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Bequest revocations are a metric almost no advancement office tracks. As legacy intentions become easier to generate through low-friction, self-service tools, they also become easier to abandon. Institutions report growth while relationships thin. The numbers remain intact. The donor’s commitment does not.
Feasibility studies are a staple of major gift fundraising — but in many institutions, they’ve quietly become a substitute for donor engagement. This essay examines how short tenures, risk aversion, and misaligned incentives lead organizations to commission studies not to inform action, but to delay it. When preparation becomes the strategy, donor momentum fades, leadership avoids hard truths, and the money goes elsewhere.
AI is not coming to major gifts—it has already arrived. Used correctly, AI does not replace gift officers; it removes the manual research that keeps them from building relationships and closing gifts. The real advantage is not speed alone, but better judgment: sharper prospect focus, faster strategic thinking, and more time spent with donors who are actually ready to give. Organizations that do not embrace it are already competing at a disadvantage.
The financial markets have complex forces working within them that can affect your investment profits. Institutional investing is one of these forces. Read on to find out how they can affect nearly any investment you may be considering.
Planned giving dashboards count additions. They never count revocations. That’s the math nobody mentions. Donors change their minds. They update wills. They get divorced, have falling-outs, or simply forget. Conservative estimates say 60% of bequest intentions never become gifts. The vendors selling intention-tracking software won’t tell you this — their dashboards only go up. Major gift officers already know the difference between activity and outcomes. Planned giving should too.
Many pastors describe fundraising as a “necessary evil.” But with an authentic, thoughtful approach, fundraising can become a joyful, life-giving, community-building endeavor. The answer lies in effective messaging. When you tell your story well, clear, consistent and mission-driven messaging fosters trust, builds unity, and helps people visualize how their generosity connects directly to God’s work. Faith-based campaigns succeed when they move beyond simply asking for money and instead invite people into a shared mission of stewardship and renewal.
When it comes to email fundraising, first impressions matter. While subject lines grab attention, preview text often determines whether donors click “open” or scroll past. This overlooked snippet works as your subject line’s partner—adding urgency, curiosity, or warmth. In this guide, Joe Garecht explains what preview text is, why it’s critical for solicitation emails, and how to craft lines that boost open rates and donor engagement.
This sweeping tax reform reshapes charitable giving starting in 2026. It offers a permanent above-the-line deduction ($1,000/$2,000) for small donors but imposes a 0.5% AGI floor and Pease cap on high-income filers, reducing their tax savings. A new $1,700 K–12 scholarship credit favors gifts to education. Corporate gifts below 1% of income lose deductibility, and elite university endowments face steep new taxes. Nonprofits must now reassess executive pay, gift timing, and appeal strategies to adapt.
Exaggerating on your resume to embellish accomplishments. It’s essential to maintain a balance between presenting your skills and experiences.
When your boss rejects your ideas, don’t be disheartened. Use experience to refine problem-solving skills, ultimately contributing to growth.
Making Estate Planning Accessible, Simple, Personal, Secure and FREE!
Bequests are up, cash is down. Empower your donors to plan their will and invest their legacy in the cause they support the most.
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