Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 279

Happy Tuesday, fundraisers! And congratulations on making it through Giving Tuesday!

As you catch your breath, this week’s newsletter pulls together some inspiration and lessons to take into the remainder of the year: reminders about stewardship after Giving Tuesday, what’s shaping fundraising in 2025, fresh peer-to-peer takeaways, and a few grounding career reflections to keep you going.

Enjoy!

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Great Fundraising Posts

NPSP Day Washington DC 2025: Lessons Learned

Soapbox Engage (Soapbox Engage)

Soapbox Engage continued our fall NPSP Day tour with a vibrant and reflective gathering in Washington, DC, bringing together long-time community members, including early NPSP community leaders alongside many first-time attendees.Throughout the day, a central theme emerged: Where is the NPSP community going? What will the future look like? And how can we continue collaborating across roles, organizations, and technical expertise? Check out this blog post for some key takeaways from exploring those questions.

Giving Tuesday: Don’t Take the Money and Run

Clairificaiton (Claire Axelrad)

It’s Giving Tuesday, and maybe you want to give a sigh of relief and relax after getting through this day. But it’s not over yet! The worst thing you can do the day after Giving Tuesday is nothing at all. In this blog post, Claire explains what to do after Giving Tuesday to build upon your fundraising momentum.

Fundraising Careers: That Time I Almost Gave Up

Jeff Brooks (Moceanic)

Do you ever feel like you just don’t get fundraising? Maybe you feel under-equipped, yearning for better systems of support, and are thinking of leaving the profession? If so, know you’re not alone. In this blog post, Jeff recounts when he felt that way early in his fundraising career, and the help he got that changed everything.

4 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Lessons We’ve Learned This Year

re:charity (re:charity)

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns are one of the most effective ways to reach new audiences and engage communities. With evolving peer-to-peer technology and supporter expectations, staying ahead requires continuous learning, creativity, and innovation. This blog post offers four lessons that will help you as you embark on peer-to-peer fundraising.

5 Changes Driving Fundraising in 2025 and Beyond

Gabby Houck (NonProfitPro)

The fundraising environment is always shifting in response to whatever is going on in the world whether that is political and economic shifts or new technological advancements. Fundraising leaders need to be aware of the shifts so they can adapt accordingly. In this blog post, Gabby identifies five changes driving fundraising in the last year.

The Gift of Not Having to Know the Details

Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Co.)

When writing a fundraising appeal, you may be tempted to include lots of details about your organization. Maybe you think the facts will reveal your organization’s competency and inspire more people to donate. But that is not necessarily true. In this blog post, Steven talks about the details that you can leave out, and how it will impact your fundraising for the better.

The Commitment Model and the Myth of Relationship Fundraising

Kevin Schulman (The Agitator)

You’ve likely heard a lot of talk about “relationship fundraising.” That is highly touted in the fundraising sector as the most effective model. But is it true? In this blog post, Kevin breaks down what relationship fundraising really means, its pitfalls, and the model you should be looking at instead.

How to Recruit and Engage Event-Based Volunteers

Eric Burger (Nonprofit Hub)

Event-based volunteers can be your nonprofit’s secret weapon. When your organization has a major event, these volunteers jump in to save the day and help you handle the extra workload. But where do you find these individuals, and how can you keep them involved? In this blog post, Eric provides a comprehensive overview of event volunteer management, showing you how to recruit and engage event-based volunteers so that your organization can make the most of this valuable resource.

Six Career Insights Every Fundraising Pro Should Keep in Mind

John Thompson (TrueSense)

If you’re subscribed to this newsletter, your career as a fundraiser is likely important to you. There are things to learn that will help you fundraise more effectively. And there are also things to learn that will help you as an individual fundraising professional. In this blog post, John offers six of those insights that you should keep in mind.