Raising Money in an Uncertain Economy Is Hot Topic at Fundraisers' Meeting

Plus, cross-border philanthropy was surprisingly stable as Covid hit, donor-advised fund holders should unleash their dollars now (opinion), and not all philanthropists should be accepted (opinion). ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. You can now follow The Chronicle on [Apple News]( [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. FUNDRAISING ADVICE [Discussions About How to Raise Money in an Uncertain Economy Pull in Fundraisers at AFP Meeting]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( Topics included planned giving, donor-advised funds, and new research into ways to retain donors and boost their giving. ADVERTISEMENT GIVING [Cross-Border Philanthropy Was Stable as Covid Hit, in Sharp Contrast to Private Capital Investments Globally]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( A study released today shows that $70 billion was awarded, most of it from people in the wealthiest nations. OPINION [Donor-Advised Fund Holders Should Unleash Their Dollars Now — Not Wait for Government Action]( By David Risher and Jennifer Risher [STORY IMAGE]( The co-creators of the #HalfMyDAF campaign are calling on more donors to join them as they launch two new rounds of matching funds to encourage people to grant 50 percent of their DAF dollars to nonprofits. OPINION [Opinion |No, Not All Philanthropic Views Are Good, and Many Don’t Deserve Our Respect]( By Vu Le [STORY IMAGE]( An essay in the Chronicle by six philanthropy leaders urging support for pluralism disregarded the real dangers caused by big donors, especially by those who fund efforts to take away rights and hurt marginalized groups. Webinars [Today: How to Identify and Prioritize Key Donors and Prospects]( [STORY IMAGE]( Savvy fundraisers know it’s essential to figure out which donors and potential supporters are likely to give most generously — and prioritize them. But at many nonprofit organizations, this process involves a lot of guesswork and missed opportunities. So we’ve assembled an expert in donor research, along with a successful chief development officer, to show you how to gather data to help you invest limited resources wisely. Join us live today, April 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern. [Register Now.]( [Optimize Your Data and Segment Donors]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join us on Tuesday, May 11, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute session to learn simple steps you can take right away to enhance your donor records and customize your outreach to give supporters information and appeals that resonate. We’ll share real-world examples of personalized messages that make the most of donor data to improve fundraising results. Can’t make the live event? Watch on demand. [Register by May 4 for the early-bird rate.]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The Smithsonian Institution is taking another look at its pick to lead a new women’s history museum, Nancy Yao, who has recently presided over lawsuit settlements and sexual-harassment complaints made against employees she oversaw. When the Smithsonian announced Yao’s appointment to lead the planned American Women’s History Museum in March, it was aware of a handful of lawsuits and settlements, which Yao dismisses as “nuisance agreements,” during her tenure as president of the Museum of Chinese in America, according to a spokeswoman. But people with knowledge of the events say they were not contacted during the institution’s search process. Their accounts, along with audio recordings and screenshots of text messages, appear to support employees’ complaints of sexual harassment by two male executives at the museum, and they throw into question Yao’s claims about why those making the complaints were subsequently fired. To the Washington Post, Yao cited “severe budget pressures” for the dismissals, directly contradicting what she told employees two days after one of the firings, according to an audio recording. The Smithsonian has hired an outside firm to “review the underlying facts.” Yao denies retaliating against the staff members who complained, and the Chinese museum did not admit wrongdoing in the settlements. ([Washington Post]( Donald Trump continues to enjoy a lucrative tax break for pledging to conserve land in New York State by valuing the property at far more than he could likely earn from it, according to recent disclosures. Trump has put a $50 million price tag on the land, although he can no longer develop it, having given the rights to most of it to the North American Land Trust in 2015 after attempting unsuccessfully to subdivide it. New financial disclosures show that he earned $2,500 from the property last year. Investigators for the New York attorney general, who are looking into possible fraud in Trump’s valuation practices, say the inflated figures resulted in a big deduction that helped shave $3.5 million from Trump’s tax bill. An expert on conservation easements said Trump’s case is one of many, citing an “enormous amount of valuation abuse.” ([Daily Beast]( More News - Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian Turns His Focus to Climate Solutions With Plans to Give $20 Million ([CBS News]( - Trustee Compensation and Charity Care Provision in U.S. Nonprofit Hospitals ([Health Affairs]( - Nonprofit to Erase Medical Debt for 22K Connecticut Trinity Health Patients ([WTNH]( Background from the Chronicle: [Charities That Curb Medical Debt for the Needy Are Growing Fast — and Innovating]( - Nonprofit Campaign to Raise Funds to Fly Qualified Asylum-Seekers to U.S. ([Border Report]( - Humana Endows Three Positions and Supports Health Equity Fund at Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University With $15 Million Donation ([Philadelphia Inquirer]( Opinion - Why Shuttering AmazonSmile Was a Mistake ([Harvard Business Review]( Background from the Chronicle: [The End of AmazonSmile Is an Opportunity for Nonprofits to Revisit Their Values]( Arts and Culture - A Sante Fe Museum Announced Its Closure Due to Lack of Funding — But an Emergency Fundraiser Might Provide It a Lifeline ([Artnet News]( - Todd Haimes, Who Rebuilt N.Y.’s Roundabout Theater Company, Dies at 66 ([New York Times]( Note: In the links in this section, we flag articles that only subscribers can access. But because some journalism outlets offer a limited number of free articles, readers may encounter barriers with other articles we highlight in this roundup. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Editor's Picks GIVING DATA [Giving to Nonprofits Fell Nearly 2 Percent in the Last Quarter of 2022]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Previously, the biggest donors insulated overall fundraising revenue from a decline, but there were fewer of these donors at year-end. SOCIAL MEDIA [Nonprofits Stick to Their Tweets Even as They Worry That Elon Musk’s Twitter Is Toxic]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Most charitable groups remain on the platform despite concerns that the social-media giant’s content is increasingly noxious. OPINION [Suing Government and Business Is a Potent Way to Curb Climate Change. Why Are Donors So Afraid of It?]( By Bruce Reznik [STORY IMAGE]( Lawsuits are not as risky or costly as many grant makers believe — and are one of the best strategies for achieving lasting effects on a wide range of environmental issues. CONFERENCE [Nonprofits Talk A.I., Personalization, and Privacy at Technology Conference]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( At the first in-person gathering since 2019, nonprofits showed great interest in emerging technologies but said their top priority was more basic: getting their systems to talk to each other. FUNDRAISING DATA [Data and Advice on How to Better Engage With Donors and Raise More Money]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( How donors changed during the pandemic and how email can help nonprofits interact with donors to raise more money, according to new reports. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join Our Next Webinar]( — Savvy fundraisers know it’s essential to figure out which donors and potential supporters are likely to give most generously — and then decide whom to cultivate first. But at many nonprofit organizations, this process involves a lot of guesswork and missed opportunities for gifts. That’s why we've assembled an expert in donor research, along with a successful chief development officer, to show you how to gather the data you need to wisely invest your limited staff time and fundraising budget. Join us live on Thursday, April 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute session (or watch on demand) to get practical guidance on creating a road map for identifying and building stronger ties with those donors who have the greatest potential to support your work. You'll get tips on mining your database to reveal promising donor behaviors and traits, tools you can use to find solid prospects, and ways to deepen relationships with your leading supporters. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Controller]( Santa Fe Community Foundation [Director of Development, Archaeological Advocacy & Education]( Archaeological Institute of America [Vice President of Development]( Chapman University [Search other jobs.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037