Whats on One Fund Raisers Mind in 2010?
By Jeffrey A. Schoenherr As we start a new year (and a new decade for that matter), I look back in amazement at what the past year wrought with regard to the economy, money, and philanthropy. Last March, as the Dow Jones industrial average fell to a low of around 6,500 points, I remember hearing colleagues around the country talk about suspending current fund-raising campaigns and delaying new ones. When the dollar slipped even further in exchange with other currencies, we heard news of a fund-raising crisis in America. However, as stock markets have rebounded (the Dow is back up over 10,000 points) so, too, have peoples’ interests in charitable contributions. The end of 2009 showed improvement in charitable giving—not necessarily in dollars raised but in terms of encouraging increases in donor participation. In a tough economy, an increase in participation rates is a terrific sign of philanthropic confidence. It gives us the opportunity to steward those donors and keep them with us as
