In today’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find a deep dive on donor trends, AI usage policy guidance, Excel tips, advice for tackling new challenges, and a season of celebration for America’s Semiquincentennial. Read more here!
Dear friends,
Summer is heating up, and so are many calendars. Shout out to Avalon HR and Operations for ensuring we have seamless vacation coverage this season. And good luck to parents of school age children! I remember how hectic those final weeks can feel and how complicated summer logistics can be. Hang in there and please let us know how Avalon can support you.
Deep Dive on Donor Trends
On June 10, Avalon and VeraData will host Helen Flannery from the Institute for Policy Studies for a presentation and community discussion on donor attrition and top-heavy philanthropy:
Helen spoke last month at Avalon’s retreat, and we are thrilled to expand the conversation. COO Kerri Kerr will moderate this one-hour session, which will explain what’s driving donor decline, what’s accelerating it, and what it means for nonprofits that depend on a broad base of individual supporters. In addition, Helen will walk through the mechanics of donor-advised funds, the growing concentration of charitable wealth, the tax policy landscape, and practical steps organizations can take to protect and grow their donor base in this environment. To register, look for an invitation from (or reach out to) your Avalon team!
AI Usage Policy Guidance
The Nonprofit Alliance recently addressed the rising importance of AI usage policies. Writing for TNPA’s blog, Holly Peterson of Tenenbaum Law Group outlined ten critical considerations for AI usage policies that are comprehensive, strong, and ultimately empowering. Because the tech is rapidly evolving and adoption is accelerating, clear and relevant policies are essential guardrails. This will be a good list to share with leadership, to ensure your nonprofit engages responsibly and successfully.
Excel Performance Crushers
Analytics VP SB Birnie shared a great post from Excel Playbook on LinkedIn, which explains “Why Your Excel File Is So Slow.” There’s a full guide in the post, which explains everything in detail and matches each problem with a solution. Specifically, they note five common culprits for crashes and lags:
- Volatile functions
- Massive VLOOKUPs
- Whole column references
- Merged cells
- Conditional formatting overload
Tackling New Challenges
SVP Jackie Libby shared an interesting Fast Company article that clarifies how to dial in effort on a new challenge. Author Doug Lindsay outlines a “cost of trying matrix,” which compares the cost of trying with the cost of failing. This 2×2 matrix can help illuminate the best path forward: Is it repetition, quick action, preparation, or speculation? Different situations call for different strategies, but step one is to plot the stakes and requirements. It’s an interesting concept, which Lindsay developed in response to serious medical challenges. I’d love to hear how it works for you, if you give it a try.
You don’t have to wait until your life is on the line to use this matrix. Plot your to-do list and work tasks onto it. Once you do, you can be confident you’re spending your time taking action when it’s most advantageous and preparing when it’s most necessary.
—Doug Lindsay, Fast Company
Our Shared Future
In celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial, the Smithsonian Institution curated “Our Shared Future: 250,” a powerful series of programming across its museums and around the nation. A new exhibition, “American Aspirations,” opens today in the iconic Smithsonian Castle, highlighting more than 30 prized objects, including Harriet Tubman’s personal hymnal (National Museum of African American History and Culture) and Sally Ride’s in-flight space suit (National Air and Space Museum). In addition, Smithsonian Associates has compiled a 250th event calendar for members and visitors. Thank you to all our Smithsonian clients for their dedicated efforts on this project and the ongoing endeavor to inform and inspire “Our Shared Future.”
