Thought Leadership

For the study in early 2017, over 600 nonprofit organizations in a variety of sectors from the U.S. and Canada were polled. The goal of the research was to assist organizations in seeing what prospect identification processes other nonprofits use, compare their effectiveness, and explore related insights.

In 2017, The Philanthropy Workshop released a study on the perspectives and philanthropic practices of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Highlighted are key survey findings, what these findings can mean for your organization, and the valuable next steps for moving forward.

Organizations often struggle to fully understand the distinctions between gift processing and finance roles and responsibilities. While these departments are sometimes viewed as one, they serve different but complementary purposes. Outlining the goals, priorities, processes, and needs of each department can help build a more cohesive and collaborative relationship.

Data governance committees can be a valuable resource in developing policies and procedures for effective data management and communication of the organization’s data standards. BWF reviews the components of a data governance committee and advises on how to establish one successfully.

During the strategy development process, we analyze, craft, and build targeted audiences for cultivation purposes. Of interest to our clients is how to find and deliver targeted messaging to high-net-worth constituents on Facebook. The growth of wealthy women on Facebook is of particular interest to organizations.

Discovery visits—a tedious and often a dreaded task for major gift officers. Most fundraising professionals realize this necessity but often do it reluctantly. These visits are valuable for focusing your work, increasing philanthropic support, and can be personally rewarding.

One critical but often overlooked aspect in achieving a successful fundraising program is the relationship and interaction between gift officers and operations staff. While gift officers interact directly with donors and strive to build lasting relationships to garner support for the organization’s mission, operations staff are the gatekeepers of valuable data and ensure proper processes for data accuracy.

Donor-advised funds represent an important and growing fundraising opportunity. But what happens once a donor-advised fund transaction comes through a nonprofit organization’s door? Here are some best practices.

Storing large quantities of data is no longer a technological challenge. With the widespread adoption of fundraising analytics and the next generation of scoring systems on the horizon, the impulse is for organizations to store everything.