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Summer’s erratic schedules—donors on vacation, staff taking time off, board members and volunteers unavailable—can disrupt traditional fundraising efforts. But this quieter season offers a powerful opportunity for fundraising leaders, whether they manage teams or work as individual contributors, to reset their approach by leaning into authentic, one-on-one connections. By focusing on building genuine relationships with colleagues, donors, volunteers, and board members, leaders can foster trust, inspire collaboration, and fuel long-term success in ways no strategy or tactic can match. Here’s how to use summer’s lull to cultivate meaningful connections that transform your leadership and organization.

Can you believe we’re already halfway through the year? If you’re like most nonprofit leaders, you kicked off the year with ambitious fundraising goals, detailed plans, and a whole lot of motivation to have “the best year yet!”

Now, with six months behind us, it's time to step back and ask: How are we really doing?

Remember, fundraising isn't just about year-end campaigns, online appeals, or event seasons; it’s a year-round effort that begins on day one of your new fiscal year. Taking time now to evaluate your progress can be the difference between scrambling in Q4 or finishing strong.

A mid-year review gives you a chance to:

• Assess the first six months of the year
• Identify gaps
• Re-engage and realign
• Plan ahead with purpose

December is a busy time in the life of a nonprofit fund raiser. It starts with Giving Tuesday and continues with year-end appeals and gentle reminders for open 2024 pledges. Nonprofit leaders with fundraising responsibilities have a number in their heads: what do I need to raise to meet my year-end goal?

As we move into the last quarter of the year, the focus for many nonprofit organizations is on year-end fundraising. But before you ask for more, have you properly shown gratitude for all you’ve received?

It was soooooo frustrating: the camp auction. All I wanted was a gift certificate to my favorite bakery. As we bid higher, a friend outbid us. Again and again. Man I wanted the ginger cookies from this bakery or a loaf of challah bread. But here was a friend of mine bidding them out of sight! Forget it. Let him have it.