Data Reveals GoFundMe Campaigns Work Well and Offers Insights for Online Fundraising

Plus, religious congregations take up hammers to stem the housing crisis, and the East Palestine disaster shows how philanthropy can halt chemical accidents in their tracks. 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 DATA [Data Shows GoFundMe Campaigns Work Well and Offers Insights for Online Fundraising]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( A new report sheds light on best practices for charities raising money online with information like which social-media site has the highest conversion rate and how to turn first-time donors into recurring supporters. It also offers data on something nonprofits have long wondered about: crowdfunding … ADVERTISEMENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING [To Stem the Housing Crisis, Religious Congregations Are Building Homes]( By Eden Stiffman [STORY IMAGE]( Churches and other religious organizations are developing vacant or underutilized land in their own backyards to meet the need for affordable housing. Nonprofits are helping them navigate the financial and political challenges. OPINION [East Palestine Disaster Shows How Philanthropy Can Halt Chemical Accidents in Their Tracks]( By Ansje Miller [STORY IMAGE]( When a derailed train leaked hazardous chemicals into an Ohio community, donors and advocates helped residents get the aid and information they needed. They also demonstrated how to effectively address and prevent future catastrophes. Webinars [Attract Corporate Support for Your Fundraising Event]( [STORY IMAGE]( In-person events are back, bringing lots of joyful reunions, but rising costs for food, entertainment, and more are a challenge. Securing corporate support for your next gathering is a smart way to defray costs and strengthen ties with corporate donors. Join us for a 75-minute webinar on Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. Eastern, to gain insights into the corporate-giving landscape in 2023, which strategies are working now, and why. [Register by June 1 to get the early-bird rate.]( Online Briefings [‘Everyday Megadonors': A New Force in Giving]( [STORY IMAGE]( There are nearly four times as many Americans worth $50 million or more than there were a decade ago, many of whom keep a low profile. Some savvy fundraisers have built strong ties with these multimillionaires and billionaires. Join us and our panel of experts Tuesday, May 23, at 2 p.m. Eastern to gain insights into how they connect with donors in authentic ways that have led to some of the largest gifts in their histories. [Register today for this free session.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online A whistleblower says the Mormon Church has amassed a tax-free “clandestine hedge fund” of $100 billion, with charity a distant afterthought. David Nielsen, who worked for a decade as a portfolio manager for the church-held Ensign Peak Advisors, said he saw money from tithing pile up without ever seeing it spent on charity. Instead, he said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spent $600 million to bail out a for-profit insurance company it owns and another $1.4 billion to develop a mall. Nielsen and an expert on tax law flagged the insurance company transfer as a violation of IRS rules for tax-exempt organizations. A church official would not disclose details of those deals but said the insurance company has repaid most of the bail-out funds and the mall was a legitimate investment. The church says it spent more than $1 billion last year on humanitarian aid. ([60 Minutes]( Nonprofit employment has grown by one-third over the past 15 years, far outpacing growth in other areas of the job market. Those positions tend to be concentrated in Washington, D.C., and the Northeast and are likely to be filled by women who are older than workers in other parts of the economy, according to a dive into Census Bureau data. Nonprofit employees are also more educated, largely because 20 percent of nonprofit jobs are in hospitals and one-third are in health care more broadly. Job markets in Texas, Nevada, and Puerto Rico have the smallest share of nonprofit positions. ([Washington Post]( More News - L.A. County Homeless Services Workers Can’t Afford Housing Themselves, Study Finds ([Los Angeles Times]( - Philly, Nonprofit Groups Will Give Community Expansion Grant Program a Second Go to Combat Gun Violence ([WHYY]( Background from the Chronicle: [‘I Found My Peace': To Save Lives From Violence, This Group Aims to Change Lives]( and [Black Faith Groups Have Been Fighting Neighborhood Gun Violence for Decades. They’re Finally Getting Support]( - Eric Adams Is Starving New York City’s Universal Pre-K Program ([Bloomberg]( Background from the Chronicle: [Big Dollars for Little Kids: Early Childhood Education]( Advocacy - Boston Jewish Organization Launches ‘Face Jewish Hate’ Advocacy Campaign, Raises Awareness of Local Antisemitism ([Boston Globe]( - The Activist Who Walks Through California to Help Farmworkers ([Los Angeles Times]( - U.S. Marshals Spied on Abortion Protesters Using Dataminr ([Intercept]( Opinion - Protect the Lions, Help the People, Save the Planet ([Bloomberg]( - Remember, St. Jude Isn’t the Only Children’s Cancer Charity in Town ([Washington Post]( Arts and Culture - Auschwitz Museum Begins Emotional Work of Conserving 8,000 Shoes of Murdered Children ([NPR]( - A Major Denver Art Institution Weighs How It Curates as Museums Around the World Face Increasing Scrutiny ([Colorado Sun]( - The Los Angeles Opera, Post-Plácido Domingo, Works to Define Itself on Its Own Terms ([New York Times]( - Smithsonian’s Asian Art Museum Celebrates 100 Years and Looks to the Future ([Washington Post]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Amazon Business [Every Dollar Counts: Maximizing Your Budget]( When it comes to budgets, visibility is key. Discover how your organization can prepare for a better year ahead and never miss out on hidden unspent funds. Editor's Picks OPINION [What Grant Making in Russia Taught Us About How to Address the Assault on American Democracy]( By Yelena V Litvinov and Tatyana Margolin [STORY IMAGE]( The recent ouster of lawmakers in Tennessee and Montana for their anti-majority-rule views shows how the authoritarian playbook works — and what’s needed to fight back. Philanthropy must take advantage of this moment to thwart autocratic behavior and bolster democracy. ADVICE [How Some Fundraisers Are Using ChatGPT Technology to Do Their Jobs Better]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( The chatbot can automate mundane, time-consuming tasks like writing social-media posts, drafting thank-you notes to donors, and completing grant applications. WORK AND CAREERS [Bonuses Can Help Nonprofits Stretch Budgets and Retain Fundraisers]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Workplace culture plays a crucial role in how well incentive compensation works to draw in potential hires. INTERVIEW [How Cleveland Foundation’s Leader Has Worked to Revitalize the City’s Economy]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Ronn Richard, who is retiring from the fund, says one key to success has been hiring foundation staff from the business world — and using the organization’s clout and assets to revive troubled neighborhoods. OPINION [The End of the Covid Health Emergency Must Not Spell the End of Progress Toward Health Equity]( By Amy Pisani [STORY IMAGE]( Philanthropic support helped fill gaps in government funding to ensure coronavirus vaccines and care were available to everyone. Those investments are still needed to sustain the long-needed public-health infrastructure built during the pandemic — and to prepare the nation for the next health crisis. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join Our Next Webinar]( — Donors are showing increased interest in planned giving since the pandemic began: In a recent survey, 60 percent of fundraisers said they were seeing a spike in interest in bequests. Plus, many donors are pledging larger gifts. Yet charities often miss out on planned gifts because they don't ask supporters to consider leaving one. How can you increase planned giving to your nonprofit without spending a lot? Join us on Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from two experts simple yet effective ways to inspire loyal donors to make planned gifts. They'll share smart ways to identify and cultivate donors, to make it easy to give, and to promote planned giving to donors of all ages. They'll also provide tips for stewarding donors and advice for taking planned giving to the next level at your organization. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Director of Fundraising Operations]( Fistula Foundation [Assistant Vice President for Development, Colleges and Units]( University of South Carolina [Assistant Vice President for Development, Health Sciences]( University of South Carolina [Assistant General Manager, Development]( Metropolitan Opera [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