FYI Blog

Avalon Dispatch 02.04.2025

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find resources for Black History Month, an opportunity to support the nonprofit sector, perception vs. reality in demographics, and, just for fun, Avalon’s in-house haiku!

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Dear friends,

At last week’s planning offsite, the Avalon senior team enjoyed welcome sunshine, good food, and excellent strategic conversation. It was a productive week of building on Avalon’s greatest strengths: our clients who do incredible work, proprietary tools and expertise for navigating the road ahead, and the best team in the business. I’m excited to be back at my desk, so we can bring these plans to life!

Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and many of our clients will highlight opportunities for deeper engagement in their communities. A good place to start is with the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s digital toolkit and slate of public programs. Also, if you haven’t already, I recommend exploring the story of Carter G. Woodson, who first founded Negro History Week in 1926. On their digital channels, the Museum will share resources chronologically: Feb. 3: Before and During the Civil War; Feb. 10: The Era of Jim Crow; Feb. 17: Post-Civil Rights Era; and Feb. 24: Today.

“There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honoring our struggle and ancestors by remembering.”

– Lonnie G. Bunch III, Founding Director, National Museum of African American History & Culture and 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

Fighting the Federal Freeze

The biggest headline for many nonprofits last week was the President’s unsuccessful attempt to freeze all federal grants. Thank you to our clients at SAGE for pushing back in the courts alongside the National Council of Nonprofits, American Public Health Association, and Main Street Alliance. Thank you also to The Nonprofit Alliance for quickly organizing a campaign to document the impact. TNPA is still collecting testimonials, in case we need to fight this again, so please add your voice. Whatever comes next, these examples of clarity and strategic action will help guide the entire sector. I am grateful.

Perception vs. Reality in Demographics

VP Dara Igersheim shared an insightful article from YouGov about demographics and how people perceive them. Survey data reveals that Americans often misestimate the size of demographic groups. Specifically, people tend to overestimate minority groups, while underestimating majority groups. Researchers attribute the discrepancy not only to social factors and media representation, but also to humans’ general tendency to misestimate proportions (regardless of topic). The finding is something to keep in mind as we address social issues and use demographic analysis for persuasion. And fundraisers should be cautious when making assumptions about file composition. This is one of many reasons that Avalon always leads with data when we develop strategy.

“This research is critical to much of the conversation going on today, and to our work in fundraising. Since our job is to engage the American public in support of nonprofits’ missions, it is imperative that we understand the facts about that audience.”

– Kerri Kerr, COO

A graph with various demographic estimatesYouGov poll

Hot Chocolate and Haiku

Thank you to our Virtual Gathering Committee for organizing a Hot Chocolate and Haiku gathering last month. It was just the thing we needed when temperatures plunged! Here are two of my favorites from our in-house poets:

My New Year’s resolution is to do more yoga + meditation: 

Breathe in for this line
Pause. Hold your breath for this line.
Now you can exhale.

Andrea Thorn, Digital Account Director

Shishi, an orange cat with blue eyes, stares at the camera with a keyboard in the background.

so much work to do
I focus with my whole fdjl;;k$a
cat on my keyboard

Désirée Eien, Digital Design Director

Take care,
Allison signature gray

A closeup of Allison Porter, outside in a green jacket

Allison Porter, President
Avalon Consulting Group
202-627-6502
allisonp@avalonconsulting.net