Getting Back to Basics

Following the AFP ICON, I read a post created by Gabe Cooper, CEO of Virtuous. It was his summary of what he gleaned at the Conference from nonprofit professionals and colleagues in attendance. His words really resonated with me. Sometimes what is old is new. I asked Gabe for permission to share his thoughts with my lists on Constant Contact, Linked-In, and Facebook. Thank you Gabe for letting me share this.

Gabe's Thoughts:

The future of fundraising isn’t slowly evolving—it’s transforming fast. Here are 5 trends that stuck with me:

Sustainable Monthly Giving is replacing the major gift safety net. It’s time to build resiliency and sustainability with recurring revenue tied to storytelling + branded giving programs. Check out Dave Raley’s book The Rise of Sustainable Giving. I saw Dave talk a couple of times at ICON, and his insights couldn’t be more timely!

Personalization isn’t optional—modern donors expect the type of personalized experiences they get from their favorite for-profit brands. Modern donors are distracted by a barrage of media and have lost trust in many traditional institutions. They REQUIRE personal connection. Responsive tech makes that scalable.

AI is everywhere, but the best tools amplify relationships, not replace them. If you’re looking for a good place to start your journey, I highly recommend Nathan Chappell’s book Nonprofit AI

Multi-channel is mandatory—email or mail alone won’t cut it. A unified donor journey across all channels wins. This includes both automated touches AND person-to-person communication (zoom calls, in-person events, etc)

Retention beats acquisition—everyday donors continue to opt out of giving. We must turn the tide on small-dollar donor churn and expand our existing donors by drawing them into our cause in more personal ways. And if you don’t have a scalable, personal mid-level program to grow existing donors, now is the time!

The old playbook isn’t working—but the future is bright for those willing to adapt. Let’s go build the next wave of generosity.