Why It’s Time To Rethink Fundraising

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👋🏾 Hey! I’m Sid and this is The Philanthropy Futurist, a weekly advice column preparing you for the future of the nonprofit sector. Each Friday, I tackle reader questions about measuring impact, driving growth, and managing your nonprofit.

This Week’s Newsletter at a glance:

• Why It’s Time To Rethink Fundraising

• Philanthropy News From This Week

• Sid’s Book Recommendation

Why It’s Time To Rethink Fundraising

A few years ago, a small Conservation Nonprofit was struggling to fundraise. Traditional gala events were falling flat and donor fatigue was real.

So, instead of another dinner with name tags, they sold dirt.

Yes, I said dirt.

They launched an online campaign where supporters could “adopt” a square foot of land.

For $25, donors got a photo of “their” dirt patch, updates from the field, and stories of the farmers it protected.

It went viral and they raised well over $500,000.

But it wasn’t the dirt that made it work… it was the story behind it.

Fundraising isn’t about asking for money anymore. It’s about giving people something to believe in, a sense of ownership in the change they want to see.

As we move into the future of the Nonprofit sector, innovation won’t come from fancier technology alone. It’s going to come from reimagining why people give… and how we make them feel part of the mission.

The fundraising playbook that worked 10 years ago won’t carry us into the next decade.

Donors today don’t just want to support a cause… they want to experience it.

They want transparency, connection, and proof that their dollars are driving real impact.

This means, you have to create authentic moments of participation.

Like… community-driven campaigns, membership models that reward engagement, collaborations that blend social good with pop culture or local business, and this list goes on.

Innovation in fundraising is not about chasing the latest trend… it's about challenging assumptions.

This means you have to ask better questions.

What if your campaign didn’t look like a campaign at all?

What if your next donor push felt like a movement instead of a transaction?

In 2025, donors are smarter than ever… and much pickier. The old ways of sending 25-page impact reports, polite follow-ups, and saying "thank you" after a gift… that used to work when donors didn’t know better but now donors want more!

This week, I am teaming up with Sam and his team to bring you this $1 Million Donor Guide. This guide will help you inspire people to fulfill your mission. It’ll help you rethink how to connect with donors in more human, creative ways. No tactics… just fresh perspectives you can try right away.

And because you are a subscriber of The Philanthropy Futurist subscriber, you get a 30-day money back guarantee. Take 20 seconds and learn more about what this guide has to offer here.

Until next week y’all! ✌🏾

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Philanthropy News From This Week

• How to Bridge a Funding Gap

• How to Recruit and Lead Staff Who Truly Know Your Community

• Foundations launch $500 million initiative for human-centered AI tech

• Report: How America’s Favorite Charities Are Figuring Out Tech

Sid’s Book Recommendation

Each week, I recommend a book or film that has impacted my life in a positive way. My recommendation this week is:

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen

This book explores why successful and well-managed companies can still fail in the face of disruptive technological change. The author introduces the concept of 'disruptive innovation' through the lens of business. Many concepts of which can be easily applied to the nonprofit sector. Learn more.

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