100+ Fundraising Blogs You Should Be Reading

Keeping up with every quality piece of content published by and for fundraisers on the web every day would be a full time job in and of itself. There’s absolutely no way you could read it all.

While there are many very well-known speakers and writers who boast tens of thousands of daily readers and followers, we wanted to highlight some lesser-known hidden gems – as well as some long-established publishers – that may change the way you think about and perform your job.

Here are the top fundraising blogs (in no particular order) you should be reading in 2017 and beyond:

1. Get Fully Funded – There are many reasons why we love Sandy Rees, CFRE – not the least of which being her love of animals. Check out her leadership and board development tips!

2. Philantopic – The Philanthropy News Digest’s blog has dozens of contributors and covers a wide variety of sector topics.

3. Clairification – Claire offers incredibly clairifying advice and useful tips every week to those who enroll in her online Clairification School. She also offers a free weekly round- up of the best fundraising advice across the web you may have missed in her Clairity Click-it.

4. Critical Fundraising – This blog from Plymouth University is the best place to read Adrian Sargeant, Ian MacQuillin and Adrian Salmon, among many other researchers and academics.

5. Achieve – Derrick Feldmann’s research and campaigns agency is a great place for data-driven thoughts on nonprofit tech and millennial behavior.

6. Queer Ideas – Mark Phillips, founder and CEO of Bluefrog, is a true champion of donor-centricity and an accomplished venn diagrammer.

7. Artful Fund Raiser – If you’re a performing arts org, follow Jeremy Hatch for an unfiltered perspective.

8. Firespring – Nonprofit websites are their bread and butter, but their blog goes beyond to cover all things digital.

9. Classy – Be sure to sign up for their email roundup!

10. Joan Garry – Joan specializes in executive coaching and management team-building.

11. Ann Green – Ann will help you spruce up your donor communications, including appeals, acknowledgements and newsletters.

12. Bullock Consulting, Inc. – Kirsten Bullock might be the most down-to-earth, no-nonsense consultant on this list.

13. Amy Eisenstein – One of only a few to obtain the ACFRE designation – don’t miss her new research on major gift fundraising!

14. Ruffalo Noel Levitz – Since RuffaloCODY and Noel-Levitz merged in early 2015, their blog has been consistently publishing useful content.

15. Kishshana & Co – Published by the “Queen of Focus” a true “Leadership Wiz”, Kishshana Palmer, you won’t want to miss content on The Secret Lives of Leaders.

16. Veritus Group – Vertius’ blog was the most-requested addition to this year’s list. It won’t take you long to find out why.

17. Michael Rosen Says – One of the best aspects of Michael’s blog are his profiles on fundraising professionals and nonprofit managers working in the field.

18. JC Social Marketing – Julia Campbell has her finger on all the hottest trends in social media marketing for nonprofits.

19. DonorSearch – Want to become a better prospect researcher or data miner? DonorSearch has you covered.

20. Beth’s Blog – What can we say about Beth Kanter? A ubiquitous conference speaker, her blog is likely the most-read on this list.

21. Network for Good – Caryn Stein and her team consistently publish content that helps nonprofit marketers and fundraisers be better at their jobs.

22. Tech Impact – Laura Quinn and team help nonprofits back good technology purchasing decisions.

23. Good Works – This Canadian dream team includes Leah Eustace, ACFRE, Fraser Green and Holly Wagg. Be sure to check out their study on charity websites.

24. What Gives Philanthropy – Interested in mid-level giving strategies? Maeve Strathy’s blog is the only one you need.

25. Agents of Good – John Lepp, Jen Love and team have set the bar for quality in direct mail, print and design. They write all about how to show love to donors (yes, you can show love with direct mail).

26. John Haydon – John is my go-to for nonprofit Facebook advice and strategies, but you’ll find lots more content on social media, email and digital here as well.

27. Ignited Fundraising – Lori L. Jacobwith is a master storyteller who has helped nonprofit organizations raise over $250 million from individual donors. Enough said.

28. Communicate! Consulting – Dennis Fischman will help you win loyal donors through better communication (something we aren’t that great at).

29. Pursuant – Daily posts from The Digital Drip allow Pursuant to offer timely advice to all levels of fundraisers.

30. The Curtis Group – This team of experts has a unique way of applying business practices to nonprofit organizations in a way that’s practical and not annoying.

31. Fundraising Success Magazine – FSM features multiple blogs from recurring columnists. Don’t miss articles from Jeffy Jowdy or Larry C Johnson!

32. Joyaux Associates – Not much more can be said about Simone Joyaux, ACFRE beyond the universal praise and admiration the sector has for her. She is the godmother of fund development, board development and strategic planning, and everyone should do whatever she says – all the time.

33. Future Fundraising Now – Jeff Brooks is to the nonprofit sector what Seth Godin is to the for-profit sector. His posts are short on word count, but long on substance.

34. The Storytelling Nonprofit – Vanessa Chase is one of a handful of experts working hard to help fundraisers become better storytellers. Why should you care about storytelling? Vanessa will tell you.

35. Fundraiser Grrl – For a daily does of laughter, check Fundraiser Grrl’s crowd-sourced collection of gifs. Actually, just set it as your homepage now.

36. Fired-Up Fundraising – Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE offers free articles on her blog in addition to a paid Insiders program with content from dozens of nonprofit pros.

37. ChangeFundraising.com – Simon Scriver’s blog cuts through the crap and tells it like it is.

38. Bloomerang – Forgive us for the shameless plug, but we’re proud of the content here.

39. Nonprofit Hub – NPHub maintains a full-time staff of editors and writers, supercharged by outside expert contributors. They even have a print magazine that they’ll send to your physical mailbox for free!

40. npENGAGE – This labor of love brought to you by Blackbaud is glutted with blog posts, webinars, benchmark reports and eBooks.

41. Nonprofit Marketing Guide – Kivi Leroux Miller is my go-to for social media, email and content advice for nonprofits. She wrote the book on content marketing for nonprofits.

42. Huffington Post Impact – In addition to high-profile op-eds, this slice of HuffPo often publishes watchdog content, new data and sector news not found anywhere else.

43. Nonprofit With Balls – As the title suggests, Vu Le doesn’t shy away from bold opinions and edgy ideas.

44. Getting Attention – Nancy Schwartz wants to help you become a better marketer, and maintains one of the most robust nonprofit marketing/communications job boards on the web.

45. Hands-On Fundraising, LLC – I love that Mary Cahalane is all about gratitude, and she backs up her advice with real life examples from organizations who get it right.

46. OneCause – One of our go-to’s for mobile bidding, fundraising event and auction help – great free webinars, too!

47. Ahern Communications – Tom Ahern is the leading expert on donor communications, focusing on donor-centricity. His is the #1 newsletter you should subscribe to on the web. Period.

48. Social Velocity – A former public broadcasting fundraiser, Nell Edgington writes about social impact and financial sustainability.

49. Donor Dreams – An expert on Boys & Girls Clubs, Erik Anderson is just a super smart, funny and all-around nice person.

50. Wild Woman Fundraising – Author of several books on fundraising and social media, it’s no wonder that Mazarine Treyz is a sought-after speaker and webinar presenter. Her newsletter always delights, especially when it contains the occasional Quentin Tarantino or Harry Potter reference.

51. GuideStar – Everyone knows GuideStar as a directory of nonprofit data, but their blog is all about helping nonprofit professionals and their supporters become more effective and efficient.

52. Know Your Own Bone – Museum and cultural center fundraisers need to know Colleen Dilenschneider.

53. re: charity – By day, Brady Josephson hustles for Chimp, but still finds time to publish his thoughts on leadership, management and fundraising here (when he isn’t writing for The Huffington Post).

54. 101 fundraising – This “crowdblog” brings together numerous well-known experts and practitioners, including Ken Burnett, Daryl Upsall, Tom Ahern and Rory Green. The heated discussions in the comments section are a can’t-miss!

55. The Fundraising Coach – Marc Pitman is all about helping you (and your co-workers and your board) get over the fear of asking for money.

56. A Direct Solution – Erica Waasdorp literally wrote the book on monthly giving. She blogs about direct marketing and fundraising here.

57. Donor Relations Guru – As a working higher-ed fundraiser, Lynne Wester doesn’t have to share all of her knowledge, but she does anyway. Don’t miss her LinkedIn posts!

58. CauseVox – CauseVox should be your go-to source for all things peer-to-peer and crowdfunding.

59. Simple Development Systems – Pamela Grow’s blog has too many awards to list here, and the pace at which she publishes amazing free advice is almost worrisome.

60. AFP Blog: Recent News of Note – The Association of Fundraising Professionals Fundraising Resource Center gathers industry news and curates only the finest content from many of the blogs on this list.

61. Big Duck – Sarah Durham and her team put a special focus on brandraising, campaigns, and training.

62. Ad Libbing – If Ad Libbing doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about social marketing, it comes pretty close.

63. Aplos – Even if you know they’re wasting time trying to get you to love nonprofit accounting, still check out their blog. They have great thoughts to share on leadership and fundraising as well.

64. Engaging Volunteers – You love ’em. You need ’em. But can you find ’em? VolunteerMatch’s blog provides all sorts of ideas on how to attract and involve volunteers in your organization.

65. Accelevents – If you’re not reading what these guys have so say about adding technology to your fundraising events and engaging millennial audiences… shame.

66. Causecast – Employees and volunteers seem a bit down? Ryan Scott knows how to cheer them up and get everyone working towards your mission.

67. Center for Effective Philanthropy – CEP wants to maximize your foundation’s impact in the world by offering guidance and advice on numerous issues.

68. Forward Together – The folks at Abila produce consistent content for the general well-being of your nonprofit.

69. Qgiv – Awesome tips and trends centered around peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts.

70. Hilborn – If there’s one thing Canadians know how to do, it’s curate relevant content from an eclectic bunch of contributors.

71. Gesture – Make it a point to check out the Gestures of the Week! They’re reminders that even the smallest act can make a big difference.

72. Greater Giving – Looking for more nonprofit fundraiser ideas? Double G has some for you… and lots more!

73. Hewlett Foundation – HF wants to fill your mind with ideas that lead to action.

74. Just Giving – Check out the JustGiving Awards 2016. You’ll feel so inspired, and it will just make sense to listen to “Eye of the Tiger” on full volume for the rest of the day.

75. Knight Foundation – KF pulls together successful nonprofit moments from around the country, paying special attention to the arts and communities.

76. Nonprofit Technology News – Wanna know how tech innovations might influence your fundraising, accounting, managing, and everyday life? I know I do. That’s why I read NPT News.

77. Good News Shared – Don’t forget to stop by this happy news outlet after you’ve perused all the depressing stuff. Nisha Kotcha is on a mission to show the world how amazing charities are.

78. Nonprofit Quarterly – NPQ’s consistent, research-based content equips any nonprofit worker to navigate the rapidly changing environment.

79. Nonprofit Tech for Good – Social media. All day. Every day. (Well, at least several times a week.)

80. Markets for Good – So many of our favorite nonprofit bloggers share their thoughts on Markets for Good.

81. The Nonprofit Times – If you’re a leader in your organization, chances are you’ve already come across NPT’s collection of ideas and tips on nonprofit management.

82. Nonprofit Law Blog – Come and get you legal tips here.

83. Social Solutions – Regular resources for those in social services.

84. Salsa – Another great blog for fundraisers and nonprofit managers. Check it.

85. Selfish Giving – Hear from cause marketing expert, Joe Waters, and his interview guests on his weekly radio shows.

86. Volunteer Hub – A never-ending flow of wisdom from these volunteer virtuosos.

87. Stanford Social Innovation Review – Smart people writing about a host of social issues. I know they’ll give you new perspectives on the topics of today.

88. Techsoup – All things technology.

89. Wild Apricot – Wild Apricot isn’t afraid to step out of it’s sweet spot of membership management software to share insights on volunteerism, fundraising, and more.

90. Third Sector Today – Covering a wide array of topics, every piece of content produced is intended to advance your cause and career.

91. Top Nonprofits – A compilation of articles by some of the best in the industry.

92. Winspire News – If you like infographics, success stories, and gleaning practical tips about fundraising and charity auctions, go no further.

93. Urban Wire – The Urban Institute researches social policy and transforms their evidence into solutions.

94. National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy – The NCRP brings together a wide range of writers and topics all with the purpose of supporting and spurring on foundations in their missions.

95. Not Your Father’s Charity – “Nonprofit is not a business model, it is simply a tax designation.” Wayne Elsey wants nonprofits to capitalize on the best of 21st Century methodology, vision and business practices.

96. Harbor Compliance – Nonprofit compliance isn’t always the most exciting topic, but it’s important nonetheless.

97. SOFII – Chock full of case studies, real-life examples and stories from fundraisers and consultants from around the globe.

98. Asking Matters – Do you have trouble asking for money? Who doesn’t? Asking Matters is here to help.

99. Prosper for Purpose – This certified B Corp specializes on public relations, earned media and media relations.

100. Ayda Sanver – 25 years of experience. CFRE. MBA. If you’re a small shop, bookmark this blog.

101. Annual Fund Lab – T. Clay Buck, CFRE covers all aspects related to the annual fund.

102. Ask Thank Report Repeat – Jim Shapiro has one of our favorite models for fundraising. Check out his recent webinar with us.

If you haven’t already, bookmark these blogs, subscribe via email or RSS and follow the authors on social media. You’ll be glad you did.

Who did I miss? Who are you reading (or writing!) that should be on the list? Let me know in the comments below!