Dear friends,

Avalon is gathering for a staff retreat this Monday – Wednesday in Annapolis. Our teams have planned for coverage, and all deliverables will remain on schedule. I am so proud of this event, which has just the right balance of connection, learning, and collaboration.

Thank you to everyone for making the trip—and to your families for making that travel possible. I’m especially grateful to our retreat committee, who planned this event down to the last detail. COO Kerri Kerr, senior director of HR Melissa Ferrell, and marketing and operations manager Mollie Bensen, we could not do this without you!

M+R Benchmarking

Last week, our friends at M+R released their annual benchmark report—and once again it’s a must-read. I appreciate their leadership in pushing for transparent, data-driven insights that challenge agencies and nonprofits alike to think bigger, move faster, and innovate smarter. 

This year’s study reveals clear wins and urgent warnings. We’re seeing similar trends:  

• Email is still a powerful tool, but securing inbox attention is highly competitive.

• Mobile subscriber lists are growing, and texting response rates are outpacing email. 

• The use of generative AI is on the rise. 

• Monthly giving is trending up.  

• Paid media returns are increasing as organic social reach continues to shrink, pushing nonprofits toward a pay-to-play model.  

Today’s digital success demands faster action, sharper targeting, and deeper intention. And while Avalon is a data-driven company, we also know the numbers aren’t the whole story. Real growth comes from authentic relationships built on trust and shared values. Metrics guide us—but humanity defines us. In a time of constant change, the organizations that connect meaningfully will be the ones who lead the way forward. 

Fundraising Formulas

Senior director of copywriting David Wolkin quizzed us on industry veteran Lisa Sargent’s formulas for more effective fundraising. Lisa explains each number on LinkedIn, and I recommend reading the full post, but it all begins with the famous rule of three: “Brain scientists say we prefer things grouped in threes. It’s more memorable. More satisfying. Less friction. That’s good for writers, because it’s good for readers. So: Hope, help, humanity. Love, kindness, compassion. Like that.”  

Lisa Sargent’s Formulas for More Efffective Fundraising:

• The rule of three.
• The story of one.
• 140 words.
• 12 pt minimum.
• 7 lines maximum.
• 35 words maximum.
• 40/40/20. (or 70/20/10)
• The 4 Cs.
• The 4 Us.
• 48 hours.
• Grade 4 to 8.
• 90 days, roughly.
• 730 days, too…

USPS Roller Coaster

The Nonprofit Alliance, the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, and the Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association have planned a joint webinar to address the challenge of Riding the USPS Roller Coaster. Experts from MMI Direct & MailSmart Logistics, Production Solutions, and RWT Production will share the latest on anticipated changes and other postal issues. This virtual event takes place on May 1 at 2pm EDT and will be recorded for registered participants. 

Burnout Battle

NonProfit PRO published an important read on how fundraisers experience burnout. New research suggests that fundraisers can experience secondary trauma at levels similar to frontline nonprofit workers. Secondary trauma occurs through a high volume of “indirect exposure, such as through photographs and stories, [to] the real–life factors that induce stress.” Researcher Michelle Reynolds attributes this challenge to four factors: (1) a high degree of empathy, (2) a tendency to put others first, (3) pressure to “achieve more for less,” and (4) pressure to “deliver the impossible.” That does sound accurate, doesn’t it? I support this call to action: 

““Fundraisers need to be empowered and enabled to hold boundaries around workload, to find their individual comfort level around exposure to others’ traumatic experiences, and resist the self-imposed yet seemingly reinforced-by-others belief that they must be ‘always on’ and put everyone else’s needs ahead of their own.”

– Michelle Reynolds 

Brain Break

When your brain needs a break, we recommend spending time with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live cams. They are both entertaining and relaxing, and you can bookmark your favorite creatures for a virtual visit. I find the Monterey Bay Cam especially calming, but we all know the Sea Otter Cam is the cutest!