DonorPoint just returned from the United Way 2025 Great Rivers Conference in Madison, WI, where the camaraderie and ideas throughout the conference were a sight to see! This was the fourth consecutive year that we’ve come to Great Rivers, and each time we’re grateful for the chance to catch up with clients and longtime friends, and meet a whole new group of United Way ambassadors (nearly half of the 250+ attendees were first-time attendees).
United Way’s dynamic vision is for a world where every person in every community is thriving through the caring power of people around the globe. Readying United Way staff from the 12-state Great Rivers region (Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, MIchigan, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota) with the critical skills and resources needed to bring this vision to life is the goal of the Great Rivers Conference. And the desire to acquire those resources extended far outside the region, as we saw United Way staff from as far away as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida, and Nevada visit this year’s assembly!
Among the conference-wide keynotes, statewide forums and breakout sessions covering topics such as Programs, Impact, Development, Volunteer and Financial initiatives arose focuses on timely and relevant themes. Following is a dive into some of those key subjects.
FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZES
Meaningful conversations regarding the uncertainties in the current political and public policy climate abounded, as this was one of the first opportunities for large-scale discussion after the White House’s decision to pause federal grants and contracts for nonprofits, as well as subsequent federal judges’ rulings to block the freeze and the administration’s rescinding of the federal freeze. Updates on the release of grant funds as a result of the rulings were given, as well as to-date reporting of the states whose Attorney Generals have sued to block the funding pause.
Federal grants and contracts are fundamental for United Way and other Health, Human & Social Services nonprofits to deliver much-needed community solutions such as sustainable housing for those without it, childcare for low-income households, addiction services, job training and placement services, and more. According to a recent Nonprofit Trends and Impacts Report from Washington, D.C.-based economic and social policy think tank Urban Institute, government funding comprises as much as 1/3rd of revenue for the nonprofit sector every year. Furthermore, the Institute found that nearly 40% of all U.S. nonprofits applied for federal grants between 2021-2023….with another 10% having applied for federal contracts. United Way leadership has recommended that chapters stay informed on the latest news on this issue; have discussions with their leadership, Boards of Directors and funders regarding ways to diversify streams of financial support; and continue to do whatever they can to execute United Way’s mission.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION POLICIES
Another critical issue in the nonprofit sector that’s in doubt: the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) organizational policy, which seeks to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, regardless of race, religion, creed, gender identity or disability. On January 21, the White House rescinded the DEI Executive Order, demanding that all governmental DEI programs be shut down by January 23, and that employees be placed on administrative leave and eventual layoff. In addition to rescinding previous federal program DEI orders, the President’s executive orders could also potentially delay or complicate federal grant payments to nonprofits, require organizations to report on alignment to the new policies, and impact nonprofits’ work in areas such as:
- – Environmental & Climate Protection
- – Immigration
- – Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Programs
- – Health & Human and Social Services
- – LGBTQ+ Rights and Services
This could result in significant changes to nonprofits’ operations, their funding, and their constituents.
While this too is being countered at the federal judicial level (and likely with lawsuits from both sides), United Way and its chapters continue to monitor the situation and stay abreast of any potential impact to its Impact/Programs and Development efforts.
DIGITAL TRANFSORMATION OF FUNDRAISING AND DONOR ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES
By now, many nonprofits have adopted technology’s ability to transform the way charities fundraise, automating processes that used to be time-consuming, and enabling organizations to ‘cast their nets’ farther and wider — opening up new avenues for resource development. Donors can now support your cause by hitting a few buttons on their laptop or mobile device to complete their Individual & Recurring Giving, Workplace Giving Campaign, Volunteer Management or Memberships & Sustaining Giving Campaign transactions in mere seconds.
Such technology is critical to get the most out of your Peer-to-Peer & Crowdfunding fundraising as well. Automated fundraising platforms can flawlessly integrate your P2P and Crowdfunding efforts with email and social media platforms, amplifying your audience at the touch of a button — with Payments Automation capabilities to easily transact the donation.
Furthermore, more nonprofits are expected to operate exclusively on cloud-based donor fundraising platforms, which means its entire staff — including ones who work at headquarters, ones who work remotely, and contractors and freelancers — can collaborate in real-time using the same data in the same network, from any location. Add to that the ever-increasing adoption of AI and predictive modeling, and organizations will be able to more seamlessly segment their donor database, personalize their communications, and execute their work much more efficiently.
ENGAGING LAPSED DONORS
The United Way Great Rivers Conference shared effective tried-and-true lapsed donor engagement strategies to deepen relationships with your historical supporters to drive retention and growth. (The donor segmentation and personalized communications we already mentioned? They can help here too.) These capabilities allow nonprofits to use automation to call attention to the impact THEIR SPECIFIC PREVIOUS GIFTS made possible, while simultaneously offering a forum for one-on-one feedback, an opportunity to reconnect, and new avenues for engagement that can last the length of a one-day Event, or more of a year-round calendar engagement.
And thanks to optimized analytics, nonprofits can set achievable campaign goals, harness mounds of valuable data, and integrate incoming metrics to guide their progress and positively affect other areas of United Way’s operations (such as Community Impact, Finance, Marketing, and more).
LEVERAGING COMMUNITY IMPACT FOR FUNDRAISING
Part of our slogan at DonorPoint has always been ‘We believe that your STORY — not your database — is your Point of Contact.’ Telling the real stories of your impact on communities and the lives within them not only gives your audience a tangible point of your positive influence, but the inherent humanity in each of these accounts will help build a direct path to building stronger relationships with your supporters. The relationships you cultivate can only be done over time, but it will help lead your organization to increased donations and volunteer participation and drive your success further. Then, when the transaction has been realized, highlight the impact of that specific gift to your donor, using an assemblage of compelling stories, data, and visuals (note: videos and imagery, if you have the clearance to use them, go a long way in driving home your impact). As a final piece, tie this impact story back to your overlying mission, your stated goals, and how you use contributions to better your community.
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE the power of telling remarkable donor journeys to overcome even the staunchest of giving hurdles!
UNITED WAY CHAPTER CULTURE
United Way prides itself on an organizational culture that emphasizes community impact, diversity, equity, and inclusion, striving to improve lives and create a world where everyone can thrive, with a focus on strengthening local resilience, advancing health, youth opportunity, and financial security. ‘Community’ is central to all that United Way accomplishes; the cumulative, caring power of communities does much of the heavy lifting to make wide-ranging — and long-lasting — change.
Creating a culture where staff are happy, where they thrive, and where they stay, is very much done intentionally and transparently. Many conversations were had at Great Rivers about recommended steps, work and maintenance in order to optimize a strong chapter culture.
If you’d like to find out about how DonorPoint can help YOUR United Way chapter surpass its donation goals — like we do for a half dozen United Ways across the U.S. — please drop us a note!