Cover Story: Know Your Mission, 
Grow Your Mission

He also predicts shrinking 
traditional, direct-mail donor bases that will have to be compensated for with robust e-mail lists and a fresh approach to how they're used.

"I see online efforts picking up some of that slack," he says, "but there needs to be a true online sense of community built, and that takes a consolidated effort and plan. If you're using your e-mail list as you would a direct-mail donor base, I think you're doomed to failure."

Finally, Faircloth takes a look at the future in regard to fundraising for faith-based missions.

"[There will be] more focus on the social-justice aspects of [faith-based organizations'] ministry," he says. "This has great appeal to the younger generation and, I think, is necessary to attract younger donors as their existing donor base continues to age."

Education-related missions: Reconnect with ex-pat grads

Like all charitable sectors, education-related fundraising needs to hone in more specifically on the interests of its donors and potential donors, as well as make strategic use of online strategies.

Missy Ryan, senior director of development at the College of Business and Behavioral Science at Clemson University, says education-based donors are becoming more global, so institutions and other organizations no longer can rely on local loyalties.

"We are finding more and more of our donors have very engaged relationships with organizations that are changing the face of the very community they live in," Ryan says. "When an alum lives miles away, they are less likely to see the living, breathing impact of their gift the way they do in their communities.

"Colleges, universities and schools can't just continue to rely on 'education loyalty,'" she adds. "We need to engage our donors in the everyday work and mission of our institutions."

With the sour economy thinning even the historically loyal and relatively undemanding support of graduates, schools have to focus their energies on making a case for giving that's independent of the traditional "give back to your school" approach. According to Ryan, that means focus.