Nonprofit CEO Pay Climbs — but Not as Fast as Inflation

Plus, how A.I. is changing how nonprofits operate; and a charity is helping women athletes navigate the gender pay gap ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. NONPROFIT SALARIES [Is Nonprofit Pay Keeping Pace With Inflation? We’re Starting to Get Answers]( By Drew Lindsay Salary increases for nonprofit executives lost their punch as the cost of living soared in recent years. ADVERTISEMENT TECHNOLOGY [From Diaper Banks to Disaster Relief: How A.I. Is Changing Nonprofit Operations]( By Sara Herschander Public interest in artificial intelligence has exploded in recent months, but it’s been quietly transforming nonprofit operations for years. As more groups use artificial intelligence, they’re getting a sense of the benefits and risks of an A.I.-driven future. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY [Nonprofit Helps Women Athletes Navigate the Gender Pay Gap]( By Nicole Wallace The Homestretch Foundation is fighting unequal pay in professional cycling and provides free temporary housing to help women athletes continue their training. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Financier Len Blavatnik Gives Yale $40 Million to Develop New Health Technologies]( By Maria Di Mento Plus, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert have pledged $375 million for two new medical facilities, and MacKenzie Scott is giving $20 million for affordable housing in San Francisco. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [‘Giving USA’s’ Critics Are Wrong: Not All Forms of Giving Are Equal]( While individual acts of generosity are essential to communities, measuring charitable contributions is the best way to understand giving. Webinar [Top Ways to Thank Donors and Inspire Loyalty]( Before the critical year-end giving season begins, join us on Thursday, September 28, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn how to freshen your donor communications and donor recognition efforts. We’ll share insights from the latest research in donor psychology and offer practical advice on how to apply the findings. Get inspired by real-world examples of creative and fun ways nonprofits thank their donors. Plus, our expert guests will offer guidance on how to build a culture of gratitude at your organization. [Sign up today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [A New Roadmap Proves Sustainable Economic Mobility is Possible]( VIRTUAL FORUMS & BRIEFINGS [Tomorrow: Understanding the Basics and Benefits of A.I.]( As Artificial Intelligence captures headlines, experts acknowledge its power but urge nonprofit leaders to ensure its use is ethical and equitable. What are the fundamentals to understand about A.I., and how can nonprofits use A.I. to streamline and grow? Join us tomorrow, September 12, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a free online forum that will help you develop a foundational understanding of this technology, offer examples and tips for how to harness it, and share guidance on pitfalls to avoid. [Register today.]( [Leveraging Data Analysis to Boost Major Gifts]( Ideally major-gift fundraisers should focus only on supporters who are affluent, generous, and committed to their cause. Yet this requires data on donors’ involvement with an organization as well as their giving history and financial capacity. Smart leaders understand this and ensure that they analyze and organize donor data to make it actionable. Join us on September 19 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn how savvy nonprofits are making the most of their data to boost major gifts. [Register today.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online Thanks to their explosive growth, donor-advised funds accounted for most of the public charities in the United States in 2021, the last year for which complete data is available. Specifically, seven of the top 10 and 11 of the top 20 charities were DAFs, according to an analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies. By far, the largest fundraiser was the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, which received $15.3 billion in 2021, compared with $4.1 billion for Feeding America, which received the most contributions of any non-DAF charity. DAFs took in $234 billion in 2021 and now account for 22 percent of all U.S. individual charitable giving, according to the report ([Inequality.org](. Background from the Chronicle: [A Guide to Donor-Advised Funds]( Church attendance continues to decline, and more clergy are dissatisfied, while giving and volunteering are on the upswing, according to a new survey. More than half of the 4,809 congregations surveyed by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research said pews were emptier than three years ago, and the share of clergy who said they think often of leaving more than doubled, from 13 percent to 27 percent. On the other hand, giving grew by 42 percent, from a median of $120,000 in 2020 to $170,000 in 2023, fueled by both online donations and a return to in-person worship. And volunteering, while still down from pre-pandemic numbers, is creeping back up. ([Religion News Service]( More News - Far From Morocco, Relatives and Friends Rally to Send Money and Supplies Home ([New York Times](. Plus: Here’s How to Help Victims of the Earthquake ([New York Times]( - How MacKenzie Scott’s Billions Have Helped the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights ([Advocate](. Plus: Billionaire MacKenzie Scott Donates $20 Million to San Francisco Affordable Housing Trust ([San Francisco Chronicle]( - Records: Major Donors Paying $24 Million Toward Michigan State University Football Coach’s $95 Million Salary ([Detroit Free Press]( - He Was Mormon Royalty. Now His Lawsuit Against the Church Is a Rallying Cry ([Washington Post]( - How a Boston Entrepreneur Helped More Than 160,000 Children in Central America to Read and Write ([Boston Globe]( - This Nonprofit Is Paying Teens to Cook for One Another ([Philadelphia Inquirer]( - Q&A: MacArthur Foundation’s John Palfrey on Raising $500 Million to Fund Local News ([Seattle Times]( Plus: Small Nonprofit News Outlets Join Forces to Seek Funding, Keep Local Journalism Alive ([Boston Globe](. Background from the Chronicle: [22 foundations are betting $500 million that local news can heal a divided country]( Arts and Culture - A Newly Formed Nonprofit Is Vying to Buy San Francisco Art Institute Campus, Start a New School There ([San Francisco Business Times]( - Seizure of Ancient Sculpture at Cleveland Museum of Art Signals a Global Shift Over Returning Looted, Contested Artworks ([Cleveland.com]( - Climate Protesters Were Coming, So the Gardner Museum Locked Down ([New York Times]( - Museum Curators Evaluate A.I. Threat by Giving It the Reins ([New York Times]( - Smithsonian Returns Woman’s Brain to Family 90 Years After It Was Taken ([Washington Post]( EDITOR'S PICKS FUNDRAISING [How to Hold On to Prospective Donors When Fundraisers Leave: a Conference Debrief]( By Rasheeda Childress Other hot topics at APRA’s annual meeting: the promise of A.I. and due diligence on donors to prevent reputational damage. OPINION [‘The Bear’ Should Be Required Viewing for the Nonprofit World]( By Eboo Patel A TV show about creating a restaurant is a reminder of why we need to stop criticizing each other and recommit ourselves to a shared mission. FUNDRAISING LEADERSHIP [The Donor Pyramid May Be Bad for Giving. Can We Do Better?]( By Drew Lindsay How a dominant fundraising theory took root, what it gets wrong, and how to change. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our next webinar]( — Are you sending out templated thank-you letters to donors? If so, you’re missing out on an opportunity to connect more deeply with your supporters. Savvy fundraisers take the time to customize communications that speak directly to a donor’s heart and inspire loyalty. How can you thank donors in ways that energize connection to your cause and further commitment to your organization? Join us September 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn the latest research in philanthropic psychology and learn how you can easily apply it to thank-you letters and campaigns to increase donor retention. We’ll share real-world examples and proven tips that work, no matter the size of your budget. Plus, you’ll learn about creative, fun ways nonprofits are showing gratitude that will likely spark your own ideas for fostering love for your organization. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). [Director of Advancement, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics]( University of Utah Health [Director of Development]( St. Cloud State University [Development Director, Major Gifts]( Optica [Manager, Scientific Programs - Foundation for Physical Therapy Research]( American Physical Therapy Association [Major Gift Officer, Student Life]( Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [Senior Major Gift Officer, School of Science]( Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [Search other jobs.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037