by Barbara Barron | Posted June 10th, 2026 | Subscribe to this newsletter
If you live in a state with hotly contested primaries, you already see the level of marketing of candidates that’s going on.
I’m writing today from Austin where its fierce and has been for months. Even if you are not, the midterm election impacts all of us as the balance of power in the House and Senate will be determined.
So I was curious to participate in a webinar from the good people at FreeWill about how the upcoming election may impact fundraising. They work with all kinds of nonprofits, so their advice is always slightly less relevant to our small world of independent schools. We’re blessed, really. Our donors are, for the most part, our current parents who are engaged daily. Not that they, too, can’t get distracted – who isn’t?! – but they are far less likely to ghost us or tune out. (Again, for the most part.)
One of the interesting and counter-intuitive takeaways I got came from a rather esoteric article by Stephanie Karol with the Department of the Treasury in the “Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.”
OK, before your head hits your desk, I’ll quicky summarize the highlights:
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Takeaways from the article
We tend to think that additional political spending with take the place of charitable spending. I mean, just watch local TV or look at the text on your phone, and you’d think so, too.
But what she found is that the opposite is true. And that’s our good news. The only real reason that political spending crowds out charitable spending is that charities decrease their spending in anticipation of the election. Self-inflicted!
So, takeaway #1 is stay the course. Spend your budget wisely.
Also interesting is that, in general, people who are interested in the election tend to be more engaged in…everything! Normal daily distraction aside, they won’t necessarily be less engaged with the school. Don’t assume they aren’t reading and paying attention because that may cause you to pull back on vital messaging about the importance of supporting your school’s mission, people, and programs.
Steady on. If anything, ramp up the good stewardship.
Another important reminder is about one of my favorite giving methods topics: DAFs. Donations to DAFs are way, way up. There is now close to $400 billion sitting in those accounts. And grants from DAFs cannot go to campaigns or candidates. They are required to go to charities. So that money is there and available if you are ready to talk about the value of this giving method (to the donor) and are set up to accept them efficiently and effortlessly (for the donor). If you aren’t yet, this summer is the perfect time to get that sorted.
Same is true for other non-cash gifts like appreciated securities and gifts from IRAs. They can’t be given to political campaigns — so get your messaging ready to suggest those types of gifts this fall. We know that non-cash gifts tend to be bigger than cash gifts, which are on the decline anyway.
So what do I think needs to be reconsidered?
Timing and tone
Too many schools wait until October to launch their annual fund campaigns. Regular readers know I think that’s too late and I believe so regardless of the election cycle. Never do we feel as positive and hopeful about the new school year as we do in September. We ought to leverage that and not wait until things are inevitably going to go sideways. A poor test grade, a fall out with a best friend, an athletic disappointment. It’s coming and that’s normal. Get ahead of it.
Political messaging in the 4 weeks leading up to November 3rd is going to be bananas. Why risk your messaging getting lost amid the chaos? Make the most of the return to normalcy and a smooth start of the year by launching your campaign in September. West coast and southern schools, you can hit it early September. East coast schools often start later — so plan accordingly — but do not wait until October. Use the summer to rework the calendar and get your communication set.
Most especially, avoid the 2 weeks leading up to election day and the 48 hours immediately following. Whatever the outcome, some people will be sad, mad, scared, freaked out. Just hold off.
Finally, let’s talk tone.
A calm & confident tone
If your cortisol levels are anything like mine, they are high. Anxiety is running wild. There are some very real reasons for that but also some crazy spinning going on. Regardless, let’s ensure that our messaging about our schools and the important role they play in the lives of the students, faculty, and families we serve remain positive, steady, and affirming.
Your work is to find inside yourself a sense of calm confidence. If you can bring that to your interactions with colleagues and donors, it will feel so welcome. It will also help you remain focused on the beautiful work you are doing.
As always, and maybe especially now, thank you for everything you’re doing!
Barbara Barron
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BARBARA BARRON is one of the most respected and highly sought-after independent advancement professionals in the country, having worked with dozens of schools in every corner of the United States.
She has raised over $20 million for schools where she served as the Director of Development. Barbara is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and presenter who currently advises dozens of schools in various capacities. She is considered a thought leader in the world of advancement, with her writing widely shared by professionals in development offices worldwide.
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