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A Beginner’s Guide to Payment Processors

We treat the process of choosing a payment processor a lot like choosing car insurance. We try to find the best deal we can and then we forget about it until something goes wrong. Or we just renew the same policy we’ve always used, even if it’s not the best one for us. We learn to live with what we have.

Spotlight

United Way

United Way Worldwide is the leadership and support organization for the network of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 41 countries and territories. At United Way we work to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health. The United Way movement mobilizes millions to action—to give, advocate and volunteer—to improve the conditions in which they live.

OTHER ARTICLES
Nonprofit Management

4 Actions Responsive Nonprofits are Taking to Ensure Growth in 2020 and Beyond

Article | July 20, 2022

Barbara O’Reilly was recently featured on our Responsive Fundraising Podcast, where she discussed the three stages that follow an unexpected world event. First, the response phase, where we each find a way to contain the negative impact of the change. Next, comes the recovery phase, in which we all work together to find a way forward. Lastly, the resilience phase, in which we have recovered and emerge better than before. From the standpoint of COVID-19, we all have navigated the response phase, which triggered a far-reaching economic tremor. It’s fair to say that we currently live in the recovery phase, and probably will for quite a while. But even now, as we recover, our focus should be on the next phase: resilience. Of course, the resilience phase will look differently for everyone, and it is hard to predict exactly what it will look like for your nonprofit. However, there are ways for you to ensure that the work you do now will increase your annual revenue and improve donor retention while you recover and build resilience. Here’s how responsive fundraising can make that easier.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Why Protecting Donor Data Is No Longer Optional

Article | July 14, 2022

Data is the new currency boosted by artificial intelligence and the pandemic — obviously impacting society in small and significant ways, such as with immense data collection. It's an asset that we all have (our information), and it's precious to governments, corporations and, yes, nonprofits. But not everyone is using data wisely (e.g., safeguarding it), and some are taking advantage of this opportunity. As a result, data gets compromised and put at risk of being stolen or misused, including by nonprofits who haven't invested in cybersecurity. In short, we've reached a moment where the privacy lights are blinking red, and nonprofits must invest in cybersecurity. Protecting donor data is no longer just something nice to do. It's essential, and donors will move away (as well they should) from nonprofits that don't protect their information by having transparent and clear data policies. To put this in perspective, think of companies like Facebook and Google. They know your full name, location, interests and more about you (and your donors) than you might think. These large corporations also know everything about what you do online: where you've been online and who you've chatted with (and when). Inevitably, nonprofits are getting on the data bandwagon to better target and predict how and when donors will give. And while a growing number of tech companies provide fundraisers with much better insights and abilities to raise more money with the use of data, we need to ensure there's a balance. Moreover, nonprofit leaders must know what's involved in obtaining and securing donor data. Data Is the New Gold Data is a commodity for all organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. About 97 zettabytes of data exist now, and by 2025, it will nearly double, which is astounding. And we're in a time when you have to use data information to grow and sustain your organization to compete and stay afloat. In other words, it's not an option. However, it’s vital to internalize the message that data is the new gold in the digital era, and it needs to be protected. In other words, cybersecurity is critical. First, the world had the GDPR, which affected U.S.-based companies and nonprofits. Then California created a privacy law, Virginia, and recently Colorado, with other states following. Protect Your Data From Corporate Invasion We need to understand where and how it gets collected to protect everyone's data. In other words, nonprofit leaders don't get a pass on the fact they can't understand technology. No one's saying you have to learn how to code, but you do need to understand the implications of the data your organization collects. For instance, your marketing team probably has Google Analytics set up. As a leader, you need to understand what information gets collected because sooner or later, your donors will ask you. You should understand if and how your web presence collects data, such as the location, operating system, browser type and more from those who visit your site. You should realize that nonprofits, and probably your own, use that information to cater ads and increase conversions on their sites. For example, suppose a donor visited a New York City education nonprofit’s website last week, and now the same donor visits a nonprofit school in Boston. In this case, the one in Boston will know that visitor is highly interested in education since it’ll recognize the browser the visitor used. Even with the most basic tracking and data collection, the chances are that your organization collects this information by using something called "cookies," which store information on a computer or mobile device when someone browses certain websites. Google has an advertising network where advertisers can place ads related to what Google thinks you're interested in — based on things like what websites a person visited or what YouTube videos they watched. Advertisers, including nonprofits, pay Google every time someone clicks on their ads. Google also uses cookies to track browsing habits to show these targeted ads across different devices (e.g., computers, tablets, phones). Although the use of cookies is evolving, the point is that donors know this. Do you? Stop Corporations From Tracking You and Your Donors If you want to keep data safe on the internet, it's vital to curb certain behaviors. First and foremost, realize that the information captured on social media and the engagement from your followers gets transmitted to Google and Facebook, for instance, which, in turn, sells all of it. Second, think about the tools you're using online to engage with donors. For instance, do you want the Facebook Messenger service or chatbots communicating with your donors and collecting their data? It's essential to inform and obtain consent from your donors on how you collect and use their data and make them aware that things aren’t so simple with social platforms, for instance. Use Services That Don't Collect Unnecessary Data One way to safeguard nonprofit communication data is by using services that don't collect any information. For instance, instead of using SMS texts to communicate with your donors, how about using encrypted platforms, such as Signal? Be careful with WhatsApp, as Facebook owns that one. Sure, these services may be a bit more of an inconvenience, but they don't collect personal information, which donors will appreciate. Beware of Free Services and Applications In the digital age, nearly everything has a price. Platforms like Facebook and Google offer you a "free" service in exchange for information. As the saying goes, if you're not paying for it, then you and the data are the product. It means that when you use these services, they give your nonprofit data to advertisers — for a fee from which you do not benefit — to make money off of your donor data and information. Conversely, nonprofits need the data to reach and better interact with donors in the digital age. Therefore, it's a careful balancing act of not taking data for granted and being mindful of the services you use and why. Data as a Premium Commodity Data is undeniably a more sought-after commodity. In fact, it’s now a highly precious and premium commodity. Companies currently spend billions of dollars on data mining and analysis. This happens by using "data brokers" that collect information from public records, surveys, and other databases and then combine them to create detailed reports about people's lives. However, nonprofits should realize the ethical difficulty they face and work with vendors and providers emphasizing ethics and security. Moreover, nonprofits can't stick their collective heads in the sand, and speak honestly and openly with donors about their data. In sum, we need to take data protection seriously: to protect ourselves and donors from abuse, extortion or identity theft!

Read More
Nonprofit Management

The Ultimate Donor Relations Strategy to Increase Member Retention

Article | July 29, 2022

A common mistake nonprofits make is spending all their resources and efforts on marketing and attracting new donors or members. Your initial conversation rates may be great, but what happens after a year, when it’s time for them to renew? A lot of organizations struggle with their retention rates. They work really hard on their renewal appeals, only to see declining numbers month after month. Of course, a number of factors could be at play here: perhaps the donor is no longer interested; their financial situation has changed and they no longer have capacity; maybe they were supporting a specific program or project that has now been completed.

Read More

Is Your Nonprofit Struggling to Retain Donors?

Article | April 23, 2020

If you gather a group of nonprofit professionals and ask what their biggest fundraising challenges are, many will likely say they don’t retain enough of their donors. Are you one of them? Do you find yourself asking, “why is my nonprofit struggling to retain donors?” It’s no secret that long-term, repeat donors help you raise more money. And we know that the average donor retention rate for nonprofits hovers around 45 percent. But why has this number remained flat for years while nonprofits continue to focus on donor retention? We find there are a few key reasons why nonprofits struggle to retain donors. And you know that no two donors are the same and there is no one-size fits all approach to fundraising. But while the solution for each nonprofit may be different, many are struggling to retain donors for similar reasons.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

What Does the Health of Your Nonprofit Website Mean and How Can You Improve It?

Article | July 20, 2022

Barbara O’Reilly was recently featured on our Responsive Fundraising Podcast, where she discussed the three stages that follow an unexpected world event. First, the response phase, where we each find a way to contain the negative impact of the change. Next, comes the recovery phase, in which we all work together to find a way forward. Lastly, the resilience phase, in which we have recovered and emerge better than before. From the standpoint of COVID-19, we all have navigated the response phase, which triggered a far-reaching economic tremor. It’s fair to say that we currently live in the recovery phase, and probably will for quite a while. But even now, as we recover, our focus should be on the next phase: resilience. Of course, the resilience phase will look differently for everyone, and it is hard to predict exactly what it will look like for your nonprofit. However, there are ways for you to ensure that the work you do now will increase your annual revenue and improve donor retention while you recover and build resilience. Here’s how responsive fundraising can make that easier.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Non-Profits Impacting the Economy

Article | July 14, 2022

Data is the new currency boosted by artificial intelligence and the pandemic — obviously impacting society in small and significant ways, such as with immense data collection. It's an asset that we all have (our information), and it's precious to governments, corporations and, yes, nonprofits. But not everyone is using data wisely (e.g., safeguarding it), and some are taking advantage of this opportunity. As a result, data gets compromised and put at risk of being stolen or misused, including by nonprofits who haven't invested in cybersecurity. In short, we've reached a moment where the privacy lights are blinking red, and nonprofits must invest in cybersecurity. Protecting donor data is no longer just something nice to do. It's essential, and donors will move away (as well they should) from nonprofits that don't protect their information by having transparent and clear data policies. To put this in perspective, think of companies like Facebook and Google. They know your full name, location, interests and more about you (and your donors) than you might think. These large corporations also know everything about what you do online: where you've been online and who you've chatted with (and when). Inevitably, nonprofits are getting on the data bandwagon to better target and predict how and when donors will give. And while a growing number of tech companies provide fundraisers with much better insights and abilities to raise more money with the use of data, we need to ensure there's a balance. Moreover, nonprofit leaders must know what's involved in obtaining and securing donor data. Data Is the New Gold Data is a commodity for all organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. About 97 zettabytes of data exist now, and by 2025, it will nearly double, which is astounding. And we're in a time when you have to use data information to grow and sustain your organization to compete and stay afloat. In other words, it's not an option. However, it’s vital to internalize the message that data is the new gold in the digital era, and it needs to be protected. In other words, cybersecurity is critical. First, the world had the GDPR, which affected U.S.-based companies and nonprofits. Then California created a privacy law, Virginia, and recently Colorado, with other states following. Protect Your Data From Corporate Invasion We need to understand where and how it gets collected to protect everyone's data. In other words, nonprofit leaders don't get a pass on the fact they can't understand technology. No one's saying you have to learn how to code, but you do need to understand the implications of the data your organization collects. For instance, your marketing team probably has Google Analytics set up. As a leader, you need to understand what information gets collected because sooner or later, your donors will ask you. You should understand if and how your web presence collects data, such as the location, operating system, browser type and more from those who visit your site. You should realize that nonprofits, and probably your own, use that information to cater ads and increase conversions on their sites. For example, suppose a donor visited a New York City education nonprofit’s website last week, and now the same donor visits a nonprofit school in Boston. In this case, the one in Boston will know that visitor is highly interested in education since it’ll recognize the browser the visitor used. Even with the most basic tracking and data collection, the chances are that your organization collects this information by using something called "cookies," which store information on a computer or mobile device when someone browses certain websites. Google has an advertising network where advertisers can place ads related to what Google thinks you're interested in — based on things like what websites a person visited or what YouTube videos they watched. Advertisers, including nonprofits, pay Google every time someone clicks on their ads. Google also uses cookies to track browsing habits to show these targeted ads across different devices (e.g., computers, tablets, phones). Although the use of cookies is evolving, the point is that donors know this. Do you? Stop Corporations From Tracking You and Your Donors If you want to keep data safe on the internet, it's vital to curb certain behaviors. First and foremost, realize that the information captured on social media and the engagement from your followers gets transmitted to Google and Facebook, for instance, which, in turn, sells all of it. Second, think about the tools you're using online to engage with donors. For instance, do you want the Facebook Messenger service or chatbots communicating with your donors and collecting their data? It's essential to inform and obtain consent from your donors on how you collect and use their data and make them aware that things aren’t so simple with social platforms, for instance. Use Services That Don't Collect Unnecessary Data One way to safeguard nonprofit communication data is by using services that don't collect any information. For instance, instead of using SMS texts to communicate with your donors, how about using encrypted platforms, such as Signal? Be careful with WhatsApp, as Facebook owns that one. Sure, these services may be a bit more of an inconvenience, but they don't collect personal information, which donors will appreciate. Beware of Free Services and Applications In the digital age, nearly everything has a price. Platforms like Facebook and Google offer you a "free" service in exchange for information. As the saying goes, if you're not paying for it, then you and the data are the product. It means that when you use these services, they give your nonprofit data to advertisers — for a fee from which you do not benefit — to make money off of your donor data and information. Conversely, nonprofits need the data to reach and better interact with donors in the digital age. Therefore, it's a careful balancing act of not taking data for granted and being mindful of the services you use and why. Data as a Premium Commodity Data is undeniably a more sought-after commodity. In fact, it’s now a highly precious and premium commodity. Companies currently spend billions of dollars on data mining and analysis. This happens by using "data brokers" that collect information from public records, surveys, and other databases and then combine them to create detailed reports about people's lives. However, nonprofits should realize the ethical difficulty they face and work with vendors and providers emphasizing ethics and security. Moreover, nonprofits can't stick their collective heads in the sand, and speak honestly and openly with donors about their data. In sum, we need to take data protection seriously: to protect ourselves and donors from abuse, extortion or identity theft!

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Marketing Your Nonprofit Organization in 4 Simple Steps

Article | July 29, 2022

A common mistake nonprofits make is spending all their resources and efforts on marketing and attracting new donors or members. Your initial conversation rates may be great, but what happens after a year, when it’s time for them to renew? A lot of organizations struggle with their retention rates. They work really hard on their renewal appeals, only to see declining numbers month after month. Of course, a number of factors could be at play here: perhaps the donor is no longer interested; their financial situation has changed and they no longer have capacity; maybe they were supporting a specific program or project that has now been completed.

Read More

Is Your Nonprofit Struggling to Retain Donors?

Article | April 23, 2020

If you gather a group of nonprofit professionals and ask what their biggest fundraising challenges are, many will likely say they don’t retain enough of their donors. Are you one of them? Do you find yourself asking, “why is my nonprofit struggling to retain donors?” It’s no secret that long-term, repeat donors help you raise more money. And we know that the average donor retention rate for nonprofits hovers around 45 percent. But why has this number remained flat for years while nonprofits continue to focus on donor retention? We find there are a few key reasons why nonprofits struggle to retain donors. And you know that no two donors are the same and there is no one-size fits all approach to fundraising. But while the solution for each nonprofit may be different, many are struggling to retain donors for similar reasons.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

United Way

United Way Worldwide is the leadership and support organization for the network of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 41 countries and territories. At United Way we work to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health. The United Way movement mobilizes millions to action—to give, advocate and volunteer—to improve the conditions in which they live.

Related News

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

American Camp Association Receives $45.5 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Strengthen Character Development Programs for Young People

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is honored to announce that Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded ACA a $45,535,623 grant to support the creation of a new, multiyear initiative to grow, improve, and celebrate character development at camps across the United States. Character at Camp is an innovative initiative anchored in the belief that summer and year-round camp programs provide an unparalleled opportunity to promote the character development of young people. While camps vary greatly in their mission, size, activities, programming, and location, many are run with an intrinsic focus on youth development and character-building skills and traits. ACA's recent National Camp Impact Study demonstrated that camp experiences support social connectedness among youth and the development of skills and traits such as perseverance, responsibility, and the willingness to try new things. This study also found that these skills and traits last over time. Individuals who attended camp as children demonstrate these skills and traits throughout academic environments and well into their early careers. For more than a century, character development has been foundational to the camp experience, as each camp distinctively offers a variety of opportunities to develop important character skills and traits. Camps provide young people with experiences in less-distracting settings, often surrounded by nature, that can help support character development through social interactions with peers and counselors, time for reflection and other activities. For example, campers learn responsibility as they help set tables in the dining hall, engage in leadership when guiding groups during hikes, and practice empathy when they support fellow campers who are missing home. In today's world, the benefits of building character skills and traits such as gratitude, kindness, creativity, curiosity, perseverance, resiliency, empathy, courage, and teamwork could not be more important. The Character at Camp initiative will be conducted during the next six years. ACA will make available in-person and virtual training opportunities, educational tools, and other resources to camps to strengthen, expand, or establish character development programs at the more than 15,000 year-round and summer camps across the US. As a direct result of this new initiative, ACA will invite camp leaders to participate in educational and peer-learning opportunities, networking, training, other experiences to learn how to help develop character skills and traits at camp. ACA will work with camp professionals, youth-development experts, and others to create new educational resources, training, and assessment tools to provide camps with opportunities to engage in this important initiative. Starting in 2025, all eligible nonprofit camps will have the opportunity to apply for competitive one-, two-, or three-year grants to support their character development programs. Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding in amounts ranging from $50,000 to up to $300,000 based on the length of the grant period. Funds may be used for staffing, training, curricula, assessment, communications, and/or outreach and partnership efforts to support camps' specific goals related to character development. The initiative will support a broad range of camps serving young people from varied backgrounds and experiences, including under-resourced and underrepresented youth, as well as provide funding for developing character-based programming that is culturally relevant and values the diverse perspectives of youth and families. "We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment's support of ACA and our shared commitment to support camps across the country with the funding, tools, resources, and education to expand and prioritize character development programs," said Tom Rosenberg, ACA president/CEO. "This Character at Camp initiative recognizes the diverse needs of children and youth. We know camp experiences build a world of belonging and growth, and we're excited to engage camps as they work to strengthen their character development programs." "Lilly Endowment's founders firmly believed that developing the character of young people was vital to the future of communities and our country, and they supported many efforts to understand how character is formed," said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment's chairman and CEO. "For decades, well run camps have had a positive impact on the character development of thousands of campers. We believe, with the commitment, leadership, and expertise of ACA, its Character at Camp initiative can meaningfully enhance and expand character development from a variety of perspectives and in a diverse array of young people throughout the nation."

Read More

Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

American Camp Association Receives $45.5 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Strengthen Character Development Programs for Young People

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is honored to announce that Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded ACA a $45,535,623 grant to support the creation of a new, multiyear initiative to grow, improve, and celebrate character development at camps across the United States. Character at Camp is an innovative initiative anchored in the belief that summer and year-round camp programs provide an unparalleled opportunity to promote the character development of young people. While camps vary greatly in their mission, size, activities, programming, and location, many are run with an intrinsic focus on youth development and character-building skills and traits. ACA's recent National Camp Impact Study demonstrated that camp experiences support social connectedness among youth and the development of skills and traits such as perseverance, responsibility, and the willingness to try new things. This study also found that these skills and traits last over time. Individuals who attended camp as children demonstrate these skills and traits throughout academic environments and well into their early careers. For more than a century, character development has been foundational to the camp experience, as each camp distinctively offers a variety of opportunities to develop important character skills and traits. Camps provide young people with experiences in less-distracting settings, often surrounded by nature, that can help support character development through social interactions with peers and counselors, time for reflection and other activities. For example, campers learn responsibility as they help set tables in the dining hall, engage in leadership when guiding groups during hikes, and practice empathy when they support fellow campers who are missing home. In today's world, the benefits of building character skills and traits such as gratitude, kindness, creativity, curiosity, perseverance, resiliency, empathy, courage, and teamwork could not be more important. The Character at Camp initiative will be conducted during the next six years. ACA will make available in-person and virtual training opportunities, educational tools, and other resources to camps to strengthen, expand, or establish character development programs at the more than 15,000 year-round and summer camps across the US. As a direct result of this new initiative, ACA will invite camp leaders to participate in educational and peer-learning opportunities, networking, training, other experiences to learn how to help develop character skills and traits at camp. ACA will work with camp professionals, youth-development experts, and others to create new educational resources, training, and assessment tools to provide camps with opportunities to engage in this important initiative. Starting in 2025, all eligible nonprofit camps will have the opportunity to apply for competitive one-, two-, or three-year grants to support their character development programs. Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding in amounts ranging from $50,000 to up to $300,000 based on the length of the grant period. Funds may be used for staffing, training, curricula, assessment, communications, and/or outreach and partnership efforts to support camps' specific goals related to character development. The initiative will support a broad range of camps serving young people from varied backgrounds and experiences, including under-resourced and underrepresented youth, as well as provide funding for developing character-based programming that is culturally relevant and values the diverse perspectives of youth and families. "We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment's support of ACA and our shared commitment to support camps across the country with the funding, tools, resources, and education to expand and prioritize character development programs," said Tom Rosenberg, ACA president/CEO. "This Character at Camp initiative recognizes the diverse needs of children and youth. We know camp experiences build a world of belonging and growth, and we're excited to engage camps as they work to strengthen their character development programs." "Lilly Endowment's founders firmly believed that developing the character of young people was vital to the future of communities and our country, and they supported many efforts to understand how character is formed," said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment's chairman and CEO. "For decades, well run camps have had a positive impact on the character development of thousands of campers. We believe, with the commitment, leadership, and expertise of ACA, its Character at Camp initiative can meaningfully enhance and expand character development from a variety of perspectives and in a diverse array of young people throughout the nation."

Read More

Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

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