Carolyn's Nonprofit Blog

In 2023, I decided to focus this page of resources solely on digital assets.

If you have worked in major gift fundraising as long as I have, and you have worked closely with successful entrepreneurs, you would know how creative they are, and how determined they are to do what they mean to. Digital assets are here to stay.

Shared below are links to a variety of articles I find noteworthy. I am not an expert on digital assets, but I have been watching them a long time. Of course, sharing links doesn’t necessarily suggest endorsement – this information is posted for the sake of discussion.

– Carolyn M. Appleton

Most nonprofit organizations have trouble understanding digital assets like Bitcoin. But a growing segment of the philanthropic community is making use of them for philanthropic purposes. Our sector cannot afford to ignore the subject, despite market volatility.

Bitcoin and the Future of Fundraising: A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptocurrency Donations

If your nonprofit would like to accept digital assets, but you do not know how to launch the process, you might consider purchasing the book noted above. I have also visited with The Giving Block at length. You might review their videos and information and reach out for assistance (although they focus on nonprofits with larger budgets). There are other platforms you might want to consider, too, like Givepact, Engiven or Coinbase, for example.

If you are serious about digital assets, consider subscribing to the monthly reports of ARK Invest, “The Bitcoin Monthly,” and other publications by the sources mentioned above and below. Anthony Pompliano on YouTube provides regularly updated information as well.

The resource list below is organized newest item of information first.

• Candid, Philanthropy News Digest, “Over $2B in Crypto Donations: 2 out of 3 Leading U.S. Charities Now Embrace Crypto Contributions in 2024” (April 22, 2024).

• The American College of Trust and Estate Council, “Considerations for Nonprofits in Accepting Crypto Donations” (August 8, 2023).

• Jacob Christensen, “3 Reasons Why Digital Assets Are The Next Frontier In Philanthropy” (July 27, 2023).

• Jason Steinhauer for Devex, “Can crypto and blockchain reprogram humanitarian aid?” (March 21, 2023).

• The National Law Review, “Accepting Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Donations: What Charities Need to Know” (March 3, 2023)

• JD Alois for Crowdfund Insider, “Crypto Donations Jump to More than $52 Million as the World Supports Ukraine as Russia’s Unprovoked War Rages On” (March 2, 2022).

• TechSoup, “How to Accept Cryptocurrency Donations at Your Nonprofit” (November 11, 2021).

• Paul Sullivan for The New York Times, “Nonprofits Get a New Type of Donation: Cryptocurrency” (July 30, 2021).

• Manish Singh for TechCrunch, “Ethereum creator donates meme coins worth $1 billion to help India fight COVID-19” (May 12, 2021).

• Luca D’Urbino for The Economist, “The digital currencies that matter: Get ready for Fedcoin and the e-euro” (May 8, 2021).

• Bernard Marr for Forbes, “The Six Biggest Blockchain Trends” (March 12, 2021).

• Michael O’Loughlin for Forbes, “Blockchain And The Feel Good Factor” (December 15, 2020).

• Liam Frost for Decrypt, “Bitcoin Now Has a Greater Market Cap Than Mastercard” (November 20, 2020).

• Nivesh Rustgi for Cryptobriefing, “Bitcoin Will Replace Gold, Says World’s Largest Asset Firm BlackRock” (November 20, 2020).

• Darryn Pollock for Forbes, “Blockchain For Good: How The United Nations Is Looking To Leverage Technology” (February 27, 2020).

• Nasdaq, “2020 Bitcoin Adoption: Why Nonprofits Will Lead the Way” (February 11, 2020).

• Dell Technologies, “Five Ways Organizations Are Using Blockchain For Good” (May 7, 2018), by Elana Lyn Gross.

• Devin Thorpe for Forbes, “Examples of People Using Crypto for Good” (March 18, 2018).

• GuideStar, “Bitcoin: What Nonprofits Need to Know and How It Might Give Your Fundraising a Competitive Advantage” (February 27, 2018).

• World Economic Forum’s Jochem Verberne of Global Partnerships at WWF International writes, “Can blockchain serve business, people and the planet?” (February 1, 2018).

• pwc, “Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, blockchain … So what does it all mean?” (2018).

You might enjoy my Instagram reel from SXSW 2023 @cmappleton. As I follow ARK Invest, I received an email invitation to the discussion with Cathie Wood, and I enjoyed attending.