Candid insights

The big picture of the social sector, backed by data and expertise

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Planned Giving Success: Strategies to Maximize Donor Gifts

There are simple steps even small, grassroots groups can take to encourage legacy gifts and planned giving success.

December 17, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Fundraising, giving, and donations; Resources and tools;
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Eight Ways Funders Can Engage in Rural Philanthropy

Rural America is home to significant political capital and influence that can add considerable muscle to national policy and advocacy efforts, and funders need to engage in Rural Philanthropy.

By Betsey Russell (she/her) and Allen Smart (he/him)

December 5, 2018

Tags: Funders; US; Foundation and grantmaker work;
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Expand Your International Nonprofit Organization’s Presence to Attract U.S. Funders

During my 10 years teaching and training nonprofits around the world, I have found that some of the biggest challenges they grapple with in seeking funding are related to differentiating themselves from the plethora of other great causes in the…

November 8, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Resources and tools;
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Philanthropy and Democracy: Bringing Data to the Debate

As money and politics become increasingly intertwined, the enduring debate around the intersecting roles of philanthropy and democracy has taken on new life in recent months  (see here, here, here, and here for prominent examples). One side of the debate sees…

By Anna Koob (she/her)

October 18, 2018

Tags: Funders; Researchers; US; Foundation and grantmaker work; Resources and tools;
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Transparency & Start-up Philanthropy: What We Can Learn from Bezos and Zuckerberg

It’s hard to think of a philanthropic institution as a start-up. The phrase “start-up” conjures the image of two geeks in a garage with big dreams but very limited means. But as we all know from breathless news coverage about…

By Janet Camarena (she/her)

October 11, 2018

Tags: Funders; US; Foundation and grantmaker work;
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Partners in Philanthropy: How to Work with Donor-Advised Funds

Last year, Giving USA’s Annual Report called donor-advised funds (DAFs) one of the “hottest topics in the philanthropic community.”1 Between 2007 and 2016, assets in donor-advised funds nationwide skyrocketed from $32 billion to $85 billion,2 and this trend continues today. Who uses DAFs? How…

October 8, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Grant writing and proposals; Resources and tools;
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Explore New Funding Prospects with Recipient Profiles

Leverage Grant Recipient profiles: Discover new funding opportunities Help shape your prospecting strategy Quickly gain fundraising insights Recipient Profiles help you discover new prospects you may have missed in your grant search and help you understand how to approach funders.…

September 17, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Resources and tools;
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Turn Insights Into Action, Connect with Funders

Ready to take the next step in your grant search? Now that you’ve had some time to search for prospects and started building your prospect list, use these three steps to convert prospects and connect with funders. [Tip 1] Start with…

September 17, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Resources and tools;
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Make the Most of Your Grantmaker Results & FDO’s Latest Insights

We add nearly 100,000 new grants and RFPs weekly, so you can always have access to the latest grantmaker data and insights. Equipped with these insights, strengthen your proposals to make them most appealing to funders by learning from grantmaker…

September 17, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Resources and tools;
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Welcome to your handy FDO Guide

Here's a handy FDO guide to get you started. [Tip 1] Optimize Your Searches Using the Global Search Bar Search FDO as you would any search engine and get results specific to your grantseeking needs. Begin your search directly from…

September 17, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Resources and tools;
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5 Ways to Seek Corporate Giving

Corporate giving support nonprofits in a variety of different ways, FDO offers a window into many of them. The following are some of the more common means by which companies give.

September 10, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Fundraising, giving, and donations; Resources and tools;
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The Board’s Role in Fundraising for Your Organization

Getting the board to fundraise can be a very challenging experience even when board members recognize that a primary responsibility of every nonprofit board is ensuring that the organization has the resources it needs to meet its mission. One of…

August 29, 2018

Tags: Nonprofits; International; US; Fundraising, giving, and donations; Resources and tools;