Nonprofit Glossary

Like any other industry, the nonprofit industry can be full of jargon. So we’ve put this glossary together to define some of the terms you may have heard or read.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

14 Effective Online Fundraising Ideas for Any Nonprofit

Discover top online fundraising ideas like peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding and text-to-give. Use this guide to power up your online fundraising!

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15 Best Nonprofit CRMs for 2025: Compare the Top Solutions

Nonprofit CRM software is a critical part of any nonprofit’s toolbox. Here’s everything you need to know about nonprofit CRMs and the top features to look for.

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17 Best Fundraising Software Tools to Amplify Giving in 2025

Online fundraising software is designed to help organizations get the most out of their fundraising efforts.

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18 Volunteer Management Software Tools to Boost Engagement

Volunteer management software can improve your volunteer recruitment and retention. Learn more with this guide to the top 15 solutions for nonprofits.

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20+ Handy Event Management Software Tools for Nonprofits

While old-fashioned spreadsheets and event planning books are still valuable tools, event management software can help your nonprofit make the most out of each event you host.

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Accounting for Nonprofits

Nonprofit accounting, or fundraising accounting, is essential to running a successful nonprofit organization. Read more for a nonprofit accounting overview, plus the top nonprofit accounting software solutions.

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Advisory Boards

While a lot of the responsibilities for fundraising and day-to-day operations may fall to the staff or board of directors of an organization, there may be times when a task or event needs a level of expertise or knowledge that the team does not possess. In this case, it may be a good idea to create an advisory board. 

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Annual Reports for Nonprofits

Annual reports are an important part of any donor-organization relationship. Read more for an overview, annual report examples, and how to make your own.

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Board of Directors for Nonprofits

A nonprofit board of directors, or nonprofit board, leads organizations through important tasks and decisions. Read more for an overview, plus how to choose and recruit your nonprofit board members.

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Capital Campaign

A capital campaign is a large-scale effort conducted by a nonprofit organization in order to bring in a large injection of capital investment.

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Challenge Gift

A challenge gift is a gift with a challenge issued as a contingency. Nonprofits usually only receive the gift if the challenge is met. This could mean many things, depending on who made the challenge. Read on to learn more.

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Charitable Soliciation

Nonprofits use charitable solicitations to raise funds that will ultimately support their missions.

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Communication for Nonprofits

Nonprofit communication includes showing donors they are valued and sharing the organization’s mission with supporters. Read more for an overview.

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Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a term used to describe the process of an individual raising money on behalf of an organization by soliciting donations from their friends and peers.

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Donation Acknowledgment Letter

All donors deserve to be recognized, no matter the size of their gift. Use donor acknowledgement letters to show your gratitude and provide donors with important information they’ll need come tax season.

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Donation Button

Donation buttons make it easy for supporters to participate in online giving. Including a simple, eye-catching donation button on your nonprofit’s website and other virtual platforms is a great way to encourage people who are engaging with your content to support your cause.

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Donation Matching

Donation matching is an easy way for donors to double (or even triple) their contributions to an organization.

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Donation Pages: The Ultimate Guide and 30 Best Practices

A donation page is a location on a nonprofit’s website where people can go to give money to the organization.

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Donation Pledges

Pledges are a great way to secure consistent support over a prolonged period of time. Donors make pledges to show their deep connection to and support for an organization.

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Donation Receipt

Donation receipts contain valuable information donors will appreciate having once tax season arrives.

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Donor Acquisition

Donor acquisition is the process of bringing on new donors or potential donors to your organization via marketing and networking.

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Donor Communication

Donor communication is any activity in which a nonprofit communicates with donors, including both established donors and potential donors they hope to engage.

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Donor Letters for Nonprofits

Over 63% of nonprofits use donor letters to solicit donations and even more organizations use them to cultivate donor relationships. You can use a donor management or nonprofit CRM platform to create a system that makes it easy to generate all different types of letters for your supporters.

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Donor Lifecycle

The donor lifecycle describes the way that nonprofit organizations engage with and view their donors from the start of their relationship (when they first learn about your organization) to when they give and beyond.

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Donor Management

Donor management is the process of leveraging your donor data to build meaningful relationships with your supporters. A donor database, such as a CRM and donor management platform, is the best way to keep your donor data organized and nurture your relationships.

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Donor Retention

Donor retention ensures that nonprofits don’t waste the hard effort it took to bring new donors to the organization and that financial capital continues to come into the organization.

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Donor Segmentation

Donor segmentation allows nonprofits to customize their donor communication and organize their donors based on different characteristics.

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Donor-Advised Funds

Donor-advised funds allow donors to maximize their giving by making investments into an account that helps them grow their donations.

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Email Marketing for Nonprofits

Email marketing is an effective way for nonprofits to engage donors and promote online giving. Send emails to inform your audience about new initiatives they’ll find interesting or simply to stay in touch and show your appreciation for their recent donation. Reinforce your organization's mission and include a simple call to action to encourage online donations.

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Fundraising Appeal

Fundraising appeals are a powerful way to compel supporters to give to a cause. Appeals should always speak to the audience’s emotions, remind them why the organization’s mission is important, and include a call to action.

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Fundraising Campaign

Fundraising campaigns reiterate the organization’s mission and help nonprofits connect with donors in a meaningful way that leads them to give.

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Fundraising Event

Fundraising events are a fun way to get your donor base more engaged with your organization and mission. From galas to silent auctions, the possibilities are endless when it comes to hosting a fundraising event.

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Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is a day that encourages people to give back in whatever ways they can. It presents nonprofit organizations with the chance to raise even more money than they would on an average day of giving, which is why many organizations create special campaigns around Giving Tuesday.

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Grant Management Software For Nonprofits

If you’re looking to apply for grants, it’s important that you consider investing in grant management software to streamline the process.

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Hybrid Fundraising

Hybrid fundraising is a type of fundraising that incorporates in-person and virtual fundraising elements in one event or campaign.

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In-Memory Gifts or Memorial Donations

An “in memory of” or memorial gift is a gift made after the passing of an individual to memorialize and honor their life.

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Lapsed Donor

A lapsed donor is a donor who used to contribute to an organization but who has not donated within a specified amount of time. Usually, that time period is twelve months. However, some organizations consider a donor lapsed after two or three years.

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LYBUNT & SYBUNT Reports

LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports are instrumental in identifying lapsed donors. Once you know who has lapsed, you can begin to learn why they’ve stopped giving and ways to win them back.

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Major Gifts

Major gifts are the largest gifts an organization receives within a single year. Major gifts make up the bulk of a nonprofit’s revenue each year.

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Mobile Giving

Mobile giving is more than just another way to process payments. It encourages donations in a broader range of scenarios, such as live events or print advertising. Getting creative with the way you incorporate mobile giving into your campaign will help you maximize funds for your organization.

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Nonprofit Event Management: Checklist and Tips for Success

Nonprofit event management incorporates everything nonprofits need to make sure their functions are successful.

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Payment Processing for Nonprofits

Payment processing, also known as credit card processing or an online payment system, is an essential part of any nonprofit. Providing donors with a secure, easy-to-use payment system will ensure their donation experience is a positive one.

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Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101: Expert Tips for Your Campaigns

Peer-to-peer fundraising, also referred to as social fundraising, involves individuals organizing personal campaigns to collect donations from their peers.

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Planned Giving

A planned or legacy gift is a donation that is designated for an organization at a future date, often at the time of death through a will. This gift is made through a formal financial or estate plan. 

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Principal Gift

A principal gift is a large donation, usually defined as one valued at $1 million or more. Often, these are funded through appreciated assets. 

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Raise Conference

As a 2021 sponsor, we're so glad you're attending OneCause's Raise Conference! Read on to find your code.

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Recurring Giving

Recurring giving is when a donor elects to make a regular, ongoing donation to your organization instead of choosing to make a one-time gift.

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Sequential Giving

Sequential giving, or sequential fundraising, is the process of starting to solicit top donors with connections to the organization and working your way down the list to new small givers.

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Soft Credit

A soft credit occurs when a donor makes a gift but credits someone else for it. The hard credit goes to the account or donor. However, a soft credit goes to the one who receives the credit for it.  

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Software for Nonprofits

Nonprofit software or technology is any program or application that maintains or assists with your nonprofit’s day-to-day operations, allowing you to maximize your outreach, engagement, and productivity.

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Strategic Plan

A nonprofit strategic plan is the formal process an organization creates to accomplish their goals and objectives for the year.

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Text-To-Donate

Text-to-give campaigns make it easy for you to meet donors where they are—on their cell phones—and raise money in minutes via text message.

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Top Membership Management Software for Nonprofits in 2025

Membership management software is designed to help you streamline how you connect with your members, as well as gather and disseminate information to market toward specific membership groups.

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Virtual Fundraising Event

Virtual fundraising events allow nonprofits to engage their supporters without requiring them to gather in-person. Read more to see how.

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Volunteer Management for Nonprofits: Top Tips and Strategies

Good volunteer management is essential for any nonprofit organization. Recruit and retain valuable volunteers by crafting a volunteer management plan that includes an effective volunteer management system.

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Wealth Screening

Gaining insights on a donor’s assets reduces time spent cultivating less promising targets and provides valuable information, including how much a donor might be able to give to an organization.

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What is a Nonprofit Grant?

A nonprofit grant is financial support given to nonprofits by corporations, foundations, or government agencies. They are beneficial for nonprofits because they provide the opportunity for additional funding that doesn't need to be paid back and increases awareness of their organization.

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What is a Nonprofit or Donor Database? What You Need to Know

Donor database for nonprofits are essential for thriving in the digital world. Databases make it easy for organizations to perform necessary functions like collecting donor information, accepting donations and sending donor communications.

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What is a Silent Auction? What Nonprofits Need to Know

Silent auctions are a fun, effective way to fundraise. With some planning and attention to detail, nonprofits can host an event that is both enjoyable and lucrative.

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What is Donor Management Software? 11 Best Options for 2025

Donor management software is a platform that helps organizations understand and maximize their relationships with their donors. The software organizes donor data, identifies donor trends, and makes recommendations to increase the likelihood of receiving future donations.

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What Is Nonprofit Fundraising?

No matter how big or small your nonprofit is, fundraising is an essential component to your business model. So, what exactly is nonprofit fundraising?

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Year-End Giving Letter

Donors love contributing to meaningful initiatives--especially around the end of the year. Sending a year-end giving letter can encourage them to support your organization on the biggest giving days of the year.

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