The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Post-election America presents an opportunity to reverse the decades-long erosion of trust in institutions — nonprofits and grant makers among them. That’s the argument of GOP pollster and CNN contributor Kristen Soltis Anderson, whose research reveals unexpected unity that could help efforts to restore the country’s faith in once-respected organizations and professions. Anderson — whose surveys have suggested that philanthropy has an important role in closing America’s divides — will chat with the Chronicle's senior editor Drew Lindsay when she visits The Commons in Conversations over on LinkedIn to share her findings and discuss how to seize this moment. Join the conversation on Thursday, February 20, at 12:30 p.m. ET. This event is free with registration 🎟️ https://lnkd.in/etRX5E5j 🎟️ ABOUT THE SERIES: #TheCommons in Conversation is a series of exclusive, one-on-one conversations with national and local leaders working to strengthen a fractured America. Chronicle editors and writers will host individuals from across the country in casual lunchtime discussions about what it will take to bring Americans together. Guests will talk about ideas and promising solutions and how the philanthropic world — from major philanthropists to everyday nonprofit leaders — can contribute.

You’re a young fundraiser and you want to advance in your career, but you don’t know how. There’s not some easy career chart that says, Do X,Y, and Z and then you’ll be a major gifts officer, or director of development or whatever your dream title is. So, how do you figure out how to get from point A to point B in your fundraising career? Experienced and new fundraisers offer tips that can help you figure out how chart your fundraising career path. Read more: https://lnkd.in/esEHrpxY

We're looking forward to hearing pro-tips from Lisa Sargent of Lisa Sargent Communications during our #philwebinar on February 27 to share her pro-tips on how to thank donors well. In our online event, she'll show you how to use language that fosters connection and love for your cause, and ways to show gratitude on different communication channels to get the best results. She'll also highlight real-world examples of messages and tactics that work and tips for evaluating your efforts. What will you learn? ✔️ How revamping donor thank-yous can improve donor retention — and increase giving ✔️ Steps to take when creating a thank-you, including how to make sure your approach doesn’t feel transactional ✔️ How to tell stories in ways that strengthen donor relationships and advance your goals ➕ Plus, real-world examples of messages and tactics that work and tips for evaluating your efforts Register today! https://lnkd.in/dkjbjHME This webinar is made possible with support from Blackbaud.

Researchers from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that a long-term decline in Americans’ participation in charitable giving accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. https://lnkd.in/eUpnk6Z4

No one was documenting how drastic an impact the freeze of U.S. foreign aid would be. So people in the field started doing so. These grassroots tracking efforts are largely self-funded and self-directed. A growing number of people and organizations in the international-development ecosystem have stepped forward to track the massive impact of the freeze on U.S. foreign aid. Many are nonprofits who already support grassroots groups around the world, while others are professionals now volunteering their time, connections, and skills. https://lnkd.in/eiCFPbb4

How can nonprofits fight autocracy? In a personal essay and appreciation for #TheCommons, leading pluralist Eboo Patel says there are answers in the teachings of the Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims who died earlier this month. The Iman, Patel writes, believed civil society and pluralism could be a bulwark against the "frightful despotism” that George Washington warned about. https://lnkd.in/etkeQqR9

They say America is hopelessly divided. What if they’re wrong? In a new video from #TheCommons, we point to issues, priorities, and values where America's disagreements aren't as great as you might think — fertile ground from which nonprofits and philanthropy can work for change. The Commons in a project from the Chronicle looking at how philanthropy and nonprofits are working to strengthen a fractured America through deeply reported stories and guest essays from leaders in the sector. Dive into our content at: https://lnkd.in/eGrWwuWC

Opinion: Fundraisers, regardless of their politics, can learn some lessons from Jerry Fallwell and the Conservative Movement's emphasis on the long game, Their strategies, rooted in coalition building, mutually agreed upon playbooks, and persistence despite setbacks, transcend ideology. In his recent op-ed, Jason Lewis says that fundraisers don’t erase differences — they leverage them to achieve meaningful change. This is the long game in action. Read his essay at: https://lnkd.in/eq-DtxGa

📣 Announcing the speakers! 📣 We can't wait to hear from Dan Heist of Brigham Young University and Trish Davis, CFRE of Susan G. Komen, our expert panelists for our #philwebinar on March 20. We'll dive into their knowledge of DAF donors. But who are DAF donors? What motivates their giving? And how can your organization cultivate these valuable supporters? Join this 75-minute webinar to get insights into new research that answers these questions and more. Our expert guests will share tactics that are working for attracting DAF gifts, making it easy for donors to give through these accounts, and recognizing their support — so they’ll give more. Plus, we’ll walk you through important steps to take when receiving these gifts, including how to ensure consistent record-keeping and acknowledge donors properly. The Chronicle's Rasheeda Childress, senior editor for fundraising, will host this vibrant discussion. Register today. 🌟 https://lnkd.in/gjEy3W_5 🌟 This event is made possible with support from Your Part-Time Controller, LLC.

We’re excited to launch a new home for foundations to share the impact of their investments in nonprofits. The Impact Stories Hub is a space for learning, inspiration, and connection designed to make philanthropy nationwide more powerful. In nearly every community, philanthropic funders are working to transform lives, enrich educational and cultural vitality, pioneer ideas to protect people and the planet, and so much more. In the Impact Hub, innovative funders share case studies of their impact and explain in their own words what it took to work with nonprofit partners to achieve victories. Click through to learn how foundations are achieving results. https://lnkd.in/e8Fj-bVj