Dear friends,

As you know, our sector has weathered tremendous stress this year. Most recently, we heard news of proposed changes at the IRS that would politicize its process. The nonprofits and issues we care about will continue to need our support. We will address these challenges together and let them catalyze our best work. Keep going and take good care in the days and weeks ahead.

The Future of Donor Trust

A deceptive fundraising scheme has been in the news. Kars-R-Us reached a settlement with the FTC and 22 state agencies after fundraising over $45 million dollars and paying out only $126,000 on behalf of United Breast Cancer Foundation. Such “bad apple” nonprofits are rare, but, unfortunately, they impact public perception, and we need to hold them accountable.

Honest fundraisers have one path: doubling down on doing the right thing. It’s on us to steward donor trust with more care than ever. This includes everything we touch, from the campaigns we create, to financial transparency, to data privacy, to impact reporting, and beyond. Trust is a core value of our profession, and I know you are as committed as I am. Thank you!

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”

– Steven Covey

Trending Acronym: AEO

Do you know the difference between SEO and AEO? SEO, or “search engine optimization,” drives traffic to your website through search engines like Google or Bing. AEO, or “answer engine optimization,” is a strategy for visibility within AI responses. According to HubSpot, AEO is growing in importance alongside the public’s comfort with and use of AI. In 2024, 58.5% of U.S. Google searches ended without a clickthrough past the AI overview, and ChatGPT now boasts 800 million weekly active users. Both of these statistics signal a change in users’ search behavior, and marketers are responding. However, SEO and AEO work together, so both strategies remain important: “While traditional SEO remains essential for driving traffic, AEO determines whether your brand appears in the most important answers. So, think of it as a new layer to your existing content strategy, not a separate thing competing for resources.”

Saving Places

On October 16, Senior VP Mary Meredith and I attended the 75th Anniversary Gala for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, held at the historic Metropolitan Club in New York City. This year’s event comes on the heels of an extraordinary announcement: The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust, received a transformative $40 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Founded in 2017, the Action Fund is the largest privately funded resource dedicated to preserving sites associated with African American history. Its work ensures that these stories and places endure for generations to come. We are so proud to stand with the National Trust and support their work to save America’s historic sites, tell the full American story, build stronger communities, and invest in preservation’s future. Thank you for a wonderful night!

(L-R) Mary Meredith, Allison Porter, and National Trust’s Cari Maslow at the gala; the Metropolitan Club was a stunning venue; and Avalon made an appearance onscreen.

Reset Your Brain

Senior VP Jackie Libby shared advice from Inc. Magazine on managing work overwhelm, including six rituals to reset your brain. Many people resist taking breaks because they feel that time is crunched. However, this is when we need breaks the most, so we don’t burn out. A quick reset helps us maintain a steady pace, reduce mistakes, and communicate more effectively. Jackie also shared her personal reset ritual: watching her favorite light-hearted movie montage, which Avalon friend and senior account director Mary Maxwell shared with her years ago. “It makes me smile and just resets my brain.”

“Sweet” Sixteen

Avalon’s Sweet Sixteen Halloween Candy Bracket is a favorite fall tradition. I’m a tried-and-true Reese’s Pumpkin fan, but this is always a heated contest—and super fun! On a leadership note, the candy bracket is a great example of how virtual teambuilding can be simple, effective, and team led. Special thanks to senior director of data operations and analytics Ali Forsberg for managing the brackets this year!