  • Financial Aid in Action – stories and/or letters from alums who have graduated high school and have volunteered to provide testimonials as adults.
  • Intentional Inclusive Language Choices – consider framing language like: “All students of distinction and great potential attend this school regardless of their ability to pay.”

In drafting these materials, it is important not to equate improving DEI practices and the provision of financial aid as synonymous.  While providing financial aid can be a way to diversify a school’s student body, this is not always the case.

DEI Improves the Fundraising Landscape

Fostering an inclusive philanthropic environment within educational institutions requires a comprehensive approach to donor engagement, outreach, and stewardship, specifically focusing on DEI. Adopting these DEI-centric practices throughout outreach, events, materials, reporting, stewardship, and volunteer engagement will allow your school to mirror the evolving landscape of philanthropy and better integrate inclusivity into its donor engagement strategies.

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Stalled Fundraising Campaign? Reignite It With These Four Steps

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Learn how to reinvigorate a stalled fundraising campaign with intentional strategies that reignite donor engagement and investment.

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CCS Philanthropy Pulse: Primary and Secondary Education Spotlight

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This Primary and Secondary Education Sector Spotlight is adapted from CCS’s 2025 Philanthropy Pulse report to provide an in-depth look at the data provided by 94 survey respondents from that sector.

SEE ALL IN: Primary and Secondary Education

As organizations prepare for a campaign, they often face competing priorities and limited resources—drafting a compelling case for support can seem overwhelming to add to the mix. But it is the guiding document for the entire campaign, so its importance cannot be overstated.

Mistakes Nonprofits Make in Case for Support Development

Misunderstanding the Purpose

An early mistake when writing your case is to misunderstand the document’s purpose. The case is not a stand-alone document and should instead be accompanied by a personal visit from a volunteer or organization leader.

The case is also the basis for all other campaign documents, including your website, major gift proposals, brochures, stewardship documents, and other collateral. Its design elements can create cohesive supporting materials, such as your gift agreement form, request letters, or mailings. Therefore, the content, tone, and design should be carefully developed with leadership and key stakeholder buy-in early in the planning stages of a major effort.

Forgetting the Audience

Another common mistake is not considering the recipient. The case is not a financial statement, strategic plan, or organizational manifesto. It should be written with actual donors in mind, including an emotional appeal about why the project matters and the impact a prospective donor can make. At its core, the case should show how the donor can be the hero in transforming their community by making a philanthropic investment.

Confusing the audience is a big mistake. Most donor prospects do not want to sift through text to find the campaign’s true meaning; they want a simple cause and effect (e.g., “By pledging $XX,XXX, this ‘something’ will happen in our organization).” Without concrete plans, the case is left up to interpretation by donors and volunteers, leading to a skewed perception of need, a misguided understanding of future goals, and money left on the table.

Leaving Money on the Table

With confusion comes the potential to leave money on the table. Donors want to have—and should have—a clear understanding of their money’s purpose. A donor may see the need for a campaign but not see the full picture due to a lack of detail or sense of need. As a result, that prospect may not feel compelled to stretch their dollars, and what could have been a $100,000 pledge may become a $45,000 pledge.

Making a Case for Want, Not Need

Lack of detail can sometimes leave donors thinking an organization has goals based on wants rather than needs—people give to needs. For example, if a case for support has a $1.5 million goal to renovate ABC School’s building, which of the below sounds like a need versus a want?

  • ABC School is testing a $1.5 million goal to renovate the school building and fulfill our mission for future generations.
  • ABC School is testing a $1.5 million goal to fix the HVAC system in the main school building, update the classrooms by installing computers, and replace the broken tile floors with sustainable Pergo flooring.

The first example gives a general idea of what will happen. Often, a Board of Directors will agree on this statement because the school building truly needs renovating, and they understand what that involves. However, a prospective alum donor not as close to the project may not know exactly why the school needs renovation. The second example explains exactly what the school needs and conveys a sense of need.  Anyone who reads it can envision a school with no AC, crumbling floors, and no technology.

Mixed Messages/Speculation

Drawing from the ABC School example, consider how using the first example can lead to mixed messages. That prospective alum donor may think that renovating their alma mater is a super idea; they want to support their school and give future students the best opportunities and education possible. When they ask the question: “What renovations are needed,” more often than not, the answer to this question may be, “It depends on how much money we raise.” Trained volunteers may leave out a few elements or add in other projects that may occur if enough money is raised. Specific case elements and details help guide the campaign and the volunteers in conveying the organization’s plans. The two essential questions that need to be answered are: what are we raising money for, and what is the expected outcome?

No Sense of Urgency

A lack of specificity translates to a lack of urgency. If an organization wants to test the idea of a campaign without having specifics, why should a donor feel compelled to give when there is no specific pressing need? Part of the case for support includes defining the situation of today and the need for the future. Combined with a realistic timetable, these two fundamentals will convey that sense of urgency and instill trust in potential donors.

Lacking Good Design or Editing

Poorly edited or designed documents detract from the project’s gravity and impact and make it painfully clear that insufficient time and effort was spent. To avoid this misstep, proofread your document at every turn and ask others internally to read it carefully before presenting it externally. Similarly, a poorly designed document reflects a lack of effort or thought—case statements should be visually appealing to grab readers’ attention and describe the campaign’s importance.

Planning for a successful case

Preparation is invaluable when crafting the ideal case for support. Before you put pen to paper, consider these preliminary steps.

Determine Your Organization’s Strategic Priorities

Internal discussions and decisions shape a major fundraising effort, including strategic planning or visioning sessions, which are a natural guide for developing funding priorities. Some organizations try to do too much and, as a result, find out too late that they should narrow their focus and better prioritize funding their needs and wants. Other organizations may limit their capabilities too severely by underestimating their reach or insufficiently conveying their missions. It is important to think strategically from the onset to avoid these pitfalls.

Conduct a Feasibility or Planning Study

Often, conducting a feasibility and planning study can help uncover funding priorities that resonate with donors. This is your opportunity to ask stakeholders what is important to them and determine your community’s appetite for funding various projects.

Estimate Costs and Analyze Impact

Other critical areas of planning include creating cost estimates and quantifying impact. Savvy donors are influenced by the cost of funding different projects and their gift’s impact on your organization and community, so you should be prepared to present this information in the case.

These early steps should be taken internally with a small strategic planning committee or your board. Once you have a general outline of your plan and funding needs, it is time to begin writing your case.

Review Case for Support Examples

Another important planning step is to look to successful case for support examples for inspiration. Two CCS Fundraising examples were recently winners of the firm’s Excellence Award:

steps for creating your nonprofit’s case for support

A graphic outlining four steps to create a nonprofit case for support.

1. Gather and Organize Your Information

Gather current information about your plans, funding areas, and costs. Cast a wide net to include the following.

  • Organizational information (i.e., mission, vision, strategic plan, branding guidelines)
  • Program or project details/schematics
  • Cost estimates
  • Impact stories
  • Quotes
  • Photos/renderings/visuals

Categorizing and organizing your information before you begin writing reveals gaps and allows you to begin outlining your content and vision in a way that makes sense and is true to your organization.

2. Create a Comprehensive Case for Support Outline

After collecting information, create an outline of the content of your case statement. To start, answer the following questions using the information you collected.

  • What issues does your organization target (mission)?
  • What are your organization’s strengths?
  • What challenge or obstacle do you face? How do you propose to overcome this obstacle?
  • What are your funding needs?
  • What will be the impact of fulfilling those funding needs? How will this change the community?
  • What are you asking of the donor?

Your outline should include relevant details and be a relatively high-level organization overview, describing the challenge your organization faces, your future vision, and the impact the donor can make. Include only the most essential information and leave out anything irrelevant to your audience.

3. Write a Compelling Story

Using the outline you created, supplement your content with compelling language to motivate prospective donors to see themselves as an active participant in overcoming your organization’s challenges. An effective case for support includes an accurate description of how the donor will create transformational change. The closing should incorporate a “call to action,” a final invitation that propels the donors along the engagement pipeline.

4. Design Your Case for Support

The design of your website and collateral matters for how the public views you; 94% of first impressions are design-related.

After creating a compelling story, begin designing your case for support. Your organization may have defined branding guidelines—if so, use them to ensure your case is recognizable and aligned with your organizational culture.

If you have limited resources, designing your case for support can be challenging, but keep the following in mind.

  • You can design using PowerPoint and draw inspiration by searching for other case statements.
  • Be consistent with text size, margins, alignment, and other small details. Uniformity demonstrates professionalism and the document’s importance to prospective donors.
  • High-quality photos can convey information more quickly and effectively than text. Consider taking new photos or using compelling stock photos that align with your mission.
  • Use design elements such as bolding, titles, text boxes, and color to emphasize important information.

Finalizing a strong case

Writing your best case requires meticulous planning, drafting, designing, and editing. Along the way, you should share case iterations with other team members, volunteers, and prospective donors. Asking your stakeholders for feedback and building consensus throughout the case’s development prevents setbacks and builds familiarity throughout the organization. Likewise, following the steps sequentially is important, as jumping ahead is counterproductive and can create additional work.

As you begin, keep impact at the top of your mind. Drafting your case can seem overwhelming, but it is also exciting. You are embarking on a process that can create a ripple effect in your community and make a long-term difference for your organization. Bring that passion, excitement, and vision for the future with you as you create your most compelling case yet!

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Making the Case for Endowment at Your Independent School

May 9, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic and the fluctuating economy in the years since revealed how critical endowments are for the growth and sustainability of independent schools. Learn how to make the case for an endowment at your school with our concrete tactics.

Donor acquisition continues challenging nonprofits, so a robust prospecting strategy — which helps you find likely prospects for your organization — is paramount to success. Prospect research uncovers current and prospective donor backgrounds, philanthropic histories, wealth markers, and charitable motivations. This method allows fundraisers, development teams, and nonprofits to evaluate a prospect’s capacity to give (how much money they have) and their affinity for an organization (desire to give to that specific cause).

Often, prospect research helps organizations discover major gift donors. For most fundraising campaigns, the majority of funds come from a small number of donors who give generously, so finding major gift donors is crucial to fundraising success for nonprofits of all sizes.

Applying Prospect Research

A fundraiser’s time is limited. With prospect research, nonprofits gain valuable insights for more accurately choosing which donors to direct their focus.

Prospect research allows you to:

  • Refine major gift outreach. Leveraging your nonprofit’s data reveals which annual donors have the capacity and potential affinity to make a major gift.
  • Identify planned or deferred gift prospects. Consistent annual donors are the most likely to give planned gifts in their wills. Use philanthropic and wealth markers to determine who these annual donors might be.
  • Generate new prospects. Gain access to the donation lists of similar organizations. Donation lists are effective for finding new prospects, as people who give to similar nonprofits may also be more likely to give to your organization.
  • Assess fundraising opportunities. View previous giving histories to see who prospects give to, how often, and how much money they donate. Your nonprofit can analyze donors immediately to formulate better fundraising strategies to land more major gifts.
  • Clean up your donor data. Receiving this donor information is an opportune time to clean up your old data. Update donor information, fill in missing fields, and organize your data to make navigating it easy for your fundraisers.

The specific benefits of prospect research vary according to nonprofit type. For instance, hospitals can use prospect screenings to find major gift donors and create a successful Grateful Patient program.

Prospecting Uncovers Valuable Data

Data resulting from prospect research allows fundraisers to make better decisions and includes the following:

  • Previous nonprofit donations. Your nonprofit’s past donors are the best predictors of future major gift prospects. Donations to similar nonprofits also indicate prospects who may be apt to give to you—perhaps in a big way.
  • Political gifts. Donations to political campaigns and causes demonstrate an affinity for prospects to give to the causes important to them.
  • Nonprofit service. Prospects serving on nonprofit boards and foundations generally have money, know nonprofits’ needs, and should be more inclined to give.
  • Real estate ownership. Real estate ownership is a wealth predictor, demonstrating a prospect’s capacity to give so you can formulate more accurate ask amounts.
  • Employer info. Many prospects work for employers offering matching gift programs. Focusing on matching gift-eligible employees can increase donations and boost your fundraising campaigns.
  • Stock transactions. A potential donor’s stock portfolio can also help you predict what prospects invest in and how much.
  • Personal information. Glean basic contact info, marital status, hobbies, and other personal data to make fundraising easier.

Prospect research puts the power of data into the hands of nonprofits. This data can directly aid fundraising and help other nonprofit efforts, such as strengthening donor relations. Whatever you use prospect research for, it is more data at your organization’s disposal, and knowledge is power when crafting personalized communications donors receive well.

Ways To conduct prospect research

Hire a Prospect Research Consultant

An effective prospect research consultant will leverage all available resources to gather your desired donor data. Consultants might also help train your staff to conduct prospect research, develop better prospect strategies, and support your prospect communications.

Let us help you. CCS has more than 75 years of experience helping nonprofits uncover new donors to significantly boost fundraising goals.

Use a Prospect Screening Company

Screening companies, sometimes called prospect research companies, will screen prospects for you, saving researchers time from sifting through databases and organizing the data. Screening companies provide the donor information you want in readily accessible and downloadable formats. This allows you to analyze many donors simultaneously, as screening results can be returned the next day or within the week, allowing your researchers and fundraisers to focus on other important tasks.

DIY Donor Research

You may also choose to conduct your prospect research independently when you have a staff researcher or team of researchers who can search databases, organize information, and make it accessible to your fundraising team. There are online databases and other information sources to sift through, so equip your researchers with the proper tools.

At CCS Fundraising, we have developed a 3-stage process to develop new prospects and expand your donor pipeline, called “Donor IQs” (Identification, Qualification, and Segmentation). Should your nonprofit choose to conduct donor research independently, we recommend the following steps:

1. Identifying Prospects

Prospects can be grouped into 3 buckets to prioritize to qualify and segment them appropriately.

ProspectsSuspectsUnknown Prospects
Existing and lapsed donorsIndividuals with a connection to your organization who have not yet givenIndividuals not yet affiliated with your organization

2. Qualifying Prospects (The 3 As)

Ask yourself the following questions when attempting to determine the quality of a potential prospect.

  • Does this individual have the ability to give?
  • Does this individual have an affinity for my organization?
  • Do I have access to this individual?

To answer these questions, think about the following in terms of your prospects.

  • Ability markers include an affluent address(es), a wealthy lifestyle, and corporate executive or business owner roles.
  • Affinity can be evaluated by giving history to your organization or one similar or has a direct connection to you as a patron, student, alum, patient, parishioner, etc.
  • Access connection to the prospect via professional networks, local communities, alum organizations, religious affiliations, philanthropic activities, interest groups, and family/friends.

Prospects with all 3 factors—ability, affinity, and access—are the most likely to make a gift to your organization at the leadership level.

Some people do not qualify as promising prospects at this point in their lives. For example, young or new CEOs are still early in their careers and probably cannot be major donors. Additionally, when people are philanthropically overcommitted, they may not prioritize your organization in their choices. Lastly, celebrities may seem like a good choice, but they are approached by various organizations and are often unlikely to choose yours.

3. Segmenting and Tracking Donors

Segmenting and tracking prospects are the foundation for managing the donor base. When done well, these processes drive positive results by refreshing the prospect pool, focusing efforts on the right prospects, controlling the process, and building excitement around the organization.

Building a Donor Pipeline

The first step in tracking prospects is building the donor pipeline. The pipeline will serve as your tool for generating the donor lists for cultivation. We recommend including the following data points in the pipeline:

  • Name
  • Solicitation status (Ask, Brief, Cultivate)
  • Target ask and project
  • Key relationships
  • Affiliations
  • Strategy
  • Next steps

Other information may be useful, such as residence and contact information, organizational giving history, pledge payment status, charitable affiliations, and other major gifts. Of course, the additional information should be tailored to your specific organization or sector.

The donors in the pipeline should be segmented into these main buckets:

HighMediumLow
Top 25 list
Leadership/strategic solicitations
“Players on the field”		Next 50 list
“Players on the bench”		Unlimited number
Long-range list
“The farm team”

Make Your Donor Pipeline Work for you

The pipeline is your best way to manage a large prospect pool. It is a fluid, ever-changing document that is constantly added to and updated. When used well, it can be a powerful tool for understanding your donors and helping staff engage them meaningfully.

Managing prospects can be exciting as you reconnect with lapsed donors, engage existing donors on a higher level, or find new donors with an affinity for your organization’s mission. Simply put, well-researched donors allow you to focus on likely donors rather than spending valuable time on those not ready to give.

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February 13, 2025

Uncover the latest fundraising trends in the 2025 CCS Philanthropy Pulse report! Packed with data-rich insights from 600+ nonprofit organizations across diverse nonprofit sectors, this free report will help you plan for success in 2025.

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Custom GPTs for Fundraising: A Nonprofit Guide

May 31, 2024

Learn about Custom Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPTs), their application in fundraising, and how you can harness their capabilities to streamline your fundraising efforts and forge deeper connections with donors.

EXPLORE ALL INSIGHTS

In the high-pressure world of healthcare fundraising, attracting and retaining fundraising staff remains a perpetual challenge. In fact, 90% of fundraising professionals stated that unfilled fundraising positions significantly increased their workloads, and a similar percentage agreed that their organizations were underemployed to meet their potential for raised funds. While employee attraction is an important solution, employee retention can help you keep your excellent fundraising staff while avoiding the work and financial costs associated with hiring and recruiting new fundraising professionals.

Our ten tips for employee retention and innovative implementation ideas below will help you support a thriving team so that your healthcare organization continues to make a significant impact on the communities you serve.

1. Create Opportunities for Upward Mobility

Hospital fundraising professionals are often ambitious and driven individuals. Therefore, provide clear career advancement pathways to retain talented employees. Demonstrating opportunities for growth within your organization is key to retaining their loyalty. Develop a structured career progression plan that allows employees to set goals and work toward promotions.

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Implementation Idea: Establish a cross-departmental task force where team members can rotate through different areas, gaining exposure to various roles and fostering professional growth.

2. Communicate Fundraising Priorities

Some fundraising professionals report experiencing ambiguity around which fundraising priorities to discuss with donors. When not properly communicated, this lack of direction can lead to burnout.

Leadership can proactively outline fundraising priorities by implementing a structured communication framework. This may involve regular, transparent dialogues between hospital administration and fundraising teams to articulate and update fundraising goals. Additionally, fostering collaboration between different departments can create a unified approach, ensuring that fundraising professionals have up-to-date information to engage with donors effectively.

3. Provide Professional Development

Invest in the professional development of your fundraising team. Hospital work can be complex and challenging, and it is crucial that your employees have access to the training and resources they need to excel in their roles. Encourage your fundraising staff to attend workshops and conferences and take online courses. Consider creating an in-house mentoring program where experienced staff can guide newcomers.

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Implementation Idea: Launch a “Learning Days” initiative where employees can spend a set number of hours each month on self-directed learning to help them stay up-to-date with industry trends.

4. Generate and Reward Referrals

One of the most innovative approaches to employee retention is to engage your current team in recruiting top talent. Encourage your staff to refer potential candidates who align with the hospital’s mission, fundraising objectives, and team culture. Consider rewarding successful referrals with monetary incentives. This approach not only strengthens your team but also contributes to the organization’s growth.

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Implementation Idea: Implement a referral competition with valuable prizes, such as additional time off or personalized professional development opportunities.

5. Promote Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing

Fundraising is hard work, and burnout is a common challenge. Hospital fundraisers frequently face intense demands, high expectations, and many responsibilities beyond fundraising. Your leadership is responsible for creating a work environment that prioritizes work-life balance and well-being. Encourage your team to take regular breaks and utilize time-off benefits. Offering flexible work schedules and remote work options can significantly reduce workplace burnout.

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Implementation Idea: Create a virtual wellness portal that offers resources, meditation sessions, and stress management tools to support your team’s emotional and physical health.

6. Establish Flexible Workspaces

In today’s dynamic work landscape, the traditional office concept has evolved. Implementing flexible workspaces is an innovative approach that allows your employees to choose where they work most effectively. For instance, employees might have the flexibility to work from home, shared coworking spaces, or even unconventional locations like outdoor workspaces.

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Implementation Idea: Set up a “Work-from-Anywhere Day” once a week, allowing your team to choose their preferred work environment. By enabling your team to select their workspace, you empower them to optimize their productivity and balance their professional and personal lives better. Flexible workspaces also reflect trust in your employees’ abilities to deliver results, promoting a sense of autonomy and responsibility within your team.

7. Kickstart Peer Recognition Programs

Implementing peer recognition programs can be a game-changer for your organization’s culture. Encouraging employees to acknowledge and celebrate their colleagues’ accomplishments can instill a sense of belonging and mutual support. For example, you might launch a “Peer Spotlight Program” where team members can nominate their peers for recognition each month.

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Implementation Idea: Incentivize participation by holding recognition ceremonies or offering small prizes to those actively engaging in the program. By incorporating this innovative approach, you create a positive and affirming work atmosphere where employees feel valued not only by the leadership but also by peers, contributing to a sense of camaraderie and shared success.

8. Offer a Career Pathway Navigator

Navigating one’s career within an organization can sometimes feel like a labyrinth. An innovative approach to address this is to develop a digital tool or platform that maps potential career pathways within your organization. This Career Pathway Navigator can provide employees with a visual representation of roles they can aspire to and the skills and experiences required to reach those positions.

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Implementation Idea: Create an interactive career mapping tool accessible through your organization’s intranet. By making this resource available, you empower your staff to take charge of their professional development and growth, aligning their aspirations with the organization’s needs.

9. Enlist Professional Coaches

Incorporating professional coaches into your employee development strategy is an investment that can significantly benefit both individuals and your organization as a whole. Coaches can guide staff in their personal and career development, helping them set and achieve meaningful goals. For instance, you could offer access to executive coaches who specialize in leadership development.

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Implementation Idea: Whether it’s leadership coaching, career growth coaching, or personal development coaching, these professionals offer a tailored approach to address individual needs and aspirations. By providing access to coaches, you show your commitment to your employees’ growth and success, enhancing their skills, motivation, and overall job satisfaction. This innovative approach fosters professional development and helps create a workforce better equipped to handle the challenges of the healthcare fundraising landscape.

10. Express Appreciation

Regularly expressing appreciation to your fundraising team is a small gesture that can make a big difference in retaining staff. Recognition can be as simple as a thank-you note, a team celebration, or an “Employee of the Month” program. Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to remain committed and engaged in their work.

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Implementation Idea: Host quarterly recognition events with themed activities and small tokens of appreciation to maintain a culture of gratitude within the organization.

These Approaches Prevent your fundraising staff from burning out and Drive Success at your healthcare organization

In the challenging world of healthcare fundraising, retaining top talent is an ongoing battle. Fundraising executives who adopt innovative strategies to support, engage, and motivate their teams will reap the benefits of improved staff retention and heightened fundraising success. By generating and rewarding referrals, offering competitive compensation and benefits, promoting work-life balance and well-being, creating opportunities for upward mobility, providing professional development, expressing appreciation, and integrating innovative approaches, you can create a workplace that not only retains staff but also inspires them to achieve greatness in their roles. Doing so will overcome workplace burnout, foster a culture of growth, and ultimately drive success for your hospital’s fundraising efforts and the healthcare community it serves.

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Each year, on average, just over 10% of independent schools hire a new head of school, while the average tenure is less than six years. Bob Weston, Senior Vice President and Practice Lead of Independent Schools at CCS Fundraising, and Margot Mache, Vice President at CCS Fundraising, spoke with John Green, search consultant for RG175, about the implications of this trend on fundraising and the growing importance for heads to dedicate time to advancement. John’s 32 years of independent school leadership, including 12 years as a Head of School, informs his work as a search consultant.

A profile picture of Bob Weston.

Bob: John, thank you for joining us to have a conversation about your experience fundraising at independent schools. Many times, you have seen the life cycle of a head of school relative to advancement. Can you elaborate on the attitude many new heads of school have toward fundraising and their understanding of the necessary time commitment to do this important work?

John: In years past, most new heads of school had limited, if any, fundraising experience. Search committees didn’t identify candidates based on their fundraising skillset; schools often promoted new heads based on their success as administrators with an inward focus and their experience in various roles except for head of advancement. Initially, many new heads would view fundraising as a necessary evil—something they have to do but not necessarily want to do. This sentiment often changes when they can’t realize their vision or “make good” on their strategic plans without raising money. So, in the early years, you would find a new head to be somewhat indifferent or unenthusiastic about fundraising while they prioritized students, academic matters, and personnel issues. But this changed with time.

A headshot of John Green.
A profile picture of Bob Weston.

That’s interesting, John. Could you talk more about that shift in perspective towards fundraising and perhaps how new heads of school can prepare for it?

John: This shift typically happens when new heads start to recognize the limitations they face in achieving their aspirations for their students and school. As they walk through the campus, ideas and plans for improving the school flood their minds, but they soon understand they need resources to realize those dreams. Fundraising, as a function, transforms into something they want to embrace and understand better. This transition usually occurs within a headship’s first two to three years. Most new heads of school know that they will likely develop a strategic plan within their first three years, but they are not often as familiar with how the strategic plan will be realized. Typically, that means that a fundraising plan, and likely a campaign, will follow quickly if the initiatives within the strategic plan are to be accomplished.

A headshot of John Green.
A profile picture of Margot Mache.

Margot: I’m curious about the relationship dynamics you’ve observed between the advancement office and new heads of school. How does timing factor into these dynamics?

John: The impact of time is significant. Numbers and deadlines often hold Advancement offices accountable: annual fund goals, capital campaign targets, and other time-bound fundraising initiatives. At the same time, heads of school deal with a myriad of complex short and long-term challenges and decisions, many of which fall beyond fundraising. This can create tension; the advancement office needs to deliver on specific numerical goals, and heads of school are dealing with a broader array of issues. Understanding this dynamic and finding a balance is crucial for effective collaboration.

New heads can further aid collaboration by developing a “sifter,” or clear vision, to guide their decision-making. Heads make many daily decisions on behalf of the school and its people, often navigating conflicting viewpoints from different stakeholders. A clear leadership style further ensures that the consultant, advancement team, and other administrators can operate effectively on behalf of the head of school amongst competing priorities and during demanding periods that may occupy the school administration’s time and valuable attention.

A headshot of John Green.
A profile picture of Margot Mache.

Margot: Those are great insights – it makes sense that the two functions can fall out of step with each other without close communication and a shared vision. Bringing fundraising consultants into the dynamic, I’d love to hear your thoughts on an ideal partnership between the head of school and fundraising counsel.

John: An ideal partnership between heads of school and fundraising consultants is rooted in respect, deep understanding, candor, and forgiveness. Advisors can be sounding boards for heads of school and can provide support beyond exclusively fundraising matters. Consultants’ ability to listen, show empathy, and maintain objectivity is crucial. Advisors can become friends to the heads of school, offering a unique perspective and becoming an additional form of support.

A headshot of John Green.

Heads of school can greatly benefit from a coach or an advisor, someone who can listen empathically, challenge candidly, and support consistently. From tuition fluctuations to parent and student crises to leadership transitions, CCS has been grateful to stand by school leaders across the globe during times of challenge and celebration.

A profile picture of Bob Weston.

Bob: Yes, we have certainly seen a trend for heads to have that “trusted advisor.” It’s important to have someone who understands the internal dynamics but can also support and offer perspective on the essential external aspects of the job. Could you share more about the shift in importance of fundraising for the Head of School role and how it impacts recruitment?

John: The trend I’m observing is that head of school candidates strategically acquire fundraising experience to enhance their profiles and readiness for the position. This shift means that sitting heads of school with tangible advancement experience are often gaining more traction in the recruitment market. Rising stars, while capable of becoming great heads and even fundraisers, might find it more difficult to be appointed to the position without prior fundraising exposure. Boards and search committees now often assume that fundraising credentials are part of a headship candidate’s skill set.

A headshot of John Green.
A profile picture of Bob Weston.

Bob: John, your insights into the evolving mindset of heads of school and the shifting dynamics of their role are invaluable. Your points about their collaboration with advisors and the advancement office reinforce the need for them to seek fundraising training and professional development opportunities. This will help them become more knowledgeable, comfortable, and ultimately prepared to fulfill their school’s mission.

John: Thank you, Bob. It’s always a pleasure to share my experiences and hopefully provide some useful perspectives.

A headshot of John Green.
A profile picture of Margot Mache.

Margot: Thanks so much for joining us, John. We look forward to keeping the conversation going!

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