The Right Moves
Hope, hope, hope that things will stabilize. But I'm afraid that the New Normal is with us for a while. I anticipate that the nonprofits who are smart and strategic will get the resources they need. The ones that are not willing to change and invest will be the ones who fail.
Sandy Rees
I think we'll see more organizations getting back to the basics — telling their story, asking for a gift, building relationships.
Holly Ross
I think that we'll see the smart nonprofits get closer and closer to real integration of their fundraising efforts. E-mail campaigns will align with direct mail, which will align with social messages.
Jeff Schreifels
Great things. More and more, I believe people are waking to the idea that they have to create personal relationships with their donors. Whenever this happens, incredible things begin. I see it over and over.
Willis Turner
Continuing uncertainty, both in regular giving and return on investment in social media. Yes, people might want to be your Facebook friends; they may even want you to tweet them. But just because they opt in doesn't mean they'll give in the future.
Kimberly Seville
Donor confidence follows consumer confidence — so largely, uncertainty, with the exception of political giving among a pretty much universally pissed-off and disgusted electorate.
And the Next Big Thing is ____, but don't forget _____.
Pamela Barden
I've never been good at predicting the next big thing! However, there is more and more emphasis on formal fundraising training, and people from the for-profit sector have been attending classes the last few years to transition into what they hope is a more stable job market in the not-for-profit sector. The value of education over experience should become clear as more people with fundraising degrees and certificates enter the workforce. The verdict is still out, but I predict a blend of both will be the winning combination (as is true in most fields).
