Dear friends,

While we enjoyed the long weekend, I want to acknowledge the devastating flooding in Texas. It is heartbreaking to see the number of lives lost, including those from the summer camp for girls and many who remain missing. If you wish to help, there are a number of relief efforts here.

Tax Reform and Charitable Giving

Thank you to The Nonprofit Alliance for keeping us informed and mobilizing us as the tax bill moved through Congress. Following its passage into law on July 4, TNPA published a helpful assessment of the impact on donors and charitable giving. Looking ahead, they recommend strategic segmentation and targeted messaging designed to reach, educate, and engage donors across giving levels. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for TNPA’s newsletter and action alerts here.

“While tax policy creates important incentive structures, the fundamental impulse to give transcends tax considerations. Organizations that understand the nuanced impacts on different donor segments and develop targeted strategies will be best positioned to maintain and grow support aligned with, or despite, these changes.”

– Shannon McCracken, President and CEO, The Nonprofit Alliance 

Ignited by Purpose

Who else is excited for the 2025 Bridge Conference: “Ignited by Purpose”? In a difficult year for the sector, I am especially grateful that fundraisers have this space to gather, learn from each other, and discover new inspiration. Please say hello when you see me, and I hope you will attend my sessions on Thursday, July 31!

• All Star Panel: How the Last 20 Years Will Impact Fundraising in the Next 20 Years
  Thursday, July 31 @ 2:30 PM
  Location: Maryland 3, 4
  Presenters: Roger Hiyama (Wiland), Gretchen Littlefield (Moore), Allison Porter (Avalon), and Dave Strauss (The Nature Conservancy)
• 30 Wow! Ideas
  Thursday, July 31 @ 4:10 PM
  Location: Cherry Blossom
  Presenters: Allison Porter (Avalon), Tiffany Neill (Lautman Maska Neill & Company), and Mwosi Swenson (Mal Warwick Donordigital)

Presentation Do’s and Don’ts

Can you be too prepared for a presentation? Surprisingly, yes! According to public speaking expert Gary Genard, practicing your talk more than three to five times can backfire by making you sound stiff or robotic. In addition, memorizing content can leave you scrambling if you need to adjust on the fly. Instead, practice in a way that gets you as energized as you want your audience to feel. I love this advice and have found that the best presentations have an element of spontaneity that enables genuine human connection

“Remember: your value to an audience doesn’t lie in vomiting up content. Your slides, spreadsheets, and handouts have that covered. But only you can make your data fresh and exciting. In fact, that’s your job when you present.”

– Gary Genard

Everyday Kindness 

Finally, thank you to COO Kerri Kerr for sharing this call to kindness with the Avalon team. I agree completely, and you can count me in:

I’ve been thinking a lot about kindness lately, especially in a world that can feel increasingly polarized and reactive. We cannot always control the chaos around us, but we can choose how we show up for each other. I came across this chart on LinkedIn and found it both grounding and inspiring. It’s a great reminder that kindness doesn’t have to be grand or complicated. In fact, it’s often the small, intentional acts that make the biggest difference. So, I invite you to try one or two of these ideas. Let’s make kindness something we practice, not just something we believe in.