by Lauren Brownstein | Jun 8, 2026 | Nonprofit, Philanthropy
I was recently talking with a client about planned giving when I casually mentioned a phrase that fundraising professionals use all the time: “when the gift matures.” I explained that when a donor includes a nonprofit in their will or estate plans, the organization...
by Lauren Brownstein | Apr 29, 2026 | Fundraising, grants
Grant writing can feel like a heavy lift. There’s pressure to get it right. Pressure to impress. Pressure to say everything about your organization and your work. But in my experience, better proposals aren’t the ones that try to do more. They’re the ones that do a...
by Lauren Brownstein | Mar 17, 2026 | donation, Fundraising, grants, Nonprofit, Philanthropy
Nonprofit teams are busy. There are always more grants to apply for, more meetings to attend, more reports to write, and more fundraising ideas someone thinks the organization should try. But in my experience working with nonprofit clients, the problem usually isn’t...
by Lauren Brownstein | Feb 26, 2026 | Fundraising, Nonprofit
Sometimes the smartest fundraising move isn’t going bigger — it’s going deeper. For years, the nonprofit gala was the gold standard: formal, expensive, high-profile, and staff-intensive. A big ballroom. A plated dinner. A silent auction. A live auction. A paddle...
by Lauren Brownstein | Jan 26, 2026 | donation, Fundraising, grants, Nonprofit
Is This Fundraising Opportunity Really Worth It? Nonprofit organizations are constantly presented with fundraising opportunities. Some are an easy yes. Some are an easy no. And some fall into that murky middle where the opportunity looks great on paper—but your gut is...
