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Curated strategies for modern changemakers

Scaling real nonprofit impact with smarter operations and technology

We help nonprofits prove that real impact matters more than chasing the lowest overhead. Our blog shows you how to scale your operations and use technology to turn good intentions into efficient, measurable action. We bring you these capacity-building secrets from over a decade of experience at Funraise.

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The Modern Nonprofit Business Plan Template: Built for Agility and Tech

The Modern Nonprofit Business Plan Template: Built for Agility and Tech Look, we've all seen those traditional nonprofit business plans gathering dust on shelves while the world moves at digital speed. You know the type: rigid, multi-year documents built on assumptions that evaporate the moment economic headwinds shift or a major donor changes priorities. Here's…

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Sustainable Scaling: Balancing Burn Rates and Long-Term Operational Efficiency in Growing Nonprofits

Sustainable Scaling: Balancing Burn Rates and Long-Term Operational Efficiency in Growing Nonprofits Growth feels like success. More programs, more staff, more impact, right? But here's the uncomfortable truth: unchecked expansion is draining nonprofits dry. When your burn rate outpaces your revenue, you're not scaling sustainably. You're building a house of cards. At Funraise, we've spent…

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Financial Management & Stewardship

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Financial Management & Stewardship

Financial Management for Nonprofits: The Ultimate Guide to 2026 Stewardship

Look, we need to talk about the elephant in the room. In 2026, nonprofits are stuck in a really tough spot. Community needs keep growing while resources keep shrinking. And here's the thing: good intentions won't cut it anymore . You need solid financial stewardship backed by actual data, smart technology, and strategic thinking to…

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Financial Management & Stewardship

2026 Benchmark: Average Nonprofit Audit Cost and How to Reduce It

What Nonprofits Actually Pay for Audits in 2026 Hm, talking about "average" audit costs is kinda misleading because, well, your youth mentorship program isn't exactly like a hospital foundation. Here's what organizations are actually paying based on recent data: Small nonprofits (under $1M revenue, fewer than 5 employees) shell out $4,500 to $10,000. These groups…

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Fundraising Strategies

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Fundraising Strategies

How to Practice Ethical Fundraising in the Age of Big Data and AI

Look, we've all heard the pitch. Organizations with Fundraising Intelligence raise an average of 7 times more online annually compared to those without (Funraise, 2024). Sounds amazing, right? But here's the thing: that technological power comes with responsibility. Your donors trust you with their data, their stories, their financial information. That trust? It's fragile. And…

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Fundraising Strategies

25 Tips for Launching a Legacy Giving Program Without a Huge Budget

Legacy giving programs might sound like something only the big nonprofits can pull off, you know, the ones with whole departments dedicated to planned giving. But here's what we've found after working with hundreds of organizations: planned giving is actually one of the most accessible fundraising strategies out there, regardless of your size. In 2024,…

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Fundraising Strategies

How to Secure High-Value Corporate Sponsorship for Large-Scale Missions

Understanding the Corporate Sponsorship Landscape Before you pitch anyone, you need to get inside the head of corporate decision-makers. The environment has fundamentally shifted. Companies don't view sponsorships as simple philanthropic exercises anymore. They're strategic investments in brand visibility, employee engagement, and social impact alignment. So what actually motivates corporate sponsors? Community impact ranks highest…

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Governance & Compliance

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Governance & Compliance

8 Strategies to Implement Nonprofit Governance Best Practices This Year

Good intentions don't govern themselves. You need systems, accountability, and the guts to measure what actually matters. In 2026, boards can't just show up and rubber-stamp decisions or get lost in compliance quicksand while the mission drifts. We're going to walk you through eight strategies that shift governance from passive oversight to strategic leadership, building…

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Governance & Compliance

The Ultimate Non Profit Board of Directors Onboarding Checklist

So you've recruited some stellar new board members. Congrats! But here's the thing: bringing talented people onto your board is just step one. The real magic happens when you turn those good intentions into actual readiness to lead and deliver results. We've found that the difference between boards that genuinely drive impact and those that…

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Governance & Compliance

How to Start a Nonprofit Organization: A Blueprint for 2026 Founders

Step 1: Crystallize Your Mission and Validate Market Need Your nonprofit's mission isn't a tagline you slap on a website. It's your operational north star and the foundation for every legal, financial, and programmatic decision you'll make. Before filing a single form, spend real time articulating why your organization exists, who you serve, and what…

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Impact Storytelling & Marketing

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Impact Storytelling & Marketing

25 Email Nonprofit Newsletter Tips to Win Over Your Supporters' Inboxes

Here's the thing about nonprofit email newsletters: they're either working quietly behind the scenes to build real relationships with your supporters, or they're gathering dust in the "Promotions" tab where good intentions go to die. Look, we've seen it happen too many times. Organizations send a flurry of emails during their annual campaign, then vanish…

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Impact Storytelling & Marketing

How to Use Digital Storytelling for Nonprofits to Drive Emotional Giving

Look, if you're still treating storytelling as a "nice to have" for your nonprofit, we need to talk. When donors feel genuinely connected to your mission through authentic narratives, something shifts. They don't just write bigger checks (though that happens too). They stick around. Here's what we've learned: combining compelling stories with the right digital…

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Impact Storytelling & Marketing

Nonprofit Marketing: The Ultimate Guide to Proving Impact in 2026

Why Impact Proof Became Your Most Valuable Marketing Asset Look, the days of "trust us, we're doing good work" are over. Donor skepticism is at an all-time high, and funding selectivity keeps intensifying as economic pressures persist (BDO). That said, funding is rebounding modestly at 2-4% overall for organizations that demonstrate accountability (BDO). So what…

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Leadership & Talent Strategy

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Leadership & Talent Strategy

2026 Non Profit Salaries Report: Trends, Data, and Fair Compensation

After years of pandemic-era chaos, the nonprofit sector is finally catching its breath in 2026. Well, sort of. While 79% of organizations managed to maintain or grow their teams in 2025 (PNP Staffing Group & Careers In Nonprofits, 2026 Nonprofit Salaries & Staffing Trends Report), there's a catch (there's always a catch). Leaders are still…

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Leadership & Talent Strategy

The Ultimate Hiring Checklist for New Nonprofit Jobs in 2026

Look, the nonprofit talent crisis isn't going anywhere. If you're staring at empty desks while your mission demands you scale, this isn't about grinding harder. It's about working smarter with a strategic hiring framework that turns staffing into your competitive advantage. We're cutting through the generic HR advice here to deliver actionable steps that align…

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Leadership & Talent Strategy

Volunteer Management: The Ultimate Guide to Engagement and Retention

You've recruited passionate volunteers, but here's the thing: getting them in the door is only half the battle. The real challenge? Keeping them engaged beyond that first shift. We've seen it happen countless times: a wave of enthusiastic new volunteers disappears after one event, leaving coordinators wondering what went wrong. Sound familiar? In this guide,…

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Operational Capacity & Scaling

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Operational Capacity & Scaling

The Modern Nonprofit Business Plan Template: Built for Agility and Tech

The Modern Nonprofit Business Plan Template: Built for Agility and Tech Look, we've all seen those traditional nonprofit business plans gathering dust on shelves while the world moves at digital speed. You know the type: rigid, multi-year documents built on assumptions that evaporate the moment economic headwinds shift or a major donor changes priorities. Here's…

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Operational Capacity & Scaling

How to Use Data-Driven Nonprofit Strategic Planning to Move the Needle

If you've sat through a strategic planning session where decisions were made on "what feels right" rather than what the data shows, you're not alone. Too many nonprofits still plan based on gut feelings, board member hunches, or the dreaded "we've always done it this way" mentality. But here's the reality: data-driven nonprofit strategic planning…

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Operational Capacity & Scaling

Capacity Building for Growth: The Ultimate Guide to Scaling Your NGO

Look, if you're running a nonprofit and you feel like you're constantly sprinting but somehow standing still, you're not alone. The truth is, scaling your organization isn't about grinding harder or guilting your team into longer hours. It's about building the kind of infrastructure that turns your good intentions into sustainable, measurable impact. We're talking…

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Public Policy & Sector Trends

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Public Policy & Sector Trends

Modern Humanitarianism: Why Digital Logistics and Local Procurement Trump Traditional In-Kind Aid

So here's the thing about modern humanitarian aid: we're still shipping blankets halfway around the world when there's a perfectly good blanket factory down the road from where they're needed. Look, traditional in-kind aid (you know, collecting donations and physically shipping stuff overseas) made sense in a different era. But digital logistics and local procurement…

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Public Policy & Sector Trends

Sustainable Scaling: Balancing Burn Rates and Long-Term Operational Efficiency in Growing Nonprofits

Sustainable Scaling: Balancing Burn Rates and Long-Term Operational Efficiency in Growing Nonprofits Growth feels like success. More programs, more staff, more impact, right? But here's the uncomfortable truth: unchecked expansion is draining nonprofits dry. When your burn rate outpaces your revenue, you're not scaling sustainably. You're building a house of cards. At Funraise, we've spent…

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Public Policy & Sector Trends

The 2026 Safety-First Checklist for Domestic Violence Charities: Protecting Beneficiaries in a Digital Age

Look, here's the thing: abusers don't just weaponize phone calls anymore. In 2026, they're using IoT devices, AI-powered deepfakes, and sophisticated stalkerware to maintain control over survivors even after they've physically escaped. For domestic violence charities, this reality demands more than well-meaning safety talks. It requires concrete, technology-driven protocols that actually protect the people you…

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Technology, AI & Data Privacy

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Technology, AI & Data Privacy

Advanced Data Privacy Nonprofits Tactics for a GDPR/CCPA-Heavy World

Here's the real deal: no matter how powerful your mission is, one data breach can torch years of donor trust in an afternoon . In 2023 alone, 69 US nonprofits experienced direct data breaches , with over 1,300 more caught in the crossfire (Business Software). And here's the thing, by 2026, you'll be juggling privacy…

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Technology, AI & Data Privacy

Cybersecurity for Nonprofits: The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Donor Data

You've probably heard it before: nonprofits are easy targets for cybercriminals. And look, there's truth to that. In 2023, 27% of nonprofits worldwide got hit by cyberattacks , and US nonprofits saw a 30% jump in weekly attacks in 2024 (Okta, BDO). But here's the thing—while you're out there changing lives, hackers are eyeing your…

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