As the country lurches through COVID-19, it’s a challenge to make strategic decisions regarding your fundraising. However, there is one area that can be addressed now: Improving Your Annual Fund. An organization’s annual fund often serves as its life-blood. The annual fund provides money for programs and services, salaries, scholarships, equipment purchases, and other mission-driven necessities. The Read More…
As we pause this weekend to observe our nation’s 244th birthday, let’s take a minute to reflect on the intent of our founders “to form a more perfect union”. This year’s celebration of America’s independence may look and feel different from the BBQ’s, parades and fireworks of years gone by, but let’s remember the ideals Read More…
Juneteenth 2020 This week Giving USA, an annual publication of The Giving Institute that tracks philanthropy in the United States, released its annual report. The 2020 report showed total philanthropy in the United States was $449.64 billion, an increase of 4.2% from 2018. It was the second-highest total ever recorded, when adjusted for inflation, trailing only the Read More…
On June 10, national news outlets including The New York Times reported “Leading Foundations Pledge to Give More, Hoping to Upend Philanthropy”. The news that five major foundations – the Ford Foundation; John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; the W. K. Kellogg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation – through borrowing Read More…
In 1992, I recall watching on television as violence exploded in Los Angeles after the verdict in the Rodney King case was read out. The entire nation had seen the video of Mr. King being assaulted by police officers and struck more than 50 times with police batons. Many were incredulous at the verdict. I Read More…
From the desk of: Robert C. Happy, Jr. – President, Averill Fundraising Solutions Bob Happy has more than 35 years of experience providing expert leadership and direction to clients across the not-for-profit sector. During his career, Bob has served more than 2,000 clients and has guided them to raise more than $3,500,000,000. On April 7, 2020, I Read More…
Last week, an article popped up on my Twitter feed regarding a bit of a “scandal” at a major public university. It concerned an email sent from the athletic department that suggested including the department as part of a donor or booster’s estate planning. “Ill-timed” and “tone deaf” were some of the comments made. When I Read More…
In only a few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 73,000 deaths in the United States and more than 264,000 worldwide, and has disrupted lives around the globe. The nonprofit sector has been affected, too. Hospitals and medical centers are on the front lines caring for the sick and human service organizations are Read More…
Earlier this week, a headline caught my eye: “Benefit Dinners Got Canceled. Will Nonprofits Go Hungry?” The article that followed left me a bit perplexed. Many not-for-profits were, in fact, canceling their benefits amid COVID-19. This is exactly the wrong thing for charitable organizations to do – now or going forward. Canceling ignores the No. 1 reason people participate in Read More…
If you’re one of those nonprofit executives or advancement professionals who’s remarked that “this is different than the Great Recession,” we at Averill Fundraising Solutions generally agree. Indeed, in 2008-2009, at least we could fall back on the time-tested gold standard of prospect interaction: the face-to-face meeting. Or could we? Then, like now, many of our most impactful Read More…
