Greetings from the community foundation!
November is an especially exciting time for philanthropy! With National Philanthropy Day, Community Foundation Week, and GivingTuesday on the calendar, it's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the important work of nonprofit organizations throughout our region. We're grateful for all you do to improve lives, strengthen our community, and inspire generosity. Thank you!
As year-end fundraising activities pick up speed, we're sharing three articles to help you strengthen donor relationships, engage the next generation of philanthropists, and make the most of your organization's communications. We hope these ideas will be useful as you finish the year strong and look ahead to 2027.
Relationships first: A cautionary tale for nonprofit fundraising
Have you ever felt pressured to make a charitable donation at the grocery store checkout? New research suggests that these seemingly simple requests can sometimes do more harm than good. We're exploring what this research means for nonprofit fundraising, including three practical ways to build trust, make giving an invitation rather than an obligation, and keep donor relationships at the center of your efforts.
Younger donors, new approaches: Three ways to build lasting relationships
Are younger generations approaching philanthropy differently? Recent research suggests they are, and the findings offer encouraging opportunities for nonprofits. We're sharing three ideas to help you engage Gen Z and Millennial donors, including creating meaningful opportunities to participate beyond financial contributions, demonstrating impact, and involving younger generations in family philanthropy.
Go wide: Why multichannel matters, even for legacy giving
Your donors are receiving information from more places than ever before. Are you reaching them where they are? We're taking a look at why a thoughtful multichannel communications strategy matters, especially when you're encouraging endowment gifts and other long-term support. From social media and email to events and personal conversations, we'll explore how consistent messaging can help donors discover opportunities to make a lasting difference.
As always, the community foundation is honored to partner with you to strengthen our region's nonprofit sector. Whether you're looking for ideas to engage donors, exploring ways to build long-term financial support, or simply interested in sharing what's happening at your organization, please reach out. We love hearing from you and look forward to working together!
—Your community foundation
THIS MONTH’S
FEATURED ARTICLES
Relationships first: A cautionary tale for nonprofit fundraising
We’ve all experienced it. You’re checking out at the grocery store, buying a cup of coffee, or completing an online purchase when you’re asked whether you’d like to add a charitable donation. Sometimes you say yes. Other times, you might feel uncomfortable declining, especially when someone is waiting for your answer.
Recent research from Adelaide University, published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, suggests that these seemingly harmless fundraising requests can have unintended consequences. In a survey of 329 U.S. consumers about a checkout donation scenario, the researchers found that feeling rushed or judged by others was linked to anxiety and a lower willingness to donate. Those same feelings were linked to less satisfaction with the checkout experience, a more negative view of the retailer, and lower intentions to shop there again.
The university’s summary of the research is a quick and worthwhile read—even if your organization does not engage in checkout fundraising. The findings offer an important strategic reminder: even when the cause is worthy, and intentions are good, how someone is asked to give matters. The study looked at retailers’ checkout requests, not nonprofits’ own appeals. Still, the lesson extends beyond the checkout counter. Fundraising is fundamentally about relationships, and every interaction with a donor can strengthen or weaken that connection.
Here are three suggestions from the community foundation team for putting relationships first in your fundraising and stewardship activities.
Make giving an invitation, not an obligation
Donors should feel inspired to support your mission, not pressured to respond to a request. Whether you’re making a year-end appeal, following up on a pledge, or inviting someone to participate in a campaign, consider how your communication might be received. Are you giving donors enough information to make a thoughtful decision? Are you respecting their timing and circumstances? Is your message focused on the opportunity to make a difference rather than creating guilt about what might happen if they don’t give? A donor who declines a particular request may still become one of your organization’s most loyal supporters. Protecting that relationship is more important than securing any single contribution.
Remember that stewardship is more than another opportunity to ask.
It’s easy for fundraising communications to become a steady stream of requests, especially during the busy year-end season. But donors also need to hear from your organization when you aren’t asking for money. Share stories about the impact of their generosity, celebrate organizational accomplishments, and provide updates about the people and communities your mission serves. A personal note, a thoughtful conversation, or an invitation to learn more about your work can show donors you value them for more than their financial contributions. These interactions build trust and help donors feel connected to your mission over time.
Pay attention to the donor’s experience
The checkout research underscores the importance of considering how a fundraising request makes someone feel. Apply that same perspective to your own communications. Are donors receiving too many emails? Do your follow-up messages feel helpful or persistent? Are you recognizing their interests and preferences, or treating everyone the same? Consider reviewing your fundraising practices through the eyes of a donor. You might discover opportunities to simplify giving, personalize communications, offer more choices, or create meaningful ways to engage that don’t involve an immediate financial contribution.
Ask thoughtfully, and keep asking
Of course, nonprofits must ask for support. Thoughtful, consistent fundraising is essential to sustaining programs and advancing missions, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with checkout campaigns, year-end appeals, or other strategies that encourage people to give. The key distinction is between inviting someone into a meaningful relationship with your organization and making them feel obligated to complete a transaction.
As you evaluate your fundraising strategies, remember that the most valuable outcome isn’t always the gift you receive today. It’s the trust you build, the connection you strengthen, and the relationship that encourages someone to remain involved with your mission for years to come. Put the relationship first. Fundraising results will be stronger when donors feel respected, informed, and genuinely connected to the difference your organization is making.
Younger donors, new approaches: Three ways to build lasting relationships
If your nonprofit is looking for ways to engage the next generation of donors, new research offers encouraging news. Younger philanthropists are actively supporting charitable causes, and they’re bringing fresh perspectives about how, where, and why they give.
According to the September 2026 Bank of America Private Bank Study of Wealthy Americans, wealthy Gen Z and Millennial donors (ages 21 to 45) support an average of 12 charitable causes, compared with eight among wealthy donors overall. These younger donors are also more likely to participate in fundraising and mentorship, suggesting that their philanthropic engagement extends well beyond writing checks. The study’s press release offers a quick summary of the findings.
For nonprofits, these findings offer a useful reminder: Engaging younger donors may require expanding the ways people can connect with your mission.
Here are three strategies to consider.
Offer more ways to participate
Younger donors may want to contribute their time, talents, and connections in addition to financial resources. In the Bank of America study, 30% of wealthy Gen Z and Millennial respondents reported participating in fundraising, compared with 11% of Baby Boomer and Silent Generation respondents. Similarly, 26% of younger donors reported engaging in mentorship, compared with just 4% of older donors. Consider creating opportunities for younger supporters to serve as volunteer ambassadors, mentor program participants, organize peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, or contribute professional skills. These experiences can deepen their connection to your organization and create a foundation for future financial support.
Help younger donors see how their gifts make a difference
The research found that 87% of wealthy donors across generations give because they believe they can make a difference, while 83% cite personal values or beliefs as motivations. For nonprofits, this underscores the importance of communicating impact in ways that connect directly to donors’ interests. Rather than focusing exclusively on fundraising goals or organizational needs, share specific examples of what charitable support accomplishes. Consider short impact stories, updates from program participants, or opportunities for donors to see your work firsthand.
And don’t assume younger supporters are interested only in new or trendy causes. The study notes that younger donors are still refining their passions and may support fewer causes as they do, so this is a good time to ask what matters to them, listen carefully, and show how your organization’s mission aligns with their priorities.
Make room for the next generation in family philanthropy
Younger donors often want to honor their families’ charitable traditions while establishing their own philanthropic identities. According to the study, 87% of Gen Z and Millennial donors say honoring their family’s philanthropic legacy is important, while 86% also want to establish their own charitable identity. This creates an opportunity for nonprofits to engage multiple generations of supporters. Consider inviting adult children or grandchildren to donor appreciation events, encouraging families to volunteer together, or asking longtime supporters whether younger family members would like to learn more about your mission. These interactions can help build relationships with future donors while respecting their individual interests and priorities. What’s more, interactions like this could build trust between generations within a family, paving the way for greater involvement in legacy giving.
Of course, the Bank of America study focused on individuals with at least $3 million in investable assets, so its findings should not be assumed to represent all younger donors. Nevertheless, the research offers valuable ideas for nonprofits seeking to strengthen relationships across generations.
The larger lesson is that younger donors aren’t necessarily less interested in philanthropy. They may simply approach it differently. By creating meaningful opportunities to participate, demonstrating the impact of charitable support, and welcoming younger generations into the conversation, your nonprofit can build relationships that strengthen its mission for years to come.
Go wide: Why multichannel matters, even for legacy giving
Not too long ago, a nonprofit could mail a year-end letter and expect most supporters to see it. Today, your donors are spread across inboxes, social feeds, websites, events, workplaces, and giving platforms. That makes fundraising harder. It also makes one principle more important: your organization needs to show up in more than one place.
That applies to more than your annual appeal. It matters especially when you’re talking about endowment, legacy giving, and other long-term support. Here are four reasons to “go wide” with your communications.
Donors need to meet an idea more than once
A donor who glances at “Remember us in your will” at the bottom of a newsletter may barely register it. Then she reads a website story about someone who made a legacy gift. Months later, she hears your executive director mention the endowment at an event. Each encounter makes the idea feel more familiar, and familiarity is what moves people to act.
The easiest way to start is to weave legacy messages into communications you’re already sending, rather than relying only on separate planned giving campaigns. The goal isn’t to bombard donors with the same message. It’s to give them several chances to encounter the idea, in different ways and at different times.
Different channels do different jobs
Multichannel doesn’t mean copy-and-paste. Think about what each channel does best:
Social media builds visibility and tells stories.
Your website is where donors go when they’re ready to learn more.
Email lets you introduce an idea and revisit it over time.
Direct mail reaches supporters who are less engaged digitally.
Events connect long-term giving to the mission donors see firsthand.
Two channels deserve special attention: presentations and one-on-one conversations. A talk to a civic group or supporter gathering gives you something a post can’t: time to explain where your organization is headed and why long-term financial strength matters. A personal conversation goes further, helping you learn why someone cares and what they hope their giving will accomplish. For planned giving especially, that conversation may be the most important channel of all. The others create the awareness that makes it possible.
The place a donor gives might not be the channel that inspired the gift
Picture a donor who sees a story on social media, hears your executive director speak, reads about your endowment in an email, explores your website’s estate-planning page, and finally calls a staff member with a question. Years later, a gift arrives through an IRA beneficiary designation or a bequest.
Which channel worked? Potentially, all of them.
The same is true of current gifts. A donor might learn about you in one place and give through your website, a check, a donor-advised fund, or a giving platform. The channel that processes the gift isn’t necessarily the one that inspired it, so judging every communication by immediate clicks or dollars can lead you astray. Some messages build familiarity, some build trust, and some plant ideas that won’t pay off for years.
Giving platforms are a channel, not a strategy
Third-party giving platforms can put your organization in front of new people and make giving easy. But presence isn’t a strategy.
In spring 2026, Candid surveyed more than 6,000 nonprofits about these platforms. They accounted for an average of 17% of revenue, but the median was only 8%. Nearly one-quarter of respondents reported no platform revenue at all, while about 8% relied on platforms for most of their revenue. Results varied widely.
A giving platform is not an ATM. A profile, whether you created it or someone else did, doesn’t guarantee dollars. Platforms can make you easier to find and easier to support, but donors still need a reason to choose you.
It’s also worth checking what platforms are saying about you. Many nonprofits in Candid’s survey reported profiles created without their consent, sometimes with incorrect or outdated information. Search for your organization on the platforms donors use, correct anything that’s wrong, and keep your own listings current. Because some platforms draw on data from Candid, keeping your Candid profile up to date can help too.
One story, many chances to hear it
Going multichannel doesn’t mean communicating more for its own sake. You don’t need to be on every platform, host more events, or mail your whole database. Start with a clear story: What problem are you addressing? Why does it matter? What are you accomplishing? Where are you headed? How can donors be part of that future?
Then tell it consistently, where your donors actually are, and make sure long-term giving is part of it. Let social media point to your website, and your website explain the ways to give. Let email introduce endowment and legacy options periodically, and let events and presentations connect today’s work to your future. Then use personal conversations to get to know the people who care most.
You don’t need every donor to respond every time. You need them to know these options exist when the moment is right for them. A donor can’t consider an endowment gift, or name you in an estate plan, if she never learns it’s possible. Consistent communication across channels keeps those possibilities from becoming your organization’s best-kept secret.