The TopNonprofits blog contains articles, stories, tips, and other helpful information for nonprofit professionals. Be sure to bookmark this page and join our mailing list so you won’t miss any new material added to this treasure trove of knowledge.
Our blogs are written by seasoned professionals with topics carefully selected and information referenced and curated to provide the best possible information available on the Internet. We’re always open to new ideas, suggestions, and contributions for content. Start learning by clicking on the selections found on this page. Contact us if you have any questions.
3 Summer Fundraising Ideas for Your School Organization
While classes are out for summer vacation, many school organizations are still working hard to prepare for the upcoming school year. For example, the PTA might be meeting to plan fun events for students that motivate them to get involved in the community, while the marching band practices for the approaching competitive season. Because these organizations are still meeting, rehearsing, and preparing over the summer, they need to secure the [...]
Understanding Nonprofit Membership Models: Quick Guide
Looking to structure the way you collect dues and give your members their perks and benefits? Then it’s time to start looking into the best options for nonprofit membership models! Choosing the right membership model is key to delivering all the perks of your membership program. Plus, it helps you bring in a steady stream of revenue for your organization. In order to figure out which model is best for [...]
How to Retain Your Nonprofit’s Major Donors: 4 Expert Tips
Improving your donor retention rate is likely at the top of your nonprofit’s priority list. Your organization should seek to retain donors at all levels, but it’s especially essential to create a major donor retention plan. These donors typically make up only around 20% of a nonprofit’s donor base, but they contribute a staggering 80% of funding (this is known as the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule). According to [...]
4 Surefire Strategies for Effective Major Donor Fundraising
There are many ways your nonprofit can raise money for its cause, from launching peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and hosting events to asking local businesses to sponsor your work. But one of the greatest sources of nonprofit revenue is major gifts, which are the largest individual contributions your organization receives. In fact, nonprofits typically find that 80% of their revenue comes from just 20% of their donors—their major donors! Of course, what constitutes a [...]
501(c)(3) Checklist: Preparing for Nonprofit Status
If you’re looking into starting a nonprofit, you’re likely passionate about a particular cause. You have a plan to solve an issue or help a group of people and you want to take action to make a difference. You know that your first step is creating a nonprofit and you start by establishing a brand, building a website, and getting the word out. Filing IRS documents might be the last [...]
Working with a Nonprofit Tech Consultant: 4 Things to Know
Nonprofit consultants can provide valuable insight for their clients, such as assisting with a new marketing campaign, working to improve stewardship efforts, or helping an organization get ready for a capital campaign. There is a wide range of nonprofit consultants, and while many of them focus on the same aspect of nonprofit management, they will likely differ in their services, process, and specialties. For example, technical nonprofit consulting firms may [...]
Assessing Silent Auction Software: 6 Things to Look For
Choosing the right event for your nonprofit to host can be a challenge. You need to find an event that supports your fundraising goals, donor stewardship initiatives, and overall supporter engagement, not to mention cultivating new donors. If you’ve decided to host a silent auction in conjunction with your next event, you’re already on the right track to creating an exciting opportunity to bring your community of supporters together and raise plenty [...]
How Cross-Sector Partnerships Can Benefit Nonprofits
Your nonprofit doesn’t have to operate alone. Serving alongside a for-profit business in what is known as a cross-sector partnership comes with several benefits and should be built into your organization’s strategic plan. To ensure a successful partnership, reach out to businesses that align with your mission and ask detailed questions about who their customers are, what they expect to get out of a partnership, and how they would be [...]
Matching Gift Research Report [Published 2023]
Thousands of companies—from Fortune 500 businesses to local mom-and-pop shops—offer employee or corporate matching gift programs. Essentially, they offer to match donations made by individual team members to eligible nonprofit causes. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of funding made available through these programs is actually being contributed to qualifying organizations. And the largest obstacles to success have to do with a widespread lack of awareness on the part of [...]
Nonprofit Budgeting Basics for Fraternities & Sororities
No matter your chapter’s size or focus, a crucial part of achieving your chapter’s goals is having an effective budget. That being said, your budget’s contents and structure will be different than other sororities’ and fraternities’ budgets. In fact, it might even differ from chapters of your organization at other schools with similar fundraising programs. As the foundation of the chapter’s activities and the indicator of your performance, your budget [...]
EXPLORE OUR NONPROFIT RESOURCES
Sign up for a webinar, tune into a podcast, take a course, or access a guide on a vast array of topics including fundraising, board governance, marketing and communications, and much more!
We are renowned for our top-nonprofit lists including the best logos, websites, and degree programs. We also have an ever-expanding blog full of valuable information to help your not-for-profit org reach its potential.