The sustainable nonprofit

The sustainable nonprofit column examines critical issues related to nonprofit sustainability through the eyes of nonprofit leaders, practitioners, and consultants. For more information, contact Kyoko Uchida, managing editor, kyoko.uchida@candid.org.

Headshot of Derrick Feldmann, founder of the Millennial Impact Project, lead researcher at Cause & Social Influence.

Ensuring a sustainable movement/organization

December 12, 2023 Derrick Feldmann

Feldmann shares his approach to measuring sustainability with three key indicators: public action, individual change, and intersectionality with public life....

The difference between fundraising and marketing stories

The difference between fundraising and marketing stories

November 9, 2023 Derrick Feldmann

Fundraising relies on awareness and knowledge generated by marketing efforts; marketing itself benefits from supporting fundraising strategies and goals with deeper connections and longer-lasting awareness, writes Feldmann....

Seven ways to leverage Sustainable Development Goals to attract support

Seven ways to leverage Sustainable Development Goals to attract support

November 2, 2023 Matt Nash

Aligning their work with specific SDGs and measuring impact against specific goals enables nonprofits to demonstrate the tangible results of their work—and attract support and build relationships with partners with similar values, argues the executive director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund....

The challenge of identities in the cause space

The challenge of identities in the cause space

September 19, 2023 Derrick Feldmann

By relying on internal labels such as “supporter” and “donor” to craft communications to engage audiences, nonprofits may incorrectly include or exclude individuals in an outreach campaign based on a single behavior or transaction, writes Feldmann....

Composite headshot of Erik Olvera, chief of issue advocacy, and Joe Wagner, chief of political advocacy, at Fenton Communications.

Is your organization ready for its next crisis?

September 12, 2023 Erik Olvera, Joe Wagner

Crises can happen to nonprofits, foundations, and advocacy groups, which makes preparation for all possible known scenarios essential, write the chief of issue advocacy and the chief of political advocacy at Fenton Communications....

Headshot of Feldmann, founder of the Millennial Impact Project and lead researcher at Cause & Social Influence.

Avoid the perils of overgeneralizing generational research

July 27, 2023 Derrick Feldmann

Feldmann, founder of the Millennial Impact Project and lead researcher at Cause & Social Influence, writes that researchers have a responsibility to discourage those who use and share research data from lifting only the data points that appear to support a particular narrative....

Headshot of Evan Wildstein, a nonprofiteer in Houston, Texas, director of community philanthropy at Every Texan.

Let’s be better gardeners with our foundation funding partners

July 18, 2023 Evan Wildstein

Evan Wildstein, a nonprofiteer in Houston, Texas, director of community philanthropy at Every Texan, offers suggestions for fundraisers on better cultivating and stewarding their relationships with foundation leaders and staff....

Headshot of Rebecca Brit, a “nonprofit interventionist” and host of For Purpose Live

Nonprofit founders: Win funding by focusing on what funders really care about

July 6, 2023 Rebecca Britt

Funders want to see a purpose statement focused on the why rather than what, a detailed background, an approach broken down into concrete phases, clear plans for reporting, and what sets the organization apart, argues Britt, a “nonprofit interventionist” and host of For Purpose Live....