Notes from the field
Blog
Concrete, practitioner-to-practitioner writing on the fundraising stack.
- How many grants should a shop your size actually pursue?
Capacity math for grant pipelines: what a solo fundraiser versus a team can realistically submit, why renewals come first, and when a tracker earns its cost.
- How to build a grant calendar a two-person team can keep
How to build a grant tracking calendar a two-person team can actually keep: six columns, a weekly review, and the signals that you need software.
- Wealth screening on a budget: what to do before you can afford it
Hand research substitutes for a screening platform longer than vendors admit: giving lists, 990s, property records, and a top-25 prospect routine that works.
- Is Zeffy really free? The tip model, explained
Yes. Zeffy charges no platform or processing fees and is funded by optional donor tips at checkout. What that means in practice and which shops it fits best.
- Is paid grant research software worth it for a small nonprofit?
When paid grant research software is worth it for a small nonprofit, and when the free path of 990s and library Candid access covers the job instead.
- How to compare donation processing fees the right way
Add platform fee, processing fee, and subscription into one effective rate on your own volume. Then weigh donor experience, which moves more money than fees.
- Instrumentl vs GrantStation for a one-person shop
Instrumentl and GrantStation compared for a solo fundraiser: what the tenfold price gap buys and a decision rule based on your application volume.
- When does a small nonprofit actually need a CRM?
The real triggers: more than about 200 active donors, a second staffer touching donor data, slipping thank-yous, or lost history. Before that, free tools hold.
- How to vet a foundation before you apply
A repeatable 20-minute check that tells you whether a foundation is worth a full proposal, run before you spend a week writing for the wrong funder.
- Zeffy vs Donorbox: comparing the real cost of processing
Zeffy charges nothing and runs on donor tips. Donorbox charges about 2.95% plus processing and delivers stronger recurring-gift tools. Which fits your shop.
- When to buy wealth screening (and when it's a waste)
Wealth screening earns its cost only when you have major-gift work to point it at. The revenue level and two conditions that make it worth buying.
- Bloomerang vs Little Green Light for a growing shop
LGL wins on price and flexibility. Bloomerang wins on ease of use and retention reporting. The deciding factor is who actually updates your database.
- How to read a 990 to find your next funder
Which parts of a foundation's 990-PF matter for prospect research, what each section tells you, and a simple reading order that takes 20 minutes.
- When a funder's stated priorities don't match their 990 giving history
Foundation websites say one thing and their 990 giving history says another. How to read the gap and decide whether a funder is a real prospect.
- Moving from Excel to a donor CRM without losing your gift history
Soft credits, households, and gift history are what break when you move from Excel to a CRM. How to clean the sheet, test the import, and go live safely.