There is over $64 billion sitting in donor-advised funds, much of it already promised to charity and waiting on a conversation. Here is what I have learned about DAFs as a fundraiser: what they really are, why your own donors already have them, and how to bring it up without it feeling like prying.

Every board member's name is on your annual report — but not every name is on your donor list. Here's what I've learned about reaching 100% board giving without the awkward ask: why the conversation feels so hard, how to make giving an expectation up front, and a personal ask that never feels like begging.

Moves management sounds like big-shop jargon, but the core idea is simple: give every donor relationship a stage, a next step, and a reason for it. Here is a cultivation system a one-person development office can run with a spreadsheet and one focused hour a week.

Stewardship is the first thing that disappears when you are wearing every hat. Here is a simple 90-day plan you can start this week — three thirty-day rhythms for thanking donors fast, showing them what their gift did, and deepening the relationships that matter most. No new budget required.

Most fundraising dashboards bury the few numbers that actually predict your future under a pile of ones that just keep you busy. Here is what I have learned about which metrics to watch — donor retention, lifetime value, recurring giving, pipeline movement — which ones to ignore, and how to build a dashboard you will actually use.

Most nonprofits have a case for support sitting unread in a folder while the real fundraising happens somewhere else. Here is what makes a case actually move money: the four moves every donor is looking for, why most cases quietly fail to connect, and four small edits you can make this week.

Most small shops send every donor the same letter — the first-time giver, the nine-year monthly donor, and the major donor all get one blast. Here is how to segment your list into the few groups that actually matter, tailor the message without burning out, and start with what is already in your records.

Most development directors already know who their major donors are — what's missing is a system for turning that list into gifts. Here's how to build a major gifts pipeline from scratch, even as a one-person shop: the five stages, a realistic portfolio, and three moves you can make this week.

AI can help nonprofits draft stronger grant proposals, organize research, and sharpen narratives—but it cannot replace human strategy, funder relationships, ethical judgment, or fact checking. Here’s what works, what fails, and how grant teams can prepare for what’s next.

AI-powered donor research can help nonprofits find major gift prospects faster, but the real goal is stronger relationships. Learn how to use donor data, prospect scoring, ethical AI, and human review to identify your next major gift while protecting donor trust.

AI can help nonprofits write warmer, clearer fundraising appeals without losing the human touch. Learn how to use donor stories, segmentation, prompts, editing, testing, and ethical AI practices to create appeals that build trust and inspire giving.

Nonprofit fundraisers can use AI to write faster, plan smarter, design stronger campaigns, improve online giving, and personalize donor outreach. Here are five AI tools to know in 2026, plus practical ways to use them with care, ethics, and human review.

Save these 25 AI fundraising prompts to write stronger donor emails, plan smarter campaigns, improve stewardship, and personalize outreach without losing your nonprofit’s human voice. Use AI as a practical fundraising partner while keeping ethics, trust, and donor relationships at the center.

AI tools polish fundraising writing into something efficient but generic. Here's a practical workflow for using AI in your nonprofit appeals without losing the warmth donors actually respond to.