Nonprofit Terms Glossary
Technology changes quickly, as do the words we use to describe the tasks the new technology accomplishes. We put together this quick, easy online fundraising glossary to help our clients and the larger nonprofit community understand the many ideas involved in the current state of online fundraising. It is likely this glossary will change to incorporate new technologies and ideas as the industry grows and changes.
Administrative funds (TEF/C)
An administrative fund (sometimes called TEF/C, or u201ctrusteesu2019 endowed fu… Read More
Agency funds
An agency fund is created by a nonprofit but held and managed by a community fou… Read More
Annual giving report
The annual giving report zeroes in on the backbone of nonprofit fundraising: don… Read More
Area of interest funds
Similar to field of interest funds, area of interest funds are geographically fo… Read More
Canadian foundations
A registered Canadian charity must complete its tax return annually and submit i… Read More
Canadian nonprofit forms
In Canada, nonprofit organizations and registered charities file annual forms wi… Read More
Charitable foundations
The broadest category is the charitable foundation, which is any private or publ… Read More
Charitable solicitations
Before diving into appeals and asks, nonprofits need to understand the legal fra… Read More
Community foundations
A community foundation is a type of public foundation that pools resources from … Read More
Compliance risks and best practices
Failure to file the appropriate tax forms can negatively impact nonprofit organi… Read More
Corporate foundations
A corporate foundation is established and funded by a business, but is legally d… Read More
Discretionary funds
A discretionary fund gives nonprofit leadership u2014 often the board or executi… Read More
Donor acquisition
Acquisition is the starting point: how nonprofits bring new donors into their co… Read More
Donor conversion rates
Acquisition is only successful if prospective supporters actually convert into d… Read More
Donor journey
The donor journey is a broader concept than moves management u2014 it encompasse… Read More
Donor management
Donor management is the overarching practice of maintaining accurate records, en… Read More
Donor nurturing
Once someone makes their first gift, the relationship-building process begins. D… Read More
Donor reactivation
Even the best nonprofits lose donors over time. Reactivation strategies focus on… Read More
Donor retention
Retention refers to the percentage of donors who continue giving year after year… Read More
Excise tax
In the U.S., most private foundations are subject to a 1.39% excise tax on net i… Read More
Family foundations
A family foundation is a private foundation established by an individual or fami… Read More
Field of interest funds
A field of interest fund is restricted to a general area of charitable work, but… Read More
Financial report
A financial report is the backbone of accountability in an annual report. It dem… Read More
Form 990
The Form 990 is the standard, full-length annual information return filed by mos… Read More
Form 990-EZ
The Form 990-EZ is a shorter, simplified version of the 990. Read More
Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
The Form 990-N, also known as the u201ce-Postcard,u201d is the simplest filing o… Read More
Form 990-PF
The Form 990-PF is specifically designed for private foundations. Unlike public … Read More
Fundraising appeals
A fundraising appeal is the communication that inspires a donor to give. It can … Read More
Fundraising asks
If appeals are the broad communications, fundraising asks are the moment of dire… Read More
Fundraising report
A fundraising report complements the financial section by showing how the funds … Read More
Giving circles
A giving circle is a group of individuals who pool their resources and decide co… Read More
Giving patterns
Giving patterns refer to the behaviors and habits of donors over time. Understan… Read More
Impact report
The impact report is often the most inspiring section of the annual report. It a… Read More
Integrating appeals and asks
The key difference between appeals and asks is that one uses broad messaging for… Read More
Jeopardy investments
Private foundations must avoid jeopardy investments u2014 risky financial choice… Read More
Limited-purpose foundations
Some foundations are created with narrow missions. These limited-purpose foundat… Read More
Moves management
Moves management is the structured process of guiding donors from smaller levels… Read More
Non-permanent funds
A nonpermanent fund is established for a specific use but is not intended to exi… Read More
Nonprofit foundations
Nonprofit foundations support charitable, educational, religious, scientific, or… Read More
Nonprofit tax filing requirements (U.S.)
Every tax-exempt organization recognized under section 501(c) of the Internal Re… Read More
Operating foundations
Unlike grantmaking foundations, operating foundations run their own charitable p… Read More
Other kinds of nonprofit funds
To complete the glossary, here are several other fund types that nonprofits comm… Read More
Public foundations
A public foundation is similar to a public charity. Unlike private foundations (… Read More
Restricted funds
A restricted fund holds money that can only be used for a specific purpose, as d… Read More
Scholarship funds
Scholarship funds are established to provide financial support for education, ty… Read More
Self-dealing
The IRS prohibits self-dealing between private foundations and their insiders (t… Read More
The funding cycle
The funding cycle describes the process by which grants and charitable funds mov… Read More
Triple bottom line
The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework expands annual reporting to include not j… Read More
Trustees
Foundations are typically governed by a board of trustees or directors. Trustees… Read More
U.S. and Canada
For nonprofits, filing annual tax forms may not be the most inspiring part of th… Read More
Unrestricted funds
An unrestricted fund is the most flexible type of support. Donors allow the nonp… Read More