The Goldmine Blog
In-depth analysis on donor strategy, tax-advantaged giving vehicles, and the future of nonprofit fundraising.
What Is a Donor-Advised Fund — And Why Should You Care?
In 2023, there were 1.78 million active Donor-Advised Fund accounts in the United States, holding a combined $251.5 billion in assets. That year, those accounts distributed $54.7 billion to charitable organizations. And yet, most nonprofits have no formal strategy for attracting DAF grants. Here is what you need to know.
The Charitable Remainder Trust: Give Now, Receive Income for Life
A Charitable Remainder Trust allows a donor to transfer a highly appreciated asset — real estate, stock, a business interest — into a trust, receive a lifetime income stream from that asset, take a significant charitable deduction, and ultimately leave the remainder to your organization. It is one of the most powerful tools in planned giving, and most donors have never heard of it.
From One-Time Donor to Lifetime Partner
The average nonprofit retains only 45% of its donors from one year to the next. That means more than half of the people who gave to your organization last year will not give again this year. The solution is not better thank-you letters. It is structural — and it starts with understanding why donors leave.
The Math That Changes Everything
When we tell organizations they can raise an additional $10 million to $100 million in donations through this program, the most common response is skepticism. So let's do the math together — starting with the donors you already have.
Who This Program Is For — And Who It Is Not
This program is not for every organization. It works best in specific contexts — and understanding those contexts will help you determine whether the opportunity is right for you before investing time and resources.
The 1917 Law That Most Nonprofits Have Never Taught Their Donors
In 1917, Senator Henry Hollis argued for the charitable tax deduction as an amendment to the War Revenue Bill. His observation was direct: people give last, so giving is the first thing eliminated when times get hard. That law has been in the tax code for over 100 years. Most donors have never been shown how to use it.
The Private Foundation: Why It Is the Gold Standard of Structured Giving
Of all the structured giving vehicles available to high-net-worth donors, the private foundation is the most powerful, the most flexible, and the most misunderstood. When established correctly, it transforms a donor from a periodic contributor into a permanent institutional partner — with your organization at the center of their philanthropic legacy.
Public Benefit Nonprofits: The Ideal Partner for Structured Giving Programs
Public benefit nonprofits — 501(c)(3) public charities — offer donors the highest available charitable deduction: 60% of AGI for cash gifts, 30% for appreciated assets. Understanding why this matters, and how to leverage it in donor conversations, is one of the most underutilized advantages in nonprofit fundraising.
The Tax Iceberg: What Your Donors Are Losing at Every Stage of Life
Most donors think about taxes once a year, at filing time. But the tax system extracts wealth at every stage of life — and again at death. Understanding the full scope of this erosion is the first step toward redirecting it. Here is what your donors are actually losing.
One Educated Donor Can Fund Your Organization for 10 Years. Here Is the Exact Math.
The most common objection from development directors is 'we need more donors.' It is understandable. It is also, in most cases, the wrong diagnosis. The organizations that are winning do not have more donors — they have deeper relationships with the ones they already have. Here is the math that proves it.