Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on what mistakes nonprofits should avoid when crafting compelling stories:   Dear Charity Clairity, I’ve been hearing a lot about storytelling and want to be sure I avoid common pitfalls. My boss wants to be sure we incorporate the story of our history, plus awards we’ve recently won, into our narrative. I’m not so sure that’s compelling to donors ..read more

On July 16, we announced the arrival of the industry-first Bloomerang AI Content Assistant! This innovative feature is designed to overcome writer’s block and save you hours of writing time and effort while helping you craft even better messages. No more staring at a blank page! The AI Content Assistant is like having a helpful writing companion by your side. Whether you need a nudge in the right direction, a complete content overhaul, or just a quick grammar check, the Assistant is here to lend a hand. Here’s what you can do with the AI Content Assistant: Get a jumpstart on your email: Feeli ..read more

Storytelling is your superpower. It’s how you connect with supporters, inspire action, and make a difference in your community. But, creating engaging content can be time-consuming, especially with limited resources. That’s why we’re excited to announce exciting updates to the Bloomerang email builder, designed to boost your impact and lighten your workload. Bloomerang features the industry’s friendliest tools, unlocking valuable time savings. This powerful combination of new features and functionalities will pack a time-saving punch for organizations of all sizes—regardless of resource constr ..read more

As we near the end of the year, we’re entering a critical period where strategic planning and execution can make or break your annual fundraising goals. Even if your organization operates on a fiscal year, the final months of the year—particularly from October to December—are crucial. This is the time when people are most inclined to give, driven by the spirit of the holidays and the desire to make a positive impact. Why year-end fundraising is crucial 50% of nonprofits receive most of their yearly contributions during this period. Donors make more than 30% of their contributions in December ..read more

Fundraising for the Girl Scouts has stellar benefits all their own. It’s easy for other fundraisers to feel jealous when they see how many women are Girl Scouts and their positive sentiments for the organization. One in every two adult women has been a member of Girl Scouts. More than half (52%) of women in business are Girl Scout alumnae. Nearly one in five alumnae (19%) have reconnected with the Girl Scouts as a volunteer or troop leader. Of those who haven’t reconnected, 21 percent express a strong interest in reconnecting with Girl Scouts in the future. Source: Girl Scouting Works: The Al ..read more

You know thanking donors is the right thing to do. But then the million things on your task list come creeping in to crush your good intentions. How are you supposed to find the time to do outstanding stewardship when … You’ve got an appeal to get out the door. You have a newsletter to write. You’ve got a full week of meetings that could be emails instead. You have a board meeting tonight to prepare for. I can’t make all the demands on your time go away. But I can show you that stewardship is a revenue center, not a cost center, and give you easy-to-implement, time-saving ways to boost your ..read more

In this particular moment, what’s missing that prevents us from healing our collective wounds? Whatever your individual calling or organizational mission, it’s playing today against a backdrop of sobering realities. Climate crisis induced devastation. Growing income inequality. Racial, religious, and gender injustice. Raging wars. Mass shootings. Failure to care for the most vulnerable during the pandemic. Assault on democracy. And more. The inequities in our world have been laid bare, and have been deepening. For many, distrust has become our default way of being. Arguably, what is missing is ..read more

Do sunny days and flip-flops signal a long siesta for your fundraising? If so, you’re not alone. Many nonprofits experience “summer slump” – and it’s not just about incoming revenue. Fundraiser energy and communication tend to slump, too. Some fall into summer paralysis, feeling spent by a busy spring and overwhelmed by the thought of a busy fall. Others mistakenly believe donors don’t need or want to hear about the cause during vacation season. But going silent in summer can be deadly to your fundraising later in the year. And paralysis doesn’t help us rejuvenate. Instead, make summer your su ..read more

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on how small nonprofits should approach using artificial intelligence (AI):   Dear Charity Clairity, Everyone is talking about AI, so I fear I can’t ignore it. But we’re a small nonprofit, I’m not particularly tech savvy, and I just don’t know where to begin. Can I wait for the bigger organizations to figure this out, and then jump on the bandwagon ..read more

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants tips on overcoming a nonprofit board’s resistance to fundraising:   Dear Charity Clairity, Our board is really resistant to fundraising. What tips can you share that will help us mobilize them to be fundraisers? — Tired of the Battle Dear Tired of the Battle, One of the reasons we fight with folks is we don’t take the time to understand their perspective ..read more