Chris B.

In fundraising, planning is essential — but the type of plan you build determines whether your strategy can withstand real‑world conditions. A flexible plan recognizes that even the best plan is ultimately a suggestion. It assumes change will happen: new opportunities will emerge, external pressures will shift, and some of your original assumptions won’t hold. Flexible plans build in regular evaluation points like quarterly check‑ins or midpoint reviews to ask not only "How are we doing?"...

In fundraising, we talk a lot about capacity — a donor’s ability to make a gift. Wealth screenings, past gift amounts, and financial indicators all help us estimate what someone could give. It’s useful, but it’s only half the picture. The other half (often the more important half) is behavior. Behavior tells us what a donor actually does: How often they give How long they’ve been giving Whether they volunteer Whether they attend events Whether they consistently show up for the mission ...

Donor segmentation doesn’t require a massive CRM or a mountain of data. There’s a misconception that segmentation is only possible if you have sophisticated systems, advanced analytics, and deep technical expertise. And yes—those things absolutely help. But small shops can start segmenting right now with the data they already have. Because segmentation isn’t about perfection. It’s about paying closer attention. Start with the basics you already collect: When someone gave. How much they gave....