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fundraising tips Archives | CCS Fundraising

Presidential Elections and Charitable Giving: What Does the Data Tell Us?

As votes are tallied from yesterday’s U.S. presidential election, many nonprofit professionals and volunteers are wondering about the potential impact of the election on philanthropy. Substantive research on the direct relationship between political giving and charitable giving is limited. Moreover, where research does exist, we must exercise caution when comparing 2020—an atypical year by many […]

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November 4, 2020

Repositioning Nonprofit Emergency/Immediate Response Funds

Creating a rapid or immediate response fund is a regular practice for nonprofits looking to fulfill urgent and unmet financial needs. The initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic created a surge in organizations establishing response funds. Now that we are half a year into the pandemic, calls for “immediate” COVID-19 response funding may be less […]

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October 15, 2020

Sustainable Philanthropy in the New World: Endowment Growth for Arts and Culture Organizations

Endowments have long been an important tool for arts and culture organizations to promote financial stability and growth in their community. As nonprofits continue to shift programming and strategy in light of COVID-19, CCS finds that 36% of cultural organizations and 56% of performing arts organizations are anticipating a significant decline in their fundraising in […]

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July 29, 2020

Identifying and Developing Strong Relationships for Nonprofit Success

Relationships play an essential role in the success of any organization. Whether it is relationships within your organization, external partners, donors, clients, or volunteers, success is dependent on the support from others. Nonprofit organizations rely heavily on the engagement of teams and constituencies to ensure successful delivery of mission and sustainability for the future. Strong […]

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July 22, 2020

Adapting to the COVID-19 Crisis: A Look into Catholic and Episcopal Dioceses and Parishes

COVID-19 has forced organizations of all sizes and sectors to adapt to a digital model, with impacts that will likely last beyond the pandemic. Churches are no exception. As the pandemic spread in March, parishes and dioceses across the United States closed their doors and suspended all in-person gatherings and events. While doing so was […]

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July 15, 2020

CCS Fundraising Research Shows Nonprofit Resiliency During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate and major impact on nonprofit fundraising in the first few months of the crisis. While the picture still remains challenging for many organizations, new data from a large-scale CCS Fundraising survey of nonprofit organizations suggests that the philanthropic landscape has improved markedly thanks in part to innovative approaches to […]

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June 12, 2020

Combining and Sequencing Donor Request Strategies

An external crisis such as COVID-19 causes significant shifts for a nonprofit’s operational and strategic funding needs and plans. Whether it’s for a campaign or operational sustainability, through a focused and clear request strategy, your organization can secure immediate support from your closest and most capable supporters without compromising future strategic funding requests. In this […]

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June 9, 2020

Four Steps to Ensuring ROI for Virtual Events

For many nonprofit organizations, events are an important way to raise funds, gather close donors, and educate the community in a unique way. Current limitations for in-person gatherings present a challenge for organizations that were planning to hold events, particularly this spring and summer. An Assess-Decide-Communicate-Execute framework offers a process to clarify your event objectives […]

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May 28, 2020

Fundraising on the Front Lines: Communication and Immediate Action

National moments—such as elections, natural disasters, and the current COVID-19 crisis—tend to propel certain nonprofits to the forefront of philanthropic attention. In these moments, new audiences and a larger spotlight create an immediate need for a ramped-up communications program as scrutiny around deliverables and actions heightens. Stephen Peeler, Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Society […]

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May 18, 2020

How Healthcare Organizations Can Continue to Fundraise for All Programs During COVID-19

Healthcare institutions around the world are currently doing everything they can to combat the COVID-19 crisis, and they are doing so while also ensuring that other essential programs, such as cancer research, rare disease prevention/treatment, and other lifesaving services remain active for the sake of all of their patients. Many healthcare organizations are therefore asking […]

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May 13, 2020

5 Essential Strategies for #GivingTuesdayNow Follow-up

In a recent post, we offered tips on maximizing your #GivingTuesdayNow strategy. Now that this “global day of unity” has concluded, it’s time for participating nonprofit organizations to implement a quick but effective follow-up strategy to their audiences. Don’t let too much time pass before considering these principles of post-giving day communication. 1) Say thank […]

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May 8, 2020

Continuing a Nonprofit Fundraising Campaign in Uncertain Times

A common principle that has emerged in nonprofit fundraising through times of crisis and economic uncertainty is that the organizations who continue major fundraising efforts are much better positioned for success over those that pause activity. A shining example of this lesson is St. Joseph’s Villa in Richmond, VA, which maintained a successful capital campaign […]

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May 5, 2020

How to Elevate Your Next Virtual Donor Meeting During COVID-19

As COVID-19 presents challenges to fundraising activity, we are all the while uncovering new opportunities to exercise creativity in continuing to meet our transformational goals. This post is devoted to one possible solution: a virtual tour of your organization during a video meeting with a donor. While, of course, nothing compares with the live experience […]

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May 4, 2020

Donor Communication Strategies: Learning from Previous Times of Crisis

As nonprofits continue to find innovative ways to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic—especially when it comes to donor engagement—many organizations are drawing from lessons learned from past crises. Barbara Deutsch, CEO of Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) helped the organization continue fundraising initiatives through the 2008 recession which included a successful capital campaign bolstered by a robust […]

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May 1, 2020

How Performing Arts Organizations are Redefining Audience Engagement During COVID-19

As CCS Fundraising has previously noted, in the recovery that follows periods of crisis and economic uncertainty, organizations that pause fundraising activity lag significantly behind those that do not. A pause in programmatic activity may therefore represent a risk to an organization’s donor engagement, cultivation, and stewardship efforts. During the current pandemic crisis, nonprofits must […]

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April 30, 2020

Effective Communications During COVID-19: Mastering Your Digital Strategy

COVID-19 is changing the way development professionals are communicating, so having a robust digital marketing strategy has never been more important. Digital is an ideal way to distribute communications—especially crisis messaging—both quickly and cost-effectively, while keeping your audience actively engaged with your organization. Plus, with information ever-changing during the crisis, the digital realm allows you to […]

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April 7, 2020

COVID-19 and Catholic Giving: A Diocesan Guide for Embracing Technology to Continue Stewardship

As discussed in a recent webinar held by CCS Fundraising leadership in partnership with the International Catholic Stewardship Council, COVID-19 has changed the way we are congregating. The lack of in-person Mass makes it challenging for pastors to connect with their faith communities. While weekly parish offertory and potentially the annual appeal can be affected […]

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April 3, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act: Key Fundraising Implications and Takeaways

On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The $2 trillion economic stimulus bill aims to provide immediate relief for individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and state and local governments. What Does This Mean for Nonprofit Organizations? As it relates to fundraising, the CARES Act incentivizes charitable […]

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April 2, 2020

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Self-Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In a previous article, we shared eight self-management tips for fundraisers to achieve personal and professional success. For a refresher, take a look at the post here. As we all navigate the temporary but vastly different global landscape, here are eight adapted strategies of self-management during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1. Prioritize the activities that bring […]

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March 31, 2020

How to Maintain Donor Engagement During a Crisis: Key Considerations and Guidance

Nonprofit organizations across all sizes and sectors share the same questions: how do we engage our donors, and what sort of outreach is appreciated and appropriate? With the COVID-19 crisis impacting the philanthropic landscape on a daily basis, the answer to that question has taken on new levels of depth and importance. The situation can […]

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March 30, 2020