In today’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you will find global philanthropy, award-winning campaigns, a busy season check-in, tips for stress relief, career-adjacent service, and more!
Dear friends,
Avalon was closed yesterday for Indigenous Peoples Day, which was a welcome break and chance to reflect. Honoring the occasion, I enjoyed Smithsonian Magazine’s photography collection highlighting Indigenous traditions. If you’re in DC, I also recommend the National Museum of the American Indian’s Stretch the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting exhibition. Visitors can join curator Anya Montiel and artist Melissa Melero-Moose for a conversation about these works on October 22 at 1pm. In addition, their powerful Americans exhibition is accessible online.
Behind the Byline
Registration is open for Avalon’s Behind the Byline webinar on October 28. Join us to learn what sector journalists are hearing from nonprofit leaders, what deserves more attention, and what they’ll be watching as fundraising heads toward 2027. Behind the Byline is a free, online event and open to the public.
MAXI Awards
Avalon is still glowing from DMAW’s 2026 MAXI Awards ceremony, where we received five honors on behalf of our clients. I am always grateful when we have reason to celebrate amid the swirl of budgets, deadlines, and hard work of preparing for year end – and I’m especially proud of these winning campaigns. Congratulations to all this year’s awardees!
🥇 Gold: Smithsonian Institution Women’s Committee, Craft Show Paid Media Campaign
🥈 Silver: Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, Mid-Level & 1163 Society Challenge Match Campaign
🥈 Silver: Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2025 June “Return Postage Enclosed” Special Appeal
🥈 Silver: Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2025 “Pre-Lapsed” Lapsed Appeal
🥉 Bronze: International Rescue Committee, Lives on the Line: Funding Crisis Appeal
Global Philanthropy at Avalon
VP of Donor Engagement and Retention Lindsay Marino Long gave our team a history lesson on global philanthropy, including its origins at Faircom New York (FNY), where founder Corinne Servily saw an opportunity to help international organizations reach American donors. It all began with Médecins Sans Frontières – Doctors Without Borders in the early 1990s, via direct mail. Over time, this bridge-building evolved to help international organizations reach the top of the giving pyramid, including major donors, foundations, and corporations. This is a natural extension of our services, and we are thrilled to add FNY’s global philanthropy expertise to Avalon’s capabilities.
3 Questions at the Intersection of Global Philanthropy and Direct Response:
- How can we scale the intentionality and strategy of relationship building for major gifts?
- Where do alternative ways of giving fit into the donor journey?
- How does what we know about donor behavior at scale inform what happens up the pyramid, and vice versa?
Managing Workplace Stress
How are you feeling in the final stretch of 2026? It’s normal to experience stress during busy periods, but it is also possible to thrive. To support this, senior VP Melissa Roberts shared several accessible grounding techniques for activating the parasympathetic nervous system and easing tension. Moments of stress can trigger a “flight or fight” response, and, when this happens, we first need to calm the body. Doing so enables us to re-engage the thinking part of the brain and respond thoughtfully, rather than react impulsively. It’s an important shift that not only eases stress but also improves communication and problem-solving. And that’s a win for everyone.
Career-Adjacent Volunteering
As many of you know, I enjoy and encourage volunteer opportunities that align with our work as fundraisers. It’s an engaging way to learn, network, and, most importantly, make a difference. As Expert in Residence for Philanthropy for the Pro Athlete Community, I recently attended their 2026 Proximity conference, where I facilitated a session on Legacy Philanthropy and left the weekend inspired by the players and their impact. PAC lives the mantra “one conversation can change your life,” and the staff and members are truly changing the narrative for professional athletes. Cheers to PAC for facilitating so many incredible connections.
