Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in addressing societal issues, from poverty alleviation to environmental conservation. While their missions vary, one common thread binds them all: the necessity to have a solid financial foundation. Nonprofits are unique entities, distinct from for-profit businesses in their primary purpose: pursuing a mission that benefits society.

Since the advent of email, organizations have used it for sales, fundraising, and sharing information about their products and services. In the last decade, through the advent of laws and technology that governed and supported email marketing, the landscape has drastically changed. Nonprofit organizations seeking to use email marketing have a challenge ahead of them: how do they compete against a steadily-growing number of emails being received by users every day, and ensure they stay authentic to their message and mission.

Picture this scenario: You're engaged in a conversation with someone, discussing an intriguing company or organization. During the conversation, you highlight just how revolutionary this organization is. At this point, your conversation partner instinctively reaches for their cellphone, launches a web browser, and proceeds to “google” the name of the organization you've been raving about. When the website of the organization loads, it’s clear that it hasn’t been updated some time. What message does that send to the viewer?

Ask a fundraising professional how their fundraising year is going - if you meet one who is having an incredible year - they either received a large surprise gift or their fundraising calendar is going as planned. Fundraising calendars are an important part of any fundraiser’s toolkit. Ensuring a successful year begins with careful planning to make sure that fundraising events, donor stewardship and meetings, administrative and data management functions, and communications are laid out strategically. Below are five ways to make your fundraising calendar more manageable and goal-focused.

Never before have founders and CEOs of midsize nonprofit organizations been faced with the challenges they are faced with today. In the last five years, c-suite executives have been faced with roller-coaster fundraising years, huge economic swings, a pandemic, and a changing workforce.