Greetings from the community foundation!
We’ve rounded the corner into the second half of 2026, and many nonprofit organizations are sharing with our team that they are navigating an increasingly complex environment as the year progresses. Donor relationships can be challenging, charitable giving tools continue to evolve, and expectations for nonprofit board leadership have never been higher. In this dynamic environment, the community foundation is happy to share insights, best practices, and trends that can help you keep your mission going strong.
Worthwhile watchfulness: Working with aging donors
Many nonprofit professionals have longstanding relationships with donors who have supported the mission for years—even decades. Be aware of five signs that may indicate it is time to slow down and ask thoughtful questions, helping your organization serve aging donors with care, respect, and integrity.
Beyond attendance: Is your board equipped for today and tomorrow?
Strong boards do much more than attend meetings and approve budgets. This is a good time for a brief refresher course on how your board as a whole can help advance your mission through governance, fundraising, community connections, and advocacy. It’s also a good time to support current board members in developing the skills and relationships your organization needs.
Unlocking the mystery: Three ways to build relationships with donor-advised fund holders
Donor-advised funds continue to play a growing role in charitable giving, yet many nonprofits still struggle to understand how these vehicles fit into their own donor relationships. The community foundation is happy to offer practical suggestions for engaging donors who are using donor-advised funds, strengthening stewardship efforts, and positioning your organization to benefit from evolving charitable giving trends.
As always, the community foundation is honored to serve as a partner and resource for you and other nonprofit organizations that strengthen our community every day. Please reach out anytime—we look forward to helping you achieve your mission.
—Your community foundation
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Worthwhile watchfulness: Working with aging donors
Many nonprofit organizations are fortunate to be surrounded by long-time supporters whose generosity has sustained the mission for years, and sometimes decades. These donors often remain deeply committed to the causes they care about well into their later years. As the donor population ages, however, nonprofit professionals increasingly find themselves navigating situations that require both sensitivity and caution.
Most interactions with older donors are straightforward and positive. But occasionally, a donor's behavior, requests, or circumstances may raise concerns about cognitive decline, undue influence, financial exploitation, or simply a misunderstanding about charitable intentions. Of course, you and other nonprofit staff are not expected to diagnose medical conditions or serve as financial advisors. Still, because fundraisers often develop trusted, long-term relationships with donors, you may be among the first people to notice that something seems different.
Here are five signs that may warrant a thoughtful pause and a closer look.
1. The donor seems unusually confused about previous gifts or commitments
A donor who suddenly cannot remember making recent gifts, repeatedly asks the same questions, or appears confused about longstanding charitable arrangements may be experiencing challenges that deserve attention.
Of course, everyone occasionally forgets details. The key is whether the behavior represents a noticeable change from the donor's normal pattern. If so, it may be wise to slow the conversation, provide written summaries for the donor and for your files, and encourage the donor to review decisions with a donor’s trusted family members or legal advisors when appropriate.
2. Grant recommendations or gift requests are dramatically different from past behavior
People's interests evolve, and donors certainly have the right to support new causes. However, a sudden and dramatic shift in giving priorities can sometimes be a signal that additional questions are warranted.
For example, a donor who has supported local education initiatives for decades may unexpectedly request a large gift to an unfamiliar national disease research organization they recently encountered through a phone solicitation, email, or direct-mail campaign. While the gift may be entirely legitimate, nonprofit professionals should feel comfortable asking open-ended questions to ensure the donor understands the mission of the organization they wish to support and how the gift aligns with their goals.
3. A new individual is speaking for the donor or directing decisions
Family members, caregivers, and advisors often play appropriate and important roles in supporting older adults. At the same time, nonprofit staff should pay attention when a previously independent donor is suddenly accompanied by someone who insists on controlling conversations, answering questions on the donor's behalf, or directing charitable decisions.
The presence of a helper is not itself a concern. What matters is whether the donor appears comfortable, informed, and genuinely engaged in the decision-making process. When possible, organizations should make reasonable efforts to hear directly from the donor and confirm that charitable decisions reflect the donor's wishes, and then prepare appropriate documentation.
4. The donor mentions suspicious financial activity or unusual solicitations
Older adults are frequently targeted by scams, fraudulent charities, deceptive sweepstakes, and aggressive fundraising tactics. During conversations, donors may mention receiving constant requests for money, confusing invoices, urgent appeals, or pressure from unfamiliar organizations.
These comments often provide an opportunity for education and support. Certainly nonprofit staff should avoid giving legal or financial advice, but if you are faced with this situation, you can encourage donors to discuss concerns with trusted family members, attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, or representatives of the community foundation. Helping donors access reliable resources can be an important form of stewardship.
5. Important documentation has not been reviewed in many years
Beneficiary designations, estate plans, powers of attorney, and charitable provisions often remain untouched for years, even as circumstances change. Aging donors may assume that documents signed long ago still accurately reflect their wishes.
A gentle reminder to review charitable plans periodically can help donors ensure that their intentions remain current and clearly documented. This is particularly important when donor-advised funds, endowment gifts, planned gifts, or other long-term charitable arrangements are involved.
So what can you do?
The best course of action is to prepare yourself well before any red flags appear. Encouraging donors to introduce you to their advisors and other family members early in the relationship gives you plenty of time to build natural connections with the people they trust. Those relationships can be invaluable if concerns later arise.
Of course, you will approach any situation with an aging donor with empathy and respect. Most older donors remain fully capable of making thoughtful charitable decisions and should be treated accordingly. At the same time, organizations understandably feel obligated to exercise good judgment when circumstances raise questions. If you are already encountering red flag situations and you don’t have a connection with trusted people in a donor’s life, consult your colleagues and potentially even your organization’s legal advisors.
The bottom line is that this is a very tricky area where donor stewardship, situational awareness, and confidentiality considerations overlap. Being prepared ahead of time is well worth your attention.
Beyond attendance: Is your board equipped for today and tomorrow?
At the community foundation, we regularly hear from nonprofit leaders that getting your board engaged in the right ways can be a challenge. And that’s on top of the already high bar to recruit board members in the first place! Finding—and motivating—qualified people who are passionate about your mission, willing to volunteer their time, and prepared to serve as ambassadors for the organization can feel harder than ever.
At the same time, the expectations placed on nonprofit boards continue to grow. Today's board members are not simply expected to attend meetings and vote on motions. They are expected to provide oversight, ensure financial accountability, uphold the organization's mission, support fundraising efforts, and help position the nonprofit for long-term success.
As you evaluate your board's effectiveness, consider whether members are equipped to contribute in several key areas:
Governance and oversight
Board members should understand the organization's finances, review materials before meetings, ask thoughtful questions, and participate actively in decision-making. Good governance requires more than just showing up. It requires paying attention, and it requires genuine engagement.
Mission and strategy
Strong boards help keep the organization focused on its purpose. They understand the mission, participate in strategic planning, and help leadership navigate challenges and opportunities while remaining true to the organization's core values. Strong boards also understand the difference between board and staff roles and, accordingly, empower the staff to carry out the organization’s operations.
Fundraising and relationship building
Not every board member needs to ask for gifts. However, every board member should be willing to help advance the organization's development efforts. Sometimes that means making a personal contribution or arranging for a legacy gift. Sometimes it means hosting an event, introducing a friend to the executive director, or helping identify prospective funders. The most successful nonprofit boards understand that fundraising is a shared responsibility.
Community connections
Many nonprofit organizations recruit board members because of the relationships they bring to the table. A board member's network can help create introductions to major donors, family foundations, corporate partners, elected officials, and community influencers. These connections can be invaluable in expanding awareness and support for the mission.
Advocacy and ambassadorship
Board members are often among a nonprofit's most visible representatives. Their willingness to speak positively about the organization, attend events, and share the impact of its work can significantly strengthen public trust and community engagement.
Remember that an “elevator pitch” is not always the best vehicle to support board member advocacy. An elevator pitch tends to get too long, often sounds “canned,” and sometimes is developed through a lengthy process of “analysis paralysis.” Instead, encourage board members to simply speak from the heart about why they joined the board and then introduce interested people to you and your team for follow up.
Building the board your organization needs
Many nonprofits inherit board structures that were created years ago under very different circumstances. As organizations grow, it is worth periodically asking whether the board's composition aligns with current needs. Do you have members with financial expertise? Legal expertise? Fundraising experience? Community connections? Relationships with prospective donors and funders? A board composed entirely of passionate supporters may still have important gaps that need to be filled.
The good news is that intentional recruitment, orientation, and ongoing board development can help close those gaps. The goal is not simply to fill seats around a table. The goal is to build a board that can provide strong governance while also helping your organization expand its impact.
As always, the community foundation is happy to serve as a sounding board as your organization evaluates board development, fundraising strategy, and long-term sustainability. Please reach out!
Unlocking the mystery: Three ways to build relationships with donor-advised fund holders
You’ve no doubt seen the report that in 2025, Americans contributed an estimated $617 billion to support nonprofits. Philanthropy is going strong! It’s also likely not a surprise that donor-advised funds continue to play a growing role in charitable giving. Across the country, more donors are using donor-advised funds to organize their philanthropy, make grants to favorite nonprofit organizations, and involve family members in giving decisions. The community foundation offers donor-advised funds to families, individuals, and businesses to help maximize the dollars that ultimately flow to support a wide range of charities, including local organizations like yours that are making a difference every single day.
Yet despite the growth of these vehicles, many nonprofit organizations still find them somewhat mysterious. One of the most common frustrations nonprofit leaders express to the community foundation team is that, because grants arrive from the community foundation rather than directly from the donor, nonprofit leaders may feel disconnected from the people whose generosity is supporting their mission.
The good news is that donor-advised fund donors are often exactly the type of supporters that you and other nonprofits want to cultivate. Research and industry reports consistently show that donor-advised fund donors tend to be thoughtful philanthropists who are actively engaged in charitable planning and frequently work with attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors to maximize their impact.
The team at the community foundation is always happy to have a conversation about why donor-advised funds are actually not a barrier to your donor relationships, but rather an important tool that fits into a donor's broader charitable giving strategy. We look forward to a conversation! In the meantime, here are three ways you can strengthen your relationships with donor-advised fund donors.
1. Recognize that a donor-advised fund is a giving tool—not a donor
A donor-advised fund is simply a vehicle for charitable giving. Behind every donor-advised fund grant are real people who have intentionally recommended support for your organization.
When a grant arrives from a donor-advised fund at the community foundation, try to avoid treating it as a transaction from a financial institution. Instead, look for opportunities to identify and thank the individual donor whenever possible. Even when the grant itself comes from the community foundation, the charitable decision originated with a person who believes in your mission.
2. Make it easy for donor-advised fund donors to support your organization
Many nonprofits now include information on their websites and donation materials about how donors can give from their donor-advised funds. Simple reminders that your organization accepts grants from donor-advised funds can help donors understand that this option is available.
You may also want to ensure that your organization's legal name, tax identification number, and contact information are easy for the team at the community foundation to locate. Our team needs this information to receive and process grant requests from donor-advised fund holders.
3. Steward donor-advised fund donors the same way you steward other donors
Some organizations unintentionally place less emphasis on donor-advised fund gifts because the donation arrives through an intermediary. This can be a missed opportunity.
Donor-advised fund donors should receive meaningful stewardship, impact reporting, invitations to engage, and ongoing communication whenever possible. The fact that a donor uses a donor-advised fund does not make the relationship less personal. In many cases, these donors are among an organization's most committed supporters.
In addition, it’s important to know that the community foundation gives donors access to resources, information, and education about local organizations and how to make maximum impact. We encourage donors’ active involvement with the community and the nonprofits they support. We take seriously our role as a convenor and champion for local quality of life.
The bottom line
As charitable giving tools become increasingly sophisticated, nonprofits in our community can benefit from understanding the tools donors use to support the causes they care about. Donor-advised funds are no longer a niche giving vehicle. They have become an important part of modern philanthropy and are likely to remain so for years to come. The community foundation is always happy to help your organization stay informed about charitable giving trends and identify opportunities to strengthen donor engagement. We look forward to our next conversation!
This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.