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Avalon Dispatch 03.10.2026

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In today’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find a special report on major donors, Avalon at NTC, how AI transforms work, copy techniques, good habits, a website reveal, and more. Read it here!

A dark blue banner with the words THE DISPATCH BY AVALON; DISPATCH is in large yellow letters, while the other text is smaller and white. Two sets of triangular shapes point toward the center text.

Dear friends,

With so much going on in the world, it can feel difficult to catch a breath and focus. I hope we will all look out for each other, notice when someone needs help, and be proactive when it comes to stress management. In addition, it’s important that leaders have a plan for supporting team members during uncertain times. Please reach out to your Avalon teams if you have questions about the impact of current events on your programs.

Special Report on Major Donors

Giving USA published a special report on major donor fundraising: “Impact Giving: Insights from Frontline Fundraisers on the Changing Major Donor Landscape.” Findings indicate the rising importance of impact-driven philanthropy, specifically:

  1. “Major donors today are more focused on impact and measuring outcomes/results;
  2. Donors want to be more strategic and proactive; and,
  3. They are more interested in hands-on engagement with nonprofits.”

One related discovery is that major donors are increasingly loyal to causes and values, rather than organizations. As a result, family traditions may hold less sway when donors choose their nonprofit partners. This is not a major disruption, but an ongoing evolution that requires fundraisers to measure, document, and communicate impact more effectively and transparently.

In addition, it was nice to see an overwhelming attitude of optimism: 68% of fundraisers surveyed reported they are either somewhat (36%) or extremely (32%) optimistic about the future of fundraising! Only 9% of respondents leaned towards pessimism.

Avalon at #26NTC

The 2026 conference calendar is in full swing, with several Avalon team members in Detroit this week for NTEN’s 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference. Thank you to our staff and clients who will share their expertise at this and other events this year. We hope to see you there!

Promotional graphic for Beyond the Welcome Series event at NTEN's Nonprofit Technology Conference on Wednesday, March 11 at 2:00pm. Features speaker photos and names David Lothamer from Avalon Consulting and Cari Maslow from National Trust for Historic Preservation on a purple background with white text.
Promotional flyer for a session titled "AI and the Future of Paid Search" at NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Conference on Thursday, March 12 at 3:15pm. The flyer highlights two speakers from Avalon Digital, Andrea Thorn, Senior Director of Paid Media, and Marcel Solorzano, Director of Paid Search, with their photos and titles displayed on a purple geometric background.

Copy Corner

Senior copy director David Wolkin shared two insightful articles with Avalon fundraisers:

  • The first, from Lisa Sargent, outlines “9 ways to (vastly) strengthen your feedback” during copy review. For example, we should all resist the temptation to insert jargon, tie up stories too neatly, or “fix” conversational punctuation.
  • In the second, Jeff Brooks cautions against “7 things that can sink your fundraising stories.” He offers some overlapping advice, for example around not using jargon and not making your organization the main character of a fundraising letter. (Focus on your donor, instead.)

Together, Sargent and Brooks remind us that great copy is neither a literary endeavor nor a board presentation. It is a critical component of successful fundraising that is designed to motivate donors.

“Direct response is about what works, not our personal likes or dislikes.”

– Lisa Sargent

How AI Transforms Work

Senior VP Jackie Libby shared an interesting perspective on how AI transforms work, beyond simply making us faster. Writing for Fast Company, author Kyle Forrest outlines three categories of work: “work for machines, work best done by humans, and work at the intersection of the two.” Forrest sees the biggest gains at that intersection, where organizations structure work for human and AI “collaboration.” In our profession, which centers on trust and human connection, we know this well: “As AI becomes ubiquitous, human skills like judgment, empathy, and contextual understanding provide a competitive advantage.”

💚 Avalon Website Reveal 💚

Avalon’s new website is officially live! This is an exciting moment for us, which brings many brainstorms and big ideas to life. Shout out and THANK YOU to everyone who shaped it, especially the core team: VP Barb Perell, senior VP Mary Meredith, operations manager Mollie Bensen, and senior fundraising and marketing copywriter Eve Tyler. We hope the new site helps more nonprofits find us, of course—and discover what they need to achieve and surpass their fundraising goals. I’m thrilled with the clean design, seamless navigation, and sharp content, all of which beautifully capture Avalon’s impact and voice. When you check it out, be sure to peruse Avalon’s case studies for ideas and insights you can put to work today!

Take care,

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Photograph of Allison Porter, a person with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a light blue blazer and a black-and-white striped top, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Allison Porter
President
Avalon Consulting Group
[email protected]

Let’s Work Together

Avalon Consulting partners with nonprofits of all sizes to create data-driven, creative campaigns that inspire donors and drive results. Let’s connect and explore how we can help your mission grow.