NCF Twin Cities

A local community of faithful Christian givers

Our team has the privilege of walking alongside givers, helping them discern God's story for their generosity as they navigate the complicated landscape of giving. For 40+ years, givers at NCF have mobilized more than $25 billion for 90,000+ charities in their local communities and around the world.

Cash is Not King in Fundraising

Jay Bennett, Founder and Chairman NCF Twin Cities

April, 2026 | True Riches

Noncash gifts predict long-term fundraising growth. Non-profits raising over $1M between 2010 and 2015 and reporting only cash gifts on e-filed tax returns experienced an annual growth rate of 11% over five years, barely keeping up with an 8% inflation rate. In contrast, those reporting CONSISTENT non-cash gifts of securities grew 66%; six times greater than those receiving only cash. Emphasis on CONSISTENT. 

Wealth is not held in cash. Generally speaking, cash constitutes perhaps 3% of available wealth. Psychologically, christian nonprofits face a real challenge in fundraising because many faithful donors think their cash donations are all they can provide. When there are additional needs for expanding programs or capital campaigns, the combined needs seem impossibly large when mentally processed through a donor’s cash perspective. Those same needs may be viewed as vital and reasonable when processed through a mindset of total available wealth.   

While it is hard to believe, many donors who have never made a gift of appreciated assets are not fully aware of the tremendous benefits of doing so.  Developing a communication strategy which systematically educates donors about creative, tax-wise opportunities to invest this way should be received as a deposit into the spiritual life of a family versus a cash withdrawal.  Such a communication strategy, however, requires more than an occasional sentence in a newsletter informing donors that your organizations receives gifts of stock. 

Cash gifts are wonderful but are more like gleaning a field of cash rather than targeting wealth where the fields are white for harvest.  

The National Christian Foundation Twin Cities would love to come alongside you to advise what a communication plan may look like for your organization along with other strategies you may take to increase your non-cash contributions. In future editions of True Riches, we will be providing additional content relating to communications strategies for nonprofits and ministries. Individual consulting at no cost is also available through the NCF by Jay Bennett (jbennett@ncfgiving.com) and Tyler VanEps (tvaneps@ncfgiving.com). 

Significant content in this blog post comes from “Cash is Not King in Fundraising” by Professor Russell James III, Director of Graduate Studies in Charitable Financial Planning, Texas Tech University.