The Blackbaud Giving Fund is a 501(c)(3) sponsor of a donor-advised fund that supports workplace giving and peer-to-peer fundraising. They distribute funds to nonprofits based on donor recommendations. Matt Nash, the Executive Director of the Blackbaud Giving Fund, discusses the importance of engaging donors “where they are now”, with insights into engaging donors effectively, adapting to changing donor attitudes, and leveraging technology and data to improve donor communication and relationships.
Nash highlights the need for nonprofits to be more intentional in their approach to donors. He explains that donors today want to be more involved and understand the organizations they support on a deeper level. They are looking for alignment with their values and want to have a meaningful impact, presenting both an opportunity and a challenge for nonprofits to effectively communicate and connect with donors.
The discussion also touches on the issue of donor contact and communication. Nash suggests that nonprofits should be where their donors are, whether it’s through physical or virtual platforms and emphasizing the importance of telling impactful stories and providing information about the purpose, outcomes, and impacts of nonprofit work. Nash also mentions the use of technology platforms and databases to identify and target specific groups of donors, allowing for more personalized and effective communication.
The conversation then shifts to the attitudes and behaviors of the next generation of donors and how younger donors amplify the existing trends seen among donors today. They are even more interested in getting engaged and want to know more about the causes they support. Nash highlights the potential of these younger donors in terms of their passion, ability to mobilize groups, and their increasing financial power due to the transfer of wealth.