In today’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find new rules for fundraising platforms, empowering stories, a design sprint for your ask string, trusted brands, conference tips, and more. Read it here!
Dear friends,
We’re one week out from Bridge, and I look forward to seeing you soon. Tiffany Neill, Mwosi Swenson, and I will present this year’s “30 Wow! Ideas” bright and early on Thursday, July 30 (Main Stage, 8:45 AM). Please reach out if you are also attending and would like to say hello. And for anyone who gets networking nerves, the “Conference Junkie’s Guide to Attending (and Enjoying) Conferences” is all you need for a confidence boost!
New Rules for Fundraising Platforms
According to The NonProfit Times, a new set of rules for online fundraising platforms is gaining traction. The guidelines, issued last month by the National Council of Nonprofits and endorsed by over 50 state and regional associations, focus on four areas of impact: Consent, Transparency, Partnership, and Accountability. Along with guidelines from AFP and recent regulatory action, they signal sustained concern following GoFundMe’s controversial overreach last fall. I’m glad to see major industry players charting a path that both acknowledges the importance of these platforms and requires accountability. Avalon continues to recommend that nonprofits audit their presence online for accuracy and impact.
Nonprofits depend on transparency and trust, and when online fundraising platforms operate unethically, they risk undermining the public integrity nonprofits have worked so hard to develop.
– Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Council of Nonprofits
Copy Corner
On LinkedIn last month, BuildGood’s Mike Duerkson considered the benefits of incomplete vs. complete stories in fundraising. He asks, do your donors respond better to a problem that needs fixing (incomplete), or being part of a solution that’s already working (complete)? Duerkson notes that the problem with an incomplete story is that it can leave donors feeling powerless. A complete story, he counters, can address this by conveying three elements of self-determination: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. It’s an important distinction and worth a look as you refine messaging. A great message will both draw your donors in and empower them to make an impact.
Ask Strings that Drive Revenue
Avalon Analytics VP SB Birnie shared perspective from Mark Phillips on “Why What You Ask For Could Be Costing You Money.” In it, he addresses the problem of ask strings that underperform. Some simply set the bar too low, when donors could afford to give more. Others fail to convey an increasingly compelling case for giving, and therefore (unintentionally) direct donors to choose lower giving levels. Phillips recommends the following “ask sprint” to ensure your next ask string works as hard as possible for your program:
Most Trusted Brands
Morning Consult has released their 2026 Most Trusted Brands report. Dawn Dish Soap won for the second year in a row, followed by Band-Aids which took the top spot in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Two key findings are the stability of brand trust, even “in a low trust era,” and a decrease in trust among younger generations. In addition, nostalgia is having a moment, with brands like Mr. Pibb and Lunchables making notable gains. Stay tuned for Morning Consult’s Most Trusted Nonprofits, a companion ranking that typically comes out in October. In 2025, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital topped that list for the fourth year in a row.
Adorable Animals
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute shared news of Thistle, a prehensile-tailed porcupine born at the Zoo this spring. Thistle is one of many newborns at the Zoo this year, and keepers were recently able to determine her sex through DNA testing. To get to know more of the Zoo’s newest residents, check out their roundup of this spring’s “cute, rare and remarkable babies.” It’s a great way to engage with their work—and a welcome dose of cuteness!
