March 1, 2016
The Chronicle of Philanthropy Volume 28, Issue 5-
NewsKilling Sacred Cows: Charities Ditch Longtime Fundraising Strategies and Come Out Ahead
By taking a leap of faith, these groups have increased unrestricted gifts, raised more money, and benefited in other ways. -
Advice
When Shrinking a Donor Pool Means Bigger Gifts
The National Wildlife Federation has cut back on mail solicitations as it pursues better returns from fewer supporters. -
Advice
Turning Down That Big Grant
National nonprofit Communities in Schools stepped back from restricted funding and found new strength. -
Advice
Charity Questions the Value of Its Galas
A Tennessee nonprofit slashes its rotation of special events to spend more one-on-one time with donors. -
Advice
A Bike-athon Looks at the ‘True Cost’ of Raising Money
Pelotonia takes a hard look at what is really bringing in the money and expands its merchandise line. -
Advice
A Tool to Measure the Real Success of a Fundraising Event
How to calculate the true value of your event — after deducting expenses from money raised, and accounting for new donors, major gifts, increased awareness of a cause, and more. -
News
Walton-Style Philanthropy
The grandchildren of Walmart’s founder are taking a deeper interest in the specifics of their philanthropy than their parents did — and they have some new approaches in mind for the environment, education, and other causes. -
News
After Hits and Misses, Waltons Shift Strategy on Their Home Turf
The Bentonville, Ark., area boomed after the family helped remake the town, but a $52 million effort in some of the poorest regions of the Ozarks was less successful. -
News
Walton Fund Uses Market Incentives to Encourage Better Farming
The family foundation plans to spend $455 million to maintain adequate levels of clean water in the Mississippi and Colorado river basins, prevent overfishing in the oceans, and restore damage done to the U.S. Gulf Coast. -
News
The Scramble to Hire Big-Gift Fundraisers
With more baby boomers retiring, there’s a greater push to go for large donations — and to hire people who are good at getting them. -
Advice
Finding a Fundraiser Who Can Find Big Gifts
With demand overwhelming supply, it pays to look outside the usual channels. -
News
Virtual Reality: Getting Donors to Experience Your Mission
The cutting-edge technology is an expensive, thrilling new tool a few charities are using to raise support. -
News
How 4 Nonprofits Use Virtual Reality to Help Their Cause
Charities get creative with a technology that can have an immediate and powerful impact on donors, but they also discover pitfalls. -
Advice
Is Virtual Reality Right for Your Group? How to Find Out — and Do It Right
Keep it short, skip the call to action, consider alternatives to video, and other tips. -
News
Caring for a Brutal War’s Youngest Victims
Five years into Syria’s grinding civil conflict, Save the Children is working to support schools and clinics, provide humanitarian relief, reunite families, and give kids a safe place to play. -
News
Better Watchdog Ratings Help Small Charities but Not Big Ones, Study Says
Larger charities struggling to cut administrative costs to get a coveted third or fourth star from Charity Navigator may be wasting their time, a four-year study suggests. -
News
Former Actress Plays Starring Role in Tulsa’s Philanthropy
Instead of supporting remote charities, Peggy Helmerich decided she and her husband should create a “little gem of culture” in Oklahoma. -
Opinion
Opinion: Stop Tolerating Donors Who Sexually Harass Fundraisers
Charities must pledge not to put up with donors who cross a line with fundraisers, no matter how generous they are. -
Opinion
Opinion: 21st-Century Fundraising Requires Nonprofits to Shake Up Their Cultures
Not everybody needs to ask for money, but getting more people involved in building relationships can solve some of fundraising’s chronic problems. -
Opinion
Opinion: 5 Ways to Increase Nonprofit-Advocacy Clout
Taking a cue from corporate America can pay off in big ways. -
Advice
Is Your Donor Reluctant — or Finished With You?
Fundraisers struggle with deciding when to break it off with a supporter who’s gone silent. The decisions are never easy, as the memory of a million-dollar-plus gift lingers.
