The INS Group

10/22/2026

What does it take to protect a neighborhood’s history while building its future? For Boston-Thurmond United in Winston-Salem, it starts with putting residents at the center of every decision.

Boston-Thurmond is the city’s second-oldest Black neighborhood, and BTU CEO Regina Hall is leading its revitalization. Their bylaws reserve board seats for residents, so residents have a voice at every executive committee meeting.

They are also buying property to fight displacement, and they have opened an Outreach Center that gives neighbors a home base.

We were honored to partner with BTU on a five-year strategic plan that brings leadership, staff, board members, and residents onto the same roadmap. As Regina says, “Residents are the nucleus of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

Read the full conversation here:

We sat down with CEO Regina Hall to discuss Boston-Thurmond United's current progress, next steps, and how strategic planning and resident-led governance are shaping the neighborhood's future.

10/20/2026

Did you know corporations gave more than $44 billion to U.S. charities in 2024? The question is how much of it is reaching your nonprofit.

Corporate sponsorships can fuel your events and your mission, but landing them takes more than a cold email. This quick read covers six practical tips, from researching companies that truly align with your values to reaching out to HR (not just marketing), tailoring your pitch, setting realistic sponsorship levels, and asking for in-kind donations when cash isn’t an option.

If your next event or campaign could use a boost, this one is worth a few minutes:

Learn how nonprofits secure corporate sponsorships with proven strategies for outreach, pitching, and sponsor fulfillment.

10/15/2026

Is your nonprofit’s website easy to find, or is it hiding on page two of Google? Nearly 69% of all clicks go to the top three search results, and page two gets less than 1%.

GoFundMe Pro just published a practical guide with nine SEO tips for nonprofits, from choosing the right keywords and writing helpful content to claiming your Google Business Profile. It even covers how to make your content easier for AI search tools like ChatGPT to find and refer to.

You don’t need a big budget to get started. Give it a read and pick one tip to try this week:

Learn SEO for nonprofits: keyword targeting, AI search optimization, structured data, off-page SEO, and local SEO to grow your visibility.

10/13/2026

Think your DAF donors want to stay anonymous? Think again. 95% of DAF (donor-advised fund) grants include the donor’s name and address, so the “anonymous donor” problem often starts with how nonprofits track and thank these gifts.

DAF grants hit a record $64.89 billion in 2024, and 53% of high-net-worth DAF holders say they would consider giving more if approached directly. Our blog explains how organizations like the National Audubon Society and the International Rescue Committee treat DAF holders like the major donors they are.

Ready to move from processing gifts to building real partnerships?

Read the full post:

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are no longer just "passive accounts" for tax-conscious giver; they are dynamic growth engines transforming philanthropy.

10/08/2026

Why do nonprofit employees stay, and why do they leave?

An article from Candid shares three years of survey data on exactly that. The top reason people leave is an unequal workload, followed by unsupportive bosses and inadequate pay and benefits. The top reasons they stay are flexibility, a connection to the mission, and a healthy work environment.

The takeaway is a good one for any nonprofit leader: those things that keep people around often happen by accident, and they are worth building on purpose. The authors also share a simple way to audit your team's capacity so no one is carrying more than their share.

Give it a read and see what it sparks for your organization:

Candid insights | Data from three years of the Social Impact Staff Retention survey point to clear, consistent reasons for why nonprofit staff stay and why they leave. How can nonprofits improve conditions and build on what’s working well?

10/06/2026

What would your nonprofit do differently if you planned for 10 years instead of 10 months?

Grants are great at funding a program for a set period. But real change in a community, like how people access housing, care, and opportunity, takes years of building trust, relationships, and leadership. Catalytic capital is designed for that longer game, but nonprofits have to be ready for it.

In our latest blog, we look at what needs to shift on the nonprofit side of the table: planning beyond a single grant cycle, building the capacity to be patient, redefining what progress looks like, and sharing real decision-making power with the people you serve.

The long game is a choice. Here's how to start making it: https://theinsgroup.com/catalytic-capital-and-the-long-game-what-nonprofits-need-to-change/

Catalytic capital is built for something else. It is flexible, tolerates risk, and accepts that real transformation does not move in a straight line or happen fast.

10/01/2026

Millennials are often overlooked in nonprofit strategy, but they shouldn't be. They're the largest living generation in the U.S., their giving is rising, and they're about to inherit a historic amount of wealth through the great wealth transfer.

This article from GiveSmart breaks down what actually motivates millennials to give and volunteer: cause-driven passion, transparency about impact, and genuine connection through social media. If your organization's outreach still skews toward older donors, it might be time to rethink who you're talking to.

Read the full piece: https://www.givesmart.com/blog/attracting-millennials-as-donors/

Learn how to engage millennial donors and volunteers with strategies that build trust, showcase impact, and inspire lasting support.

09/29/2026

As the year draws toward its final stretch, fundraising is top of mind for many nonprofits. Q4 is prime time for donor outreach, and the question isn't whether to ask; it's how to ask in a way that actually cuts through the noise.

Our blog looks at five creative giving strategies nonprofits are using to do just that: surprise pop-up events, immersive AR storytelling experiences, text-to-give campaigns, peer-to-peer gaming tournaments, and even pickleball fundraisers. Real organizations, real results, real inspiration for your next campaign.

The takeaway? You don't need to reinvent your strategy from scratch. Sometimes the boldest move is putting a fresh spin on what you're already doing.

Read the full post and get inspired for your year-end push: https://theinsgroup.com/turning-connection-into-contribution-innovative-giving-strategies/

Putting a creative spin on familiar giving strategies, nonprofits can break through the noise and connect with supporters in more authentic, energizing ways.

09/24/2026

What does it actually take for change to outlast the person who started it?

In Winston-Salem, Boston-Thurmond United Executive Director Regina Hall has an answer: give residents real power, not just a seat at the table. BTU reserves up to six board seats for neighborhood residents, so major decisions never happen without resident voice in the room. Combined with a five-year strategic plan built alongside The INS Group and a growing portfolio of resident-owned property, BTU is proving a neighborhood can protect its history while building real, lasting wealth for its residents.

That same long view runs through our piece on catalytic capital. A traditional grant funds a program for a year. Catalytic capital is designed to fund the trust, the leadership, and the infrastructure that make a whole system change over 10 years. The nonprofits that make the most of it aren't the ones with the biggest budgets. They are the ones that plan in decades, not deliverables.

Both stories are in our September Playbook, out now.
https://theinsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/INSGroup-Playbook-Issue15.pdf

09/22/2026

Is your board's nominating process something you actually think about, or just a box you check before the annual meeting?

A strong nominating committee is one of the most overlooked drivers of a healthy nonprofit. Blue Avocado's latest breaks down seven ways to build a smarter process, from treating recruitment as a year-round effort (not a last-minute scramble) to recruiting for the right kind of "friction," the good kind that keeps everyone accountable and asking the tough questions.

One idea worth sitting with: you don't have to personally know a great candidate to ask them to serve. The worst they can say is no.

Read the full article and start rethinking how your board comes together.

https://blueavocado.org/board-of-directors/7-ideas-to-build-a-healthy-board-nominating-process/

The nominating process is vital to creating a healthy and stable nonprofit. Use these tips to help you nominate engaged, strong board members for your organization.