In today’s Dispatch, you will find a bold vision, balanced leadership, award-winning content, AMMC 2026, and this year’s Candy Bracket Champion!
Dear friends,
Happy Election Day! It always gives me hope to see Americans heading to the polls. Whatever today’s outcome, one thing will remain consistent: nonprofits, volunteers, and their donors will persist in the missions that give them purpose. And so will we. The weeks ahead will demand hard work and adaptability to ensure that strategies keep pace with real-time changes. Avalon is ready, and I know you are too. Let’s do this.
Expanding the Pie
VeraData CEO Michael Peterman shared a bold idea with our staff that I believe we should all embrace: It isn’t enough to “win” market share for our clients in a competitive fundraising environment. Our most impactful opportunity as fundraisers is to grow philanthropy overall. In this way, our work supports not only the nonprofits we serve directly, but the overall health of the sector and our society. It’s an inspiring and collaborative vision that I’m proud to help lead.
Our North Star is to improve the long-term health of the nonprofits we serve and help grow philanthropy as a percentage of GDP. We’re not simply trying to help nonprofits compete for existing charitable dollars. We want to expand the pie by engaging more donors, strengthening relationships, and helping nonprofits increase their impact. That’s how we change the world for the better. — Michael Peterman, CEO & Founder, VeraData Group
Balanced Leadership
On the Candid blog, author Samuel Bellamy makes the case for balanced teams with diverse thinking styles. His article “Three Leadership Perspectives in Every Room” highlights three kinds of participants: “the institutionalist,” who ensures consistency and stability; “the change agent,” who pushes teams to evolve; and “the network thinker,” who excels at partnership and supports the relationships needed for successful collaboration. Each adds value to the strategic process and therefore deserves a voice. However, each also has a “failure mode” when overused and therefore requires some pushback. As a result, these perspectives work best as a team, not a hierarchy. Next time you work on strategy, a tough problem, or an important decision, pause to look around the room: Do you have the diverse perspectives you need?
Award-Winning Content
Congratulations to VeraData Group for earning two 2026 Content Marketing Awards from Content Marketing Institute!
- The Rapid Response Fundraising Readiness Kit was developed with Faircom New York (now part of Avalon) and won the top prize for Best Special Topic Issue.
- VeraData’s 2026 Fundraising Signals Report was created alongside Faircom New York and Teal Media and named a finalist for Best Use of a White Paper.
In October, VeraData’s Head of Content, Joey Mechelle Farqué, traveled to Denver for Content Marketing World 2026 to speak and lead a track. While there, she also accepted the awards on behalf of the enterprise and caught inspiring keynotes from Sophia Bush and Gabrielle Union.
This award-winning content reflects our ongoing mission to help nonprofit leaders navigate unexpected events and understand the shifting state of charitable giving. Way to go, team!
Beyond the Welcome Series
Trick or Treat
One of my favorite fall traditions, Avalon’s Halloween Candy Bracket, expanded this year to include the entire VeraData enterprise. In a thrilling finale, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups went head-to-head with KitKat in the ultimate showdown. After counting the final votes, the legendary chocolate and peanut butter duo officially secured the championship title! Thank you to our Virtual Gathering Committee for coordinating an especially fun competition.
AMMC 2026
From thought-provoking speakers to inspiring L.A. museums to sharing out at Avalon-led panels, our team had a fantastic experience at AMMC 2026. Thank you to everyone who could join us at Avalon’s client dinner!
