The philanthropic landscape is always changing — but some of the shifts happening right now are more significant than most. Here's what we're seeing, and what it means for your fundraising strategy.

A strong proposal isn't just well-written. It's well-positioned, well-researched, and submitted to the right funder at the right time. Here are seven mistakes that even experienced grant writers make and how to avoid them.

Most nonprofits don't have a fundraising problem. They have a strategy problem. There's a difference between fundraising activity and fundraising strategy — and confusing the two is one of the most common reasons development programs stall. You can write grants, host events, and send appeals all year long and still end the fiscal year short of goal if those efforts aren't connected to a coherent plan.

Equitable Grantmaking Assessment Guide
Vu Le (of "Crappy Fundraising Practices") teamed up with RVC, an organization he founded in Seattle to promote social justice, to create “Making Philanthropy More Equitable: Introducing the Equitable Grantmaking Continuum.” It outlines funding practices ranging from the most equitable to the most inequitable.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funds take a unique approach. Two experts look at how to customize your message to reach them.

Check out eight free promotional trainings for you and your team.

Grant writing takes time — and time is one resource most nonprofits don't have enough of. Before you invest hours researching, writing, and compiling attachments, it's worth asking a simple question: is this grant actually worth pursuing?

Donor Advised Funds (DAF) are pools of money ($10,000 or more) created and financially sustained by individuals, families, businesses, or organizations (the Donors). These DAFs are managed and technically owned by non-profit organizations such as community foundations, colleges, and investment companies (such as Fidelity, Vanguard or Charles Schwab).

Locally and nationally, there has been recent sobering news about the state of the nonprofit workforce. Overwork, burnout, low wages, lack of benefits, and an inability to meet a surging need for programs and services are all making the sector a demanding place to work. When coupled with shifts in funding patterns and priorities and grantmakers’ reluctance to fully fund operating and administrative costs—a gap has developed and increased.

A trend among some funders at the national, regional & local level is the adoption of impact investing strategies. Foundations and large funders still provide grants, but are blending the “investment” model with traditional grants.

We’ve rounded up trends in top trends by the numbers in MN Arts Grantmaking.

Browse funder profiles by interest area.

A Special Access Philanthropy Research Piece Do Foundations Trust Trust-Based Philanthropy? (download) In January of this year, the Chronicle of Philanthropy published an opinion piece by Dan Goldenberg, executive director of Call of Duty Endowment, on his organization’s choice to back off from trust-based philanthropy.

An advice piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy goes after "Philanthro-speak" which often means one thing to a foundation program officer and another to people outside that bubble. Here are a few terms — suggested by the CP staff as well as nonprofit leaders and communications experts — that may alienate or confuse rather than inspire.

Is this one in your prospecting tool box? Cause IQ has a load of FREE information on grant makers.

3M Foundation has shut down. Future grants will be awarded through 3M’s corporate giving program.The 3M Foundation was established 70 years ago. It was one of the first corporate foundations in the U.S. and very well respected in the corporate community. From now on, grants and scholarships will be given only through the corporate giving program.

Excerpt from The Chronicle of PhilanthropyThree seasoned fundraisers share proven tactics — and real examples — to help you adapt your big-gifts strategy to the current climate and maximize results.

Arabella Advisors on 2024 Philanthropy: What, Who, and How | Trista Harris's Philanthropy Predictions | Here’s what The Chronicle of Philanthropy says we’ll see in the coming year.

Northwest Area Foundation has changed its mission to reflect a commitment to put justice at the center of its support of Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and people in rural areas.