Insights
We have explored a diverse set of recent sector articles, spanning digital strategy, leadership, data, trust, and the continued relevance of voice in fundraising. When viewed together, they reveal a sector that is increasingly data-aware and technologically capable, yet still anchored in human connection and credibility.
Reimagining Digital Strategy
The digital landscape continues to evolve at speed. Nonprofit Tech for Good offers a sweeping overview in 2026 Social Media Statistics for Nonprofits, providing more than 100 data points to help organisations refine their social media strategies.
At the same time, The Agitator challenges common assumptions in The Weak-Minded Nonsense of Generational Marketing, arguing that behaviour and context often matter more than age-based segmentation.
Operational strategy is also under scrutiny. The Bloomerang Blog outlines recurring pitfalls in 5 Mistakes Nonprofit Consultants Make, while The Fundraising Coach provides a practical framework in Identifying Gaps in Your Fundraising Tech Stack to help organisations assess whether their systems are truly fit for purpose.
Leadership: Building Sustainable Nonprofits
Strong leadership remains a critical foundation for long-term impact. In this Nonprofit Hub podcast on building sustainable nonprofits through better leadership, sector leaders discuss how clarity, accountability, and organisational culture are central to building resilient institutions.
Harnessing the Power of Data
Data continues to reshape how fundraisers plan and prioritise. Future Fundraising Now highlights the growing influence of Donor Advised Funds in 4 Ways to Keep Up With DAF Giving, noting that DAFs represented 22.8 percent of all giving in 2024.
Meanwhile, Colleen Dilenschneider’s Know Your Own Bone explores the broader cultural shift toward community connection in The Rise of Localism. Together, these trends underscore the importance of using data not just to measure performance, but to understand how social behaviour is changing.
Trust: The Key to Sustainable Philanthropy
Financial success alone does not sustain long-term giving. Clairification explores this in Beyond Money: Why Belonging Is the Key to Sustainable Philanthropy, arguing that emotional connection and trust are the true drivers of loyalty.
The Power of Pausing
Restraint can sometimes be as powerful as activity. The Agitator makes this case in Why Not Asking Can Be the Highest-Value Decision, suggesting that well-timed pauses can strengthen relationships rather than weaken them.
This idea pairs naturally with Future Fundraising Now’s reflection on gratitude in 6 Costly Ways to Undermine Your Donor Thank-You Letters, which highlights how appreciation is often mishandled despite its importance.
The Resurgence of Telephone Fundraising
Despite the growth of digital channels, voice remains a powerful medium for connection. Jonathan May reflects on this in Rebuilding the Voice: Why Telephone Fundraising Still Works – Once We’re Welcome, exploring how trust, expectation, and tone shape the effectiveness of calls in a modern context.
Looking Ahead
These insights reveal a sector in transition, one that is balancing innovation with reflection, data with empathy, and automation with authenticity. The organisations that thrive will be those that remain curious, challenge assumptions, and place trust at the centre of their strategy.
By learning from each other and adapting with intention, fundraisers can continue to build meaningful relationships in an increasingly complex world.
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