By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor

Latest Information on Giving Trends

Giving USA 2022: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2021 was released in June.  The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy researched and wrote the report. 

The following are highligh...

By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor

Donor meetings can be intimidating to both new and experienced development professionals, but they also have the potential to be such fruitful blessings to our ministry.  In my years of fundraising, I've developed a series of steps that helps me prepare a...

By Mary P. Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor & Local Charity Board Member

Let’s Get Excited about RMDs!

This may be the most boring blog post you’ll read this week, but slogging through it could bring a lot of money to your ministry!

2021 is shaping up to be a CRAZY tax year. Many of our benefa...

 By Mary Hernandez, Petrus Blog Contributor

Online giving days have been growing in popularity and reached compulsory status since the pandemic forced non-profits out of the rhythm of traditional in-person fundraising events. Whether you will participate in #GivingTuesday, her Catholic cousi...

By Rhen Hoehn, St. Albert the Great University Parish Development Director, Houghton, Michigan

I grew up in a Catholic family that practiced the faith. While I was preparing for confirmation, I went on a NET (National Evangelization Team) retreat. This retreat plus the grace of the sacrament en...

By Mary Hernandez, Petrus Blog Contributor

Three Cheers for the Class Gift

The class gift tradition is widely recognized in educational circles. Schools have received benches, statues, fountains, trees, and other commemorative items from grateful grads. Many Catholic ministries have invited...

By Mary P. Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor & Local Charity Board Member

Latest Information on Giving Trends

Giving USA 2021: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2020 was released in June.  This report on the state of philanthropy is LONG and comprehensive, so I picked a few findings...

By Sarah Rose, Petrus Director of Communications

Recently, I was invited to watch one of OSV talks titled “AI and the Future of Generosity” by Nathan Chappell, Senior Vice President of DonorSearch Aristotle.

The OSV Talks are a “series of topics from Catholic leaders to spark discussion, explo...

By Mary P. Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor & Local Charity Board Member

What Development Means to Me

I was blessed with generous parents. At a very young age, I learned that development is a family project that requires planning and commitment.

When I was kid, before paychecks were automatica...

By Mary P. Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor & Local Charity Board Member

March Madness and Fundraising

March Madness is upon us! I love basketball and I love this time of year. Winning teams have different strategies, and I can’t help comparing them to fundraising practices.

Big Star Strate...

St. Benedict of Nursia

July 11, 480 - March 21, 547

When it comes to the virtue of temperance, there are few people throughout history that more clearly embody this than Saint Benedict of Nursia. The author of the Rule of St. Benedict and the “Father of Western Monasticism”, Saint Benedict was ...

by Andrew N. Robison, President of Petrus Development 

Fundraising, at least the way we used to do it, is OVER.

Let me explain. Before the world shut down due to COVID-19, I was training for the grueling Texas Half Ironman. I was dedicating hours of my life to running, biking, swimming and tr...