As a long time bbcon attendee, I have been to more bbcons than I can remember. It’s one of my favorite conferences to go to, and I love to meet my fellow database nerds. Whether it’s your first time attending or you’re a “bbcon pro” like me, I’ve put together my top ten tips to help you get the most out of this year’s conference so you have an equally great experience. Wear comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough. It sounds like a weird one to start off with, but I have seen more than one person’s day cut short due to blisters and pain. Last year I walked an average of 8 miles a day, j ..read more

Effective nonprofit financial management is a team effort. Having multiple people working on your organization’s finances helps ensure accuracy—not only by delegating tasks efficiently, but also by allowing for additional review of records and reports. Plus, different professionals bring unique perspectives and experience to the table so your nonprofit can make the best possible financial decisions. Two key members of your organization’s financial management team are your accountant and your chief financial officer (CFO). While large nonprofits often have full-time staff members filling both o ..read more

Change may be inevitable, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. No one wants to live in a world before indoor plumbing and timers on your coffee maker. While your mission probably won’t change, the needs of your community and the technology you use to manage your grantmaking will. It’s important to review your grant application periodically so you can incorporate new features in your grantmaking software and new ways to meet the needs of your grantees. Here are five questions to consider as you start to update your grant application. 1. How well does your application match your funding prio ..read more

Midlevel donors don’t always get the love they deserve.  This loyal and often overlooked segment of donors represents a significant opportunity for revenue growth and impact if stewarded effectively. Yet many nonprofits fail to strategically engage middle tier donors beyond building a pipeline for major gifts. They’ve also lacked adequate tools to help them identify good midlevel prospects and prioritize resources and stewardship efforts effectively to deliver strong return on investment. Until now. Just as AI is revolutionizing the way major gift officers fundraise, AI is fast becoming a ..read more

Donor profiles are not reserved only for large nonprofits with thousands of donors and prospects. In five easy steps, even small shops can make a donor profile that provides powerful insights using data from just a few donors. Plan how you’ll use the donor profile Identify who you will analyze Select the type of data you want to collect Pinpoint where you’ll get the data Look for and use patterns in the data What Is a Donor Profile?  A donor profile is a description of the type of person most likely to donate to your nonprofit. It is based on data about the individual, such as their don ..read more

Online giving is not a single way of donating. It encompasses many methods of outreach and contribution: on your organization’s website, virtual appeals, text-to-give initiatives, apps, and email, using computers, tablets, and smartphones, paying with credit or debit card, ACH, direct debit, or digital wallet. With such an array of options—and donor preferences—it’s essential for your organization to employ diverse strategies to reach the widest audience with your online fundraising campaigns. Here are seven tips for optimizing your donation page to boost your online fundraising success. 1. Em ..read more

Calling all K–12 educators and administrators! Are you looking to squeeze the most out of your Blackbaud software? Then mark your calendars for bbcon 2024, happening September 24–26 in Seattle, Washington. From my experience, this annual conference is the event for Blackbaud users, and the K–12 offerings are especially impressive this year. Deep Dives Before the Dive I never miss the dedicated pre-conference sessions, being held this year on Monday, September 23rd. This is our chance to get ahead of the curve with targeted workshops designed specifically for K–12 users. Critical topics include ..read more

Annual funds are crucial to the success of a nonprofit. They’re an incredible pool of unrestricted funds that can support your mission, keep the lights on, and pay your staff. But how do we as nonprofit fundraisers go about getting those coveted unrestricted dollars? Here’s how targeted appeals are working for us: Promoting matching gifts Focusing on a theme Experimenting with AI I am the Development Manager for After School Matters (ASM), a medium-large nonprofit that provides after-school programs for high school teenagers in Chicago. One of my primary goals over the past three years has b ..read more

As a grantmaker, you expect organizations you support to manage their awards effectively, accurately, and responsibly. Those same expectations should apply to the way your management and board handle your organization’s finances. Does your entity have all the essentials? Here are some finance fundamentals that will enable your trustees and management to understand and address their accounting needs.  The Importance of a Finance Calendar  What’s the easiest way to make sure things in the finance department don’t fall off the radar? Use a finance calendar to keep everyone in the loop ..read more

Endowments are the result of a successful long-term strategic plan. Through major giving and capital campaigns, your organization has created a pool of endowed funds to create a consistent funding tool in perpetuity. That is wonderful—if you have the tools to accurately track and manage all the moving pieces. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for a lot of spreadsheet-induced headaches. From maintaining donor intent to tracking distributions and appreciation across funds, endowments have a lot of details to manage. With intuitive tracking and reporting tools designed to handle the intricac ..read more