So You Got a No… What Next?

Donor RetentionFundraising Tips
Written By Mary Shirley-Howell, MBA, MA, CFRE

Key Takeaways:

  • 2026 Tax Changes for Nonprofits

    • Universal charitable deduction returning (not valid for DAFs or 509(a)(3) orgs)

    • New 0.5% AGI floor for itemizers

    • 35% deduction cap for high-income donors

    • New 1% corporate giving floor Donor communication and year-end giving strategies for 2025

  • Fundraising Training

    • Handling a Donor “No”

    • The 3 types of no’s: Not Now, Not This, Not Yet

    • The 4-step response: Thank them, stay in touch, get feedback, offer alternatives Stewardship and cultivation tips to keep the relationship alive

    • Emotional resilience tactics for fundraisers

Mary Shirley-Howell, MBA, MA, CFRE
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