The 2024 US election was a pressure cooker for digital fundraising. Against a backdrop of political upheaval, economic uncertainty and a rapidly shifting tech landscape, campaigners had to innovate quickly or risk falling behind.
While the context may seem far removed from your average nonprofit appeal, the lessons are anything but. From infrastructure risks and deliverability headaches to influencer campaigns and the rise of SMS, the tactics and challenges facing political fundraisers are a preview of what’s next for all of us working in digital engagement.
At this year’s Fundraising Online 2025 conference, Audrey Glaser, Email Director at Middle Seat Consulting, unpacked these shifts in a session titled Digital Dollars and Democracy. Drawing on real-time data and lived experience from the campaign trail, she offered a no-nonsense take on how digital fundraising is evolving and what charities and movements need to do to keep up.
Here are the big takeaways.