2025 is upon us, and it’s worth revisiting some of our best articles from 2024 and reflecting on the insights we can draw on how to grow as givers, doers, and thinkers.
Dear Reader,
Another year has come to an end, one truly action-packed—the economy vacillated wildly; politicians griped and voters, well, voted; charitable giving trends changed; we ourselves flashed and yearned (as John Berryman would say).
As we enter 2025, perhaps with some trepidation, I invite you to join me in looking back at some of the best Philanthropy Daily articles of 2024 and extracting the best lessons for the year ahead.
Before we get into specifics, it’s worth it to step back and think about the fundamentals of fundraising. In supplement to his 2023 (pardon the flashback!) piece on the three pillars supporting fundraising success, Eric Streiff added a fourth pillar: “Donor-First Strategy: Thinking Outside the Digital Box.” It might seem like a no-brainer to put your donor first, but that attitude is something nonprofits too often neglect. Don’t be one of them!
More donor-centric wisdom from Eric: it’s crucial to long-term fundraising success to prioritize donor retention, not just acquisition. Emphasize the quality of your relationships with your donors, not the quantity.
As you home in on your donors, though, it’s crucial still to look at the bigger picture: keep your eyes on your mission. Think about the good you’re doing in the world, and how your fundraising efforts will enable you to do even more. If you’re looking for inspiration and insight, consider perusing our series on nine nonprofits whose work instantiates the corporal works of mercy.
Austin Detwiler and Cecilia Diem urge you to think about how you can instantiate another virtue, humility, whether as a fundraiser or a philanthropist.
James Davenport shares how to communicate your mission with donors. First, if your nonprofit is going to fulfill its purpose, your staff need to think and speak clearly and consistently about your mission. Carter Skeel offers a guide on how to find your organization’s voice and use it to communicate your values. Sharing your mission with strength and clarity attracts donors and foundations that are aligned with your values and ready to give.
Now, on to the economy: charitable giving declined in 2022 and 2023, and given the spike in inflation in 2024, that trend stands to continue. That said, focus on what you can control (your own fundraising), without fixating on trends. When planning for the year ahead, it’s worth flashing back (again) to our “Fundraising when Times Are Bad” series.
Tailoring your messaging to the current moment is crucial in 2025, especially with shifts in givers’ outlook and the coming shakeup in political power. Re: the latter: here’s a primer on the lessons you can learn from political campaigns, and how they raise billions.
The COVID-19 pandemic is fading in the rearview mirror, but the impact it had on civil society (including K-12 learning) is still very real and present. Frank Filocomo and Jillian Racoosin Kornmeier remind us that third places are disappearing, but that communities have the power to protect them.
And your nonprofit has the power to help those communities, in the panoply of ways explicated in the corporal works of mercy series and more. But Ben Domingue reminds us that failure in fundraising is inevitable, but that disappointment also presents us with an opportunity to grow.
The year wouldn’t be complete without Jeremy Beer sharing his wisdom, which is exactly what he serves up in his new book, The Quest for Belonging: How the Most Effective Fundraisers Understand the Psychology of Giving, which you can dip into with Rachel Morgan’s review. More from Jeremy: 2024 saw another season of the Givers, Doers, & Thinkers podcast, full of scintillating conversations with fascinating guests. Give it a listen.
Regardless of what lies in store for us in the coming year, one thing is certain: Americans are the most generous people on earth (no hyperbole here) and that will continue in 2025.
Thank you for being a Philanthropy Daily reader in 2024, and I hope you’ll join us as we forge ahead in 2025. And above all, thank you for being an active participant in strengthening civil society through your giving, your doing, and your thinking.
Best,
Lorna
