When a nonprofit is experiencing a crisis, fingers start pointing immediately - and they almost always point toward the boardroom. How many times have we heard: "Where was the board?" or "How could they let this happen?" Communities depend on nonprofit boards to...
While acquiring new donors can be challenging, many nonprofits find that table‑hosted events are a great way to open the door to new supporters. When done well, these events introduce fresh connections, strengthen relationships, and generate meaningful revenue. Yet...
A new year offers more than a clean slate - it’s a chance to pause, review, and set your development plan up for success. Before launching into 2026 goals, take a moment to close out 2025 and let your data inform your next steps.Here are 4 tips to help you do just...
Before interning at Kennari Consulting, I knew I wanted to go into development, but I didn’t know where to start. I knew a little bit about grant writing, but if you had asked me about a table-hosted event or a capital campaign, I wouldn’t know what you were talking...
In the movie, Knives Out, the Thrombey family gathers eagerly for the reading of Harlan Thrombey’s will, only to be stunned when they learn they will inherit none of his $60 million estate. Instead, the entirety of it is left to Marta Cabrera, Harlan’s devoted...
Though Planned Giving tools can feel a little overwhelming, especially for small and mid-size nonprofits, they can be a powerful part of the fundraising strategy. For organizations that don’t have much experience with planned giving, it’s a good idea to start small –...
How and why people give looks different depending on their generation. Giving USA’s 2024 report, Giving by Generation, along with a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy webinar, explored how different generations approach giving and the messages that resonate with...
Text messaging (SMS) can be a powerful tool for your organization to connect with your community of followers. Whether you’re sending event reminders, appeals, or quick updates, SMS offers a fast, personal, and effective way to engage your audience. But before diving...
Although schools can teach you many things, there are some lessons you can only learn through experience. That’s what I was hoping for this summer - experiences in the nonprofit world that would help me learn what it’s all about. I didn’t know exactly what niche I...
Your website is the front door to your organization for anyone who visits – and they will often visit the website before ever seeing your actual front door! While it needs to serve a variety of visitors, making a great first impression on donors is especially...
Erika Hernandez, recently a former intern with Kennari Consulting
Capital Campaigns are a wonderful way to help organizations take a big step forward in meeting their mission. They can also take a long time to complete, which may lead to donor and volunteer fatigue. To keep campaign success at the forefront, consider creating a...
The purpose of a board self-assessment is to create and maintain a healthy and engaged board by assessing members’ perceptions and status of their service as well as the full board’s effectiveness in governing the organization. More specifically, the assessment should...
An effective nonprofit board keeps its organization’s mission moving forward—and that means staying fresh and energized. Welcoming new board members while saying goodbye to others is a natural and essential part of that process. It brings new ideas, perspectives, and...
The Board of Directors plays a crucial role in the success of any nonprofit organization. A board with diverse skill sets, a productive committee structure, and adherence to term limits will best serve the organization in the long run. Two key factors that help...
There are a variety of ways for board members to support fundraising events. Not everyone will be able to fill the same role, but everyone can and should contribute to the success of the event! Read more about the four key roles board members can play - inviting...
Great events take a significant amount of staff time. That’s why it’s important to make sure your organization gets the maximum return on investment in events both with dollars raised and meaningful engagement with attendees. Events that are mission-focused and help...
Table-hosted events are an excellent way to attract new donors and build lasting donor relationships, especially when held annually. For many nonprofits, this is often a first choice when seeking to diversify their revenue streams or grow an annual donor base. Here...
Year-end appeals have been a proven successful fundraising strategy for nonprofits for many years. However, writing and executing effective year-end appeals can be challenging. This guide unlocks five key steps to crafting a year-end appeal that increases engagement...
Meet Andy DeBraber! We are happy to welcome Andy to the Kennari team as a Senior Strategist - after 25 years of successful fund development work in a variety of nonprofit sector roles. His positions have included being an executive director in West Michigan and both a...