Stop Asking 'What Fundraiser Works?'—Ask This Instead

You're probably typing into Google: "What's the best fundraising idea for my charity?" Maybe you've tried a GivingTuesday campaign, considered a donor-advised fund push, or wondered if volunteer events are worth the effort. I get it—I've been there. But after years of watching the data, I've come to a blunt conclusion: the question itself is wrong. The real question isn't which fundraising vehicle to use. It's how to make donors feel something and show them their money did something. That's where giving actually grows.

Is GivingTuesday still worth it, or is it just a hype machine?

GivingTuesday is a beast: in 2024, it pulled in an estimated $3.6 billion in the U.S., up 16% from the year before (GivingTuesday Data Commons). That's real money. But here's the thing—it's a one-day spike. If you build your entire fundraising strategy around a single Tuesday, you're betting on a sugar rush. The data shows that overall giving in 2024 hit a record $592.50 billion, but individuals still gave the bulk of it—$392.45 billion (Giving USA 2025). And those individuals are increasingly concentrated among the wealthy: the top 50 donors gave $16.2 billion in 2024, up 32% from 2023 (Giving USA 2025). So while GivingTuesday can be a great kickoff, it's not a strategy. It's a megaphone. Use it to amplify a message you're already telling year-round.

Donor-advised funds: Are they a fundraising goldmine or a trap?

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are growing like crazy—assets hit $327.87 billion in FY2024, and contributions jumped 38.6% to $90.57 billion (DAF Research Collaborative). But here's the uncomfortable truth: DAFs are not a fundraising strategy. They're a tax vehicle for donors. If you're a charity, you can't just sit back and wait for DAF grants to roll in. You have to get yourself on the radar of DAF sponsors and the donors who control those accounts. And the data shows that DAF grants are increasing—National Philanthropic Trust made a record $6.61 billion in grants in FY2025, and two-thirds of those were unrestricted (National Philanthropic Trust). That's good news. But the average DAF account is $91,300 (DAF Research Collaborative), which means a lot of that money is sitting in accounts waiting to be granted. If you're not actively courting DAF donors, you're leaving money on the table. The trap is thinking DAFs are a passive income stream. They're not. You have to work them like any other major donor.

Does volunteering actually help raise money, or is it just a feel-good distraction?

Yes, volunteering feels good, but does it translate to donations? Here's a stat that might surprise you: 75.7 million Americans formally volunteered in 2023, contributing an estimated 4.99 billion hours worth $167.2 billion (AmeriCorps & U.S. Census Bureau). That's a lot of free labor. But here's my take: volunteering is not a fundraising idea in itself. It's a relationship builder. When people volunteer, they become emotionally invested. That's the empathy factor. A meta-analysis found that empathy is a robust correlate of charitable giving—when you evoke empathy, people give more (Nature Communications). So a well-run volunteer event can prime donors to give later. But if you're just counting volunteer hours as your fundraising, you're missing the point. The key is to turn volunteers into donors. Don't just thank them—show them the impact of their work and ask for a donation. That's where the magic happens.

Is it better to focus on a few big donors or many small ones?

Let's face it: big donors are where the money is. The top 50 donors gave $16.2 billion in 2024 (Giving USA 2025). But here's the problem: if you only chase big donors, you're ignoring the 49.6% of households that still give (NPTrust). And the share of households that donate has been declining—from 65% in 2008 to under half by 2018 (NPTrust). That's a warning sign. If you rely too much on a few wealthy donors, you're vulnerable to market swings and donor fatigue. The smart move is to diversify. Cultivate a base of small donors who give consistently, and also court the big fish. But don't make the mistake of thinking small donors don't matter. They do. They're your grassroots base, and they're more likely to stick with you through thick and thin. And here's a tip: show your donors the impact of their previous gifts. A study found that showing donors the consequences of their previous donations increased subsequent giving by 14% (Nature Communications). That's a cheap, effective fundraising idea.

Should we ask for more money or more time?

This is a false choice. You need both. But here's the thing: time is often the gateway to money. When someone volunteers, they're investing in your cause. That's a powerful signal. And the data shows that volunteering is on the rise—the formal volunteering rate jumped five percentage points between 2021 and 2023 (AmeriCorps). So there's a pool of potential donors out there who are already engaged. The trick is to convert them. Ask them to give, and make it easy. And don't forget about virtual volunteering—over 13.4 million Americans volunteered online in 2023 (AmeriCorps). That's a whole new avenue for engagement. So my advice: don't pit money against time. Use time to build relationships, then turn those relationships into donations.

Quick tip: Before you launch your next fundraiser, ask yourself: "Will this make donors feel something and see their impact?" If the answer is no, rethink it.

The single most important thing to remember: fundraising isn't about the vehicle—it's about the emotional connection and proof of impact. Empathy drives giving, and feedback sustains it. So stop obsessing over the next shiny platform and start investing in donor relationships. That's the only fundraising idea that never goes out of style.

Sources

• Giving USA 2025 - https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2025-u-s-charitable-giving-grew-to-592-50-billion-in-2024-lifted-by-stock-market-gains/
• Nature Communications (2026) - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41467-026-70230-8
• NPTrust - https://www.nptrust.org/philanthropic-resources/charitable-giving-statistics/
• DAF Research Collaborative - https://www.dafresearchcollaborative.org/research/annual-daf-report
• National Philanthropic Trust - https://www.nptrust.org/
• AmeriCorps & U.S. Census Bureau - https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/11/civic-engagement-and-volunteerism.html