Clear, practical definitions of the fundraising, donor, volunteer, and membership terms nonprofit teams use every day, written without the jargon.
Whether you are new to development work or just need a quick refresher, this glossary explains 45 essential nonprofit terms in everyday language. Many of these concepts connect directly to running a healthier organization, from improving donor retention to coordinating volunteers and managing donors in one place.
A common federal tax-exempt status for U.S. charitable organizations, named for the section of the tax code.
Read definitionA focused, time-limited fundraising effort to raise a large sum for a specific major goal such as a building or endowment.
Read definitionThe clear, compelling argument for why a nonprofit deserves funding and why donors should give now.
Read definitionThe staff leader responsible for a nonprofit's fundraising strategy and revenue.
Read definitionA charitable giving account, held at a sponsoring organization, from which a donor recommends grants to nonprofits over time.
Read definitionThe process of building a relationship with a prospective donor to prepare them for a future gift.
Read definitionThe total revenue a nonprofit can expect from a donor across the full length of their giving relationship.
Read definitionThe percentage of donors from one period who give again in the next, a core measure of fundraising health.
Read definitionThe ongoing practice of thanking, updating, and engaging donors so they feel valued and continue to give.
Read definitionRecurring payments members make to maintain their membership in an organization.
Read definitionThe price an item or service would sell for between a willing buyer and seller in an open market.
Read definitionAn arrangement in which an established nonprofit extends its tax-exempt status to a project that lacks its own.
Read definitionThe annual information return most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS to report finances and operations.
Read definitionSoftware that tracks donors, gifts, and relationships to help nonprofits raise and steward money.
Read definitionA board-approved set of guidelines defining which gifts a nonprofit will and will not accept, and under what terms.
Read definitionA concentrated 24-hour fundraising event designed to create urgency and rally a community to give.
Read definitionA global generosity movement and giving day held annually on the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving.
Read definitionFunding awarded to a nonprofit by a foundation, government, or corporation for a specific purpose.
Read definitionThe recurring sequence of stages a grant moves through, from a funder's deadline to reporting on results.
Read definitionA large donation that is significant enough to warrant individualized cultivation and stewardship.
Read definitionA donation that is matched, often by an employer, multiplying the impact of the original gift.
Read definitionA defined level of membership, often priced and bundled with specific benefits, that supporters can join.
Read definitionA recurring donation charged every month, the most popular form of sustained giving.
Read definitionA structured process for guiding a prospective major donor through a series of intentional steps toward a gift.
Read definitionA model where supporters raise money from their own networks on a nonprofit's behalf.
Read definitionCharitable gifts arranged during a donor's lifetime but typically fulfilled later, often through an estate or will.
Read definitionA donor's promise to give a specified amount, often paid in installments over time.
Read definitionThe practice of gathering information to identify and evaluate potential major donors.
Read definitionOne platform for donors, volunteers, members, and events
Donor management, volunteers, members, and events together, for one predictable subscription with no cut taken from donations.
