The Kindful Blog

Award-winning storyteller Madison Gonzalez leads this webinar on ethical nonprofit storytelling — covering how to share compelling stories while protecting the identity and integrity of those your organization serves. Learn what makes a good story and how to tell it without exploitation.

Personalized donor communication, powered by the right data, is what builds lasting relationships and drives nonprofit growth. This mini guide explains what donor data to collect, which data points matter most in communications, and how to use segmentation, automation, and fundraising tools to increase retention and giving.

Building a strong email subscriber list is essential for nonprofits looking to deepen supporter relationships and drive fundraising results. This post walks through how to evaluate your current sign-up strategy, optimize website forms and social media prompts, and use tools like Mailchimp to attract more supporters to your email list.

When one in-person gala accounts for 80% of a nonprofit's budget, losing it to a pandemic can be catastrophic — but this case study shows how going back to basics saved the day. The solution: building an annual giving campaign, cultivating foundation relationships, and creating sustainable donor pipelines that don't depend on a single event.

Most board retreat facilitators have never run a nonprofit. Nine must-have qualities — from real-world sector experience and strong references to pre-retreat assessments and post-retreat accountability tools — help you find one who actually delivers.

Nine trigger-based emails — welcome, donation receipt, birthday, anniversary, abandoned donation, and more — each with a ready-to-use template built around a fictional nonprofit. Set them up once and let them run.

Choosing the right fundraising idea in 2021 means balancing virtual-first planning with the possibility of hybrid and in-person events later in the year. This post presents a range of fundraising ideas designed for digital audiences — from peer-to-peer campaigns to virtual events — with tips for adapting them as pandemic conditions evolve.

Direct mail has fallen out of favor with many nonprofit communicators, but abandoning it in the digital age is a mistake — especially when email inboxes are overflowing and digital attention is scarce. This post makes the case for keeping direct mail in your donor communications mix, explaining how it works alongside digital channels to build stronger, longer-lasting donor relationships.

Diversifying nonprofit boards is no longer optional — it requires proactive effort and a willingness to sit with discomfort. This post outlines five practical ways boards can begin building more inclusive, racially equitable membership, drawing on proven strategies for governance transformation and culture change.