13. Fundraising In a Challenging Economy
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About this episode
Today on The intentional Fundraiser podcast, I'm talking with my good friend and brilliant fundraiser Cherian Koshy. He is the principal and consultant with Endowment Partners, an investment management firm that works solely with nonprofits and foundations. We'll be talking about what's on every fundraiser's mind right now: fundraising in a challenging economy, especially as we're heading into the fourth quarter.
We're looking at inflation and possible recession. We talk about donor-advised funds and how they might be part of the solution. Securities and cryptocurrency. In this episode, we're talking about how we, as fundraisers, navigate it all.
Our guest
Cherian Koshy, Chief Development Officer, Endowment Partners
"You open up an account and you put money into that account and it's invested. So it grows, and then you're allowed to use that money in the future to make charitable gifts."
- Cherian Koshy, Chief Development Officer, Endowment Partners
A quick peek
Tammy Zonker: For our listeners who may not be as familiar with donor-advised funds (DAFs), will you just give us kind of that one-on-one on DAFs and why there's such a great incentive?
Cherian Koshy: The simple version of a donor-advised fund is that it's an account held typically by a charitable institution, a community foundation, or Fidelity and Schwab. You open up an account and you put money into that account and it's invested. So it grows, and then you're allowed to use that money in the future to make charitable gifts. Now, the real advantage is that you don't have to decide where that money goes at the time you make the gift. I can put in quite literally $1,000 into a donor-advised fund today and I get the charitable deduction for that gift that I've made to a nonprofit organization.
Tammy Zonker: Cherian, anything else we need to hear right now in these uncertain times?
Cherian Koshy: I would say to your listeners is that you need to stay encouraged. I know that it seems like whammy after whammy, pandemic and great resignation and trying to do the job of multiple people and now a recession, and it can feel overwhelming. But the work that you all are doing I don't know you, but I know that you work in a nonprofit and that you're trying to raise funds for that organization. And that work is important. Your community depends on you. So thanks for what you're doing, and just stay encouraged.
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Links mentioned in this episode
DAFinitive: Searchable database to help you find information about donor-advised funds
Nonprofit Storytelling Conference
Books mentioned in this episode
Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts
The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be
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