Dear friends,

Like many of you, I’m preparing for the Bridge Conference and am excited to catch up with industry colleagues in person. Safe travels to everyone who will make the trip from out of town, and I hope to see you at my sessions on Thursday! Reach out if you have time to connect while you’re at the conference.

New Gmail Management Feature

Gmail rolled out a new feature that lets users easily view and manage their email subscriptions, including seeing how many emails they’ve received from each sender and opting out with one click. This is a good thing for users, as it gives them more control over their inboxes and helps ensure they’re seeing content they actually want. Avalon Digital is tracking the impact and will flag any notable trends. However, most nonprofits are not sending at volumes that raise concerns. Further, Gmail’s previous requirements for one-click unsubscribes have not caused a meaningful drop in engagement or revenue to date. As always, Avalon will guide strategy based on data and performance.

Content Marketing Trends

HubSpot did a helpful deep dive on the psychology of short-form video. The format works well in part because attention spans are shrinking. However, it also gets traction because short-form videos appeal to emotion, are convenient to watch on-the-go, and are easy to share. HubSpot Research’s 2025 State of Marketing Report finds that short-form video now achieves the strongest ROI among content formats. And marketers have taken note: 90% report that they will increase their overall video investment this year, and 75% report an increase specifically for short-form content. While this is not specific to nonprofits or fundraising, it does impact what your donors will encounter online and across the marketing ecosystem.

Source: HubSpot 2025 State of Marketing Report.

Fundraising Compensation Study

The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy released its 2025 Compensation and Benefits Report. The latest data shows that average fundraising salaries stayed flat in 2024. Median salaries, however, rose by +5.6%, staying well ahead of the +2.9% inflation rate. Pay equity is also improving, but we have a long way to go: the average gender gap improved from 20% in 2023 to 18% in 2024, and the median gender gap improved from 25% to 13%. AFP also reports that overall commitment to the profession is strong, which should strengthen both hiring and retention across the industry.

Speak Up!

Senior director of HR Melissa Ferrell shared advice on speaking up, from leadership consultant Robyn McLeod. Making this a priority helps you develop leadership skills, fully engage at work, and forge deeper connections with colleagues. If this is difficult for you, McLeod recommends using your voice early in meetings, because waiting for the perfect moment can make it harder to jump in later. So, go ahead! Offer a question, a comment, or a “yes, and” that builds on a colleague’s idea. Your voice belongs in the room.

Seek Out Awe

Senior VP Jackie Libby shared advice from The Washington Post on simple ways to be a bit happier each day. The first tip is to “seek out awe,” and Jackie shared that she recently experienced this firsthand when she encountered wild horses in Corolla, North Carolina. COO Kerri Kerr regularly shares awe with our team by keeping us posted on the various bird families that nest in her front door wreaths. And I agree that animals are a constant source of inspiration, starting at home with my dogs!