A Joyous Homecoming
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Leadership, News
At 11:10 last night, our long-time employee and good friend, Joy Evans Ayres, went home to be with Jesus after a year-long battle with cancer. She will be so deeply missed. As I have thought about this inevitable day for Joy, I’ve been reminded of 1 Thessalonians 4:13, that we don’t grieve like those who […]
The one thing not to do when facing a funding crisis
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising, Insights
Over the years I’ve seen boards and leadership of organizations too often react wrongly when funding is tight. They either force across-the-board cuts or decide to take in house work that has been under the purview of experts in the field. Here’s the problem with both of those responses. First, when facing financial shortfalls, not […]
Three things every fundraiser should keep an eye on in 2018
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising, Insights
As we rapidly move into the new year, there are three things that I’ve been thinking about that I think every fundraiser should keep their eye on in 2018. In no particular order:
The Epidemic of Abuse
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Leadership, News
We’ve all been stunned by revelation after revelation of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse by those in powerful positions in a variety of industries including entertainment, politics, and media. The stories being unearthed are horrifying, and in some cases graphic and even grotesque. As I’ve listened to this narrative unfold, I’ve been struck that in […]
3 surprising observations about Millennial giving
Trent Dunham, President | Posted In: Fundraising, Research
Wes Gay, Forbes Under 30 Contributor, recently wrote a white paper, ‘3 Keys to Successfully Engage Millennial Donors,’ to help charitable organizations further unpack the groundbreaking Millennial research released by Dunham+Company this spring. Regarding the importance of Millennial engagement, Wes is crystal clear: “Millennials are no longer the next generation; they’re the now generation. Those […]
One way to ignite your organization with passion
Bob Guittard, Chief Strategist — Integrated Fundraising | Posted In: Fundraising, Insights
I was recently with a global ministry client with over 200 years of history where we unveiled our recommendation for a fresh, new brand strategy. After a presentation like this, there’s often some awkward silence as the presenter waits for honest reactions from the room. You never know which direction it’ll go. The seconds after […]
Pseudo-spiritual fundraising myth #3
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising
There’s a line of thinking among some in Christian ministry that fundraising driven by outcomes, reflected in measuring results, is wrong. In fact, from this perspective, conducting your fundraising efforts with an eye on results is actually a reflection of an unhealthy love of money. Faithfulness to God stands in opposition to a desire and drive for greater results.
Again, like the other pseudo-spiritual myths of fundraising, this sounds really spiritual… but it just isn’t biblically sound.
Pseudo-spiritual fundraising myth #2
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising
In my last blog post I outlined the greatest pseudo-spiritual fundraising myth… that God will somehow provide without us asking people for money. Sure, He’s able to do that, but as I explained in my post, that’s not the framework for funding ministry He’s established. Today, let’s tackle pseudo-spiritual myth #2. This myth, prevalent in […]
Pseudo-spiritual fundraising myth #1
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising
Over my 39-year career in fundraising with Christian nonprofits, I’ve been exposed to a number of what I would consider pseudo-spiritual myths about fundraising. They’re always well-meaning, but unfortunately, they reflect a flawed theology. And they tend to give fundraisers or the leadership of a ministry or church a pass on accountability.
Tax Reform and the Charitable Deduction
Rick Dunham, CEO | Posted In: Fundraising, News
Yesterday, the White House released its proposed tax reform (PDF), indicating that one goal would be to protect the charitable tax deduction. However, what is being proposed could negatively impact charitable giving. First, the proposal to double the standard deduction will mean that millions of Americans will no longer itemize their deductions, which will directly […]