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The pool of donor-advised fund (DAF) assets is projected to exceed $2 trillion by 2026. It often flows through channels that can conceal the actual donors behind the gifts. While this can be a challenge, it also represents an enormous opportunity for leaders who know how to make the invisible visible.

A couple years ago, I decided to sign up for my first ever beginner triathlon. Even though I didn’t have a training schedule, I did have an irrational sense of optimism – what else could I possibly need?  Without a plan, I showed up on race day to the start line without goggles and one sock. Unprepared but still optimistic. I can manage a short swim, bike ride, and 5k because I had done those exercises in some form before – how hard could it be?

Needless to say, I found myself struggling to make it through. By the run, I was exhausted and would shamelessly run when there were cheerleaders and spectators and would walk when no one was watching.

I finished, but it was messy.

That experience taught me something important: passion and optimism are great, but without a focused plan and intentional execution, you’ll spend more energy scrambling than succeeding.

The same is true in fundraising…especially at year-end.

Fall marks a season of renewed energy for many nonprofit boards. As members return from summer breaks and settle back into meeting rhythms, there's a natural momentum building toward year-end. This is the perfect time to tackle those important governance priorities that may have been on the back burner—turning the final quarter into your board's most productive and impactful months of the year.

Working with boards is a topic that DBD Group has written about at length. Less popular, but only slightly less important, is creating an effective Finance Committee for your nonprofit. This group can be the most dynamic, exciting and important group in your organization.

From monitoring financial performance to approving budgets and financial policies, vetting loan options to overseeing the audit process, there is plenty to dig into. The best committees don’t just happen though. They are intentionally built, diverse in more ways than you might think, and given a clear chart of work.

When setting fundraising goals—whether for annual contributed revenue or a multi-year campaign—many organizations default to looking at past performance. But here’s the thing: basing your goals only on what’s been done before can be limiting.

Whether you’re looking to finish strong on an already successful year, or you’re looking to close a gap to goal, this story of a high school wrestling tournament offers four ways to help any team reach their goal in the face of adversity.

First, let me set the stage…

As our clients seek to finish the year strong, we are helping them navigate the changing landscape of grant writing with its new challenges and opportunities. Staying ahead of the curve is crucial for anyone looking to secure funding in a competitive environment. Here’s a look at the latest trends that we are seeing in grant writing. Consider using these strategies to refine your approach and increase your chances of success.

As a nonprofit organization, your case for support is a critical tool to communicate the value and impact of your work, build relationships with donors, and secure the resources needed to fulfill your mission. But it’s not enough to write it once and assume it’s always going to work.

While you should dust off and evaluate the strength and validity of your case every year, sometimes you need a bigger reset.

I get asked this question at least once a week: what’s the single most important thing for successful campaigns? Most who ask this question suspect my answer will be something about wealth screening, stewardship, powerful cases, endorsements from community leaders, etc.

The simple answer is … leadership. And that leadership has to come from all levels of the organization.

Leadership takes the form of a graphic designer who spends the extra hours to make materials simple, elegant and powerful.

As a consulting firm focused on fund development, we field calls daily from organizations seeking advice and counsel on how to raise money for lots of reasons: annual sustaining, endowment, disaster relief, education and awareness, and of course capital campaigns.