Here’s a list of the Chronicle’s most-read resources in 2019. Thousands of your peers consulted the advice assembled by our writers, columnists, and outside experts.
As in years past, fundraising trends and strategies — especially for major gifts and higher education — dominate the list. At least a few entries could indicate concern or uncertainty about our economic future.
A topic new to this year’s list is nonprofit leadership and governance, thanks to Joan Garry’s monthly column, “Your Nonprofit Coach.”
We hope you will find all of these articles interesting. And we look forward to sharing more next year.
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Advice
Working With Donor-Advised Funds: The Basics
Donor-advised funds continue to boom. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about receiving donations from the accounts. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Strategic Planning Sucks the Life Out of Nonprofits: Readers Respond
Joan Garry responds to readers, who commented on her column’s headline, the frequency of “strategy” changes at nonprofits, and the need to educate new board members on the history and culture of the organization they’re serving. -
Advice8 Fundraising Trends to Watch in 2019
Donor-advised funds will keep growing rapidly, livestreaming will become a bigger deal, and other changes likely to occur in the coming year. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Ignite Your Board Members’ Passion
How executive directors and key leaders should inform, engage, and enrich trustees to maximize their contributions. Let us know something you are going to try. -
Advice
Who Needs an Executive Coach? Time for Some Myth-Busting
Why nonprofit leaders need and deserve professional coaching -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Too Many Boards Abuse Their Power. Let’s Change That.
Columnist Joan Garry lays out four ways to change dysfunctional dynamics between trustees and nonprofit executives. -
Advice
What to Do When Donors Make Things Complicated
A veteran fundraising consultant discusses complications that can frustrate success with donors -
Advice
When Major-Gift Fundraisers Manage Fewer Donors, They Can Raise More Money
Better work-life balance and a better donor experience are two of the benefits. -
Advice
Why College Fundraisers Should Focus on Small Gifts
Political campaigns have shifted their focus from major donors to lower-level contributors over the last 15 years. Here’s what nonprofits — especially colleges — can learn from this evolution. -
Advice
How to Identify Donors With the Greatest Potential to Give
A college fundraising executive uses a data-driven strategy to zero in on supporters who can make large gifts and build strong ties with them. -
Advice
How One Small Liberal-Arts College Is Revamping Its Fundraising
Tap into an expanded notion of community and emphasize your institution’s strengths -
Advice
A Timeline for Organizing a Black-Tie Fundraising Gala
A checklist of major decisions and tasks for planning formal events, starting a year in advance. -
Advice
New Data on Fundraising Points the Way to What Charities Should Do Next
Focus on the mission, small donors, and corporate employees, say fundraising experts. And don’t ignore the people who give through donor-advised funds even though they are hard to find. -
Advice
How to Protect Your Nonprofit From Controversial Donors
As donor scandals ensnare nonprofits, fundraisers and experts suggest policies and procedures to avoid problems. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
How to Trim Your Board of ‘Dead Weight’
Celebrate high-performing board members, motivate those who are not self-starters, set rules for attendance at meetings, evaluate performance annually, and more. -
Advice
Hard Times, Hard Decisions: 7 Things Small and Midsize Charities Should Do When a Recession Looms
With economists warning of an economic downturn, nonprofits and experts talk about what charities should do now to weather the storm. -
Advice
How to Identify and Hire Emotionally Intelligent People
People who possess the five characteristics of emotional intelligence tend to be high performers. Here are questions to ask job candidates to assess their emotional IQ. -
Advice
Introvert or Extrovert: Who Makes a Better Fundraiser?
Mixing personality types can help you raise more money and hold on to staff members too. -
Fundraising
How a Small School With No Alumni Network Raised $10 Million
A school that serves students from families at or below the poverty line exceeded its campaign goal by $300,000. The median gift was $150. -
Advice
Working With Donor-Advised Funds: The Basics
Donor-advised funds continue to boom. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about receiving donations from the accounts. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Strategic Planning Sucks the Life Out of Nonprofits: Readers Respond
Joan Garry responds to readers, who commented on her column’s headline, the frequency of “strategy” changes at nonprofits, and the need to educate new board members on the history and culture of the organization they’re serving. -
Advice
8 Fundraising Trends to Watch in 2019
Donor-advised funds will keep growing rapidly, livestreaming will become a bigger deal, and other changes likely to occur in the coming year. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Ignite Your Board Members’ Passion
How executive directors and key leaders should inform, engage, and enrich trustees to maximize their contributions. Let us know something you are going to try. -
Advice
Who Needs an Executive Coach? Time for Some Myth-Busting
Why nonprofit leaders need and deserve professional coaching -
Your Nonprofit Coach
Too Many Boards Abuse Their Power. Let’s Change That.
Columnist Joan Garry lays out four ways to change dysfunctional dynamics between trustees and nonprofit executives. -
Advice
What to Do When Donors Make Things Complicated
A veteran fundraising consultant discusses complications that can frustrate success with donors -
Advice
When Major-Gift Fundraisers Manage Fewer Donors, They Can Raise More Money
Better work-life balance and a better donor experience are two of the benefits. -
Advice
Why College Fundraisers Should Focus on Small Gifts
Political campaigns have shifted their focus from major donors to lower-level contributors over the last 15 years. Here’s what nonprofits — especially colleges — can learn from this evolution. -
Advice
How to Identify Donors With the Greatest Potential to Give
A college fundraising executive uses a data-driven strategy to zero in on supporters who can make large gifts and build strong ties with them. -
Advice
How One Small Liberal-Arts College Is Revamping Its Fundraising
Tap into an expanded notion of community and emphasize your institution’s strengths -
Advice
A Timeline for Organizing a Black-Tie Fundraising Gala
A checklist of major decisions and tasks for planning formal events, starting a year in advance. -
Advice
New Data on Fundraising Points the Way to What Charities Should Do Next
Focus on the mission, small donors, and corporate employees, say fundraising experts. And don’t ignore the people who give through donor-advised funds even though they are hard to find. -
Advice
How to Protect Your Nonprofit From Controversial Donors
As donor scandals ensnare nonprofits, fundraisers and experts suggest policies and procedures to avoid problems. -
Your Nonprofit Coach
How to Trim Your Board of ‘Dead Weight’
Celebrate high-performing board members, motivate those who are not self-starters, set rules for attendance at meetings, evaluate performance annually, and more. -
Advice
Hard Times, Hard Decisions: 7 Things Small and Midsize Charities Should Do When a Recession Looms
With economists warning of an economic downturn, nonprofits and experts talk about what charities should do now to weather the storm. -
Advice
How to Identify and Hire Emotionally Intelligent People
People who possess the five characteristics of emotional intelligence tend to be high performers. Here are questions to ask job candidates to assess their emotional IQ. -
Advice
Introvert or Extrovert: Who Makes a Better Fundraiser?
Mixing personality types can help you raise more money and hold on to staff members too. -
Fundraising
How a Small School With No Alumni Network Raised $10 Million
A school that serves students from families at or below the poverty line exceeded its campaign goal by $300,000. The median gift was $150.
