Are you ready to build or optimize your planned giving program? Planned giving programs do not need to be overly complicated but they do require intentional and consistent planning to be successful. A nonprofit can start with a simple, well-run program and then layer complexity as future needs merit. Here are 7 steps to build—and sustain—a planned giving program.

Is generosity really decreasing? If so, why is it happening? In reality, aspects of generosity are decreasing, but they are also shifting. This article explores the trends in donor behavior, what the research is actually saying, and how fundraisers can adapt to this shift.

A robust annual giving campaign is critical for creating a reliable fundraising stream. Follow these eight steps to build a powerful annual giving approach.

BWF is excited to share the key findings from the 2023 Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy. Presented by the research team at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the fundraising professionals at Giving USA Foundation, the Giving USA report is the longest-running, most extensive report on philanthropy in the United States. BWF is proud to be a member of The Giving Institute.

After years of debate, US News & World Report finally announced the removal of alumni giving as a factor in national university rankings. This follows advocacy from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and a chorus of annual giving professionals who have long complained that the flawed metric incentivized transactional programs and caused long-term harm to higher education fundraising.

No longer is it enough to be the best fundraiser in the room. Leaders of the modern fundraising enterprise have the responsibility and privilege to be so much more. Through a commitment to character development, continual learning, confirming the fundamentals, innovation, and modeling excellence, the leader of a development program can bring out the best from their team and build a successful program of significance. This preview of BeneFactors showcases the depth this book offers.

Many nonprofits are questioning why the new MasterCard rules are being applied to recurring gifts. But as we at BWF think about the next generation of annual giving, this is not the right question. This article reframes this problem into positioning recurring gift offers as an opportunity for nonprofits to create a deeper, more meaningful relationship with donors—to move past the transaction and into engagement.

BWF is excited to share the key findings from this year’s Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy. Presented by the research team at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the fundraising professionals at Giving USA Foundation, the Giving USA report is the longest-running, most extensive report on philanthropy in the United States. BWF is proud to be a member of The Giving Institute.

As philanthropy grows increasingly complex and high-net-worth giving continues to change the nonprofit landscape, faith-based charities have an opportunity to grow their fundraising production in very significant and achievable ways.