Fundraisers Are Stressed. Here’s How They’re Coping.

Plus, MacKenzie Scott’s hundreds of millions in gifts mean ‘the space to dream’ for some colleges, and 7 rules for marketing planned gifts to donors ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( [logo] [Read this newsletter on the web](. FUNDRAISING [Fundraisers Are Stressed. Here’s How They’re Coping.]( By Emily Haynes and Eden Stiffman [image] They’re figuring out how to tame long hours, intense pressure to raise more money, and worries about health and racial injustice. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( PHILANTHROPY [For These Colleges, MacKenzie Scott’s Hundreds of Millions in Gifts Mean ‘the Space to Dream’]( By Lindsay Ellis [image] Unexpected emails and phone calls brought word of seven- and eight-figure donations to community colleges, tribal institutions, and minority-serving campuses — a rarity in higher education. PLANNED GIVING TOOL [7 Rules for Marketing Planned Gifts to Donors]( By Lisa Schohl [image] Bequests and other planned gifts provide a significant source of revenue for nonprofits. Yet many donors don’t include charities in their will simply because they were never asked, says Lisa Sargent, founder of an eponymous fundraising consultancy. Paid for and Created by M&T Bank [Navigating a Pandemic and Social Justice]( From transitioning to digital programming and new online content, to placing added importance on an organization’s mission and values, cultural institutions are beginning to plan for a safe reopening during these uncertain times, positioning themselves to be even more successful in the nation’s new normal. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Many religious nonprofits struggled last year as congregants stayed away from their places of worship or from shopping centers, where the Salvation Army conducts its Red Kettle campaign. One survey of 500 congregations found that 41 percent had seen a decline in revenues, with small congregations hit especially hard. The Salvation Army's Red Kettle collections were down 30 percent going into December, and even groups that had stable or increased revenue faced enormous demand for their services: An Islamic charity in Maryland that usually helps 150 households in a year was serving 550 in 2020. ([Washington Post]( Small foundations are finding creative ways to make an impact on the environment that belie their relatively limited means. Many launch joint efforts with complementary groups, offering expertise, contacts, research, or other services as well as funds. Others lobby lawmakers and do public outreach on local environmental issues. Still others invest their endowments in green technology or hold shares in large corporations that they prod into adopting more environmentally friendly practices. ([New York Times]( With box-office revenues gone, arts groups are relying more on donors while trying to remain sensitive to other urgent demands on supporters. Ticket sales for performing-arts institutions were down 96.3 percent in November compared with a year earlier, according to one report, even as other research showed individual giving down by 14 percent and the average size of gifts from typically reliable donors down by 38 percent. Meanwhile, online fundraising events, including backstage tours, stage-makeup demonstrations, and virtual performances, are bringing in only a fraction of the revenue lost from canceled events. But given the crises in public health, hunger, and racial justice, leaders of these arts institutions are cautious about pushing too hard when other nonprofits are "literally dealing with life and death situations," one orchestra board chairman said. ([New York Times]( More News - Push Against Tax-Advantaged Land Deals to Continue Next Congress ([Bloomberg Tax]( - The 29 Most Generous Billionaires in America ([Business Insider]( — subscription). Plus, see the Chronicle's most recent ranking of the [top donors]( as well as our list of the people who made the [biggest gifts]( in 2020. - A Covid-19 Relief Fund Was Only for Black Residents. Then Came the Lawsuits. ([New York Times]( - Ministry Roiled by Late Founder’s Sexual Misconduct Scandal ([Associated Press]( Feeding People in Need - At Ivanka Trump’s Urging, White House Announces New $1.5 Billion in Funds for Farmers to Families Food Box program ([Washington Post]( - Food Banks Have Had a Record Year. Here’s What It’s Like to Run One. ([Vox]( - What’s Cooking at World Central Kitchen? A Case Study in Relief ([Bloomberg Businessweek]( - Tired of Waiting for the Government, Hungry Americans Turn to One Another for Help ([Washington Post]( Subscribe to the Chronicle The Chronicle of Philanthropy is dedicated to helping nonprofits care for their clients and staff, manage financial setbacks, and stay connected with donors. Please consider subscribing, so that we may continue to provide essential news, resources, and analysis to the nonprofit world. [Subscribe Today]( Editor's Picks INDIVIDUAL GIVING [Jeff Bezos’s $10 Billion Environmental Gift Tops Chronicle List of the Biggest Charitable Donations of 2020]( By Maria Di Mento [image] Nike’s Phil Knight was No. 2 and Priscilla and Mark Zuckerberg were No. 3 with their donations to secure the safety of the November elections. NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED [Nonprofits Win Extended Charitable Deductions and Paycheck Protection Loans in Stimulus Bill]( By Dan Parks and Michael Theis [image] However, the loans in the new $900 billion measure that Congress is poised to enact would come with narrower eligibility criteria than in the previous stimulus law. TIPS AND TOOLS [Fighting Racism Requires Nonprofits and Foundations to Learn How to Talk Openly About Injustice]( By Tanya Barrientos and Norris West [image] A new tool kit explains how to ditch the savior language and showcase the aspirations and common humanity of people at the center of philanthropic missions. FINANCE AND REVENUE [Community Foundations Wrestle Over Whether to Accept Government Help]( By Alex Daniels and Michael Theis [image] With Congress negotiating a renewal of the Paycheck Protection Program, debate may rise anew within community foundation over whether their pursuit of the loans would siphon funds from service-providing nonprofits. OPINION [To Ride the Growing Civic Wave, Nonprofits Need to Find New Ways to Engage Supporters]( By Natalye Paquin [image] The November election and the massive civic engagement that preceded it, demonstrate the importance of deploying every asset that volunteers and donors bring to a cause. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( Paid for and Created by CCS Fundraising [CCS Survey Shows Improved Fundraising Trends and Evolved Donor Engagement Tactics]( Gain insights into fundraising outcomes, impacts, and evolving donor engagement tactics via CCS Fundraising’s newly released third-edition report, Fundraising Impact of COVID-19, highlighting results that indicate improved virtual solicitations. How to Craft an Annual Fundraising Plan in Uncertain Times [Join Our Webinar]( — A savvy development plan is the bedrock of the best fundraising. It helps organizations hit or surpass goals, track results, change course if needed, and focus limited resources on activities that will bear the most fruit. But how can you plan for a full year amid so much uncertainty? Join the Chronicle and our expert guests on Thursday, January 14 at 2 p.m. to learn how to set priorities, create a road map to achieve your goals, measure success, and allow for flexibility. Three expert guests — two fundraising executives and a consultant — will outline key questions to consider when creating a fundraising strategy, including how to balance short-term needs with long-term goals and prepare your trustees and executives to make decisions quickly as circumstances shift. You'll also get key steps to take to ensure a plan delivers, learn how to reassess your priorities, tactics, and metrics during uncertain times, and get sample elements of development plans to help you create a smart fundraising strategy for 2021. [Register today to get the early-bird rate.]( Job Opportunities [Director of Development at Education and Arts Nonprofit]( 826 National [Grants Writer]( West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine [Vice President for Advancement]( Aspen Music Festival and School [Vice President of Major Gifts]( Henry Ford Health System [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in philanthropy. What did you think of today’s newsletter? 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