5 happy and 3 sad trends for fundraising in 2016

The future is bright, according to Tom Ahern, posting at 101fundraising: I spy 5 fundraising trends in 2016:

1. Growth-oriented nonprofits will “discover” donor-centricity.
   
2. Facebook will continue to mature as a fundraising platform.
   
3. There will be a new kind of fundraiser in town (i.e. more professionalized).
   
4. Direct mail will not die … again.
   
5. Charity rating services will become obsolete (except in their own minds)
   

Tom is optimistic. And right, I hope. But I can’t help but add three more “realistic” predictions:

1. The media (especially in the UK, but elsewhere too) will continue to run with ill-sourced, sloppily insinuating “exposés” about “wasteful” nonprofits. Example.)
   
2. Some fundraisers will spend a lot of time and energy chasing fad-of-the-moment online “opportunities” that promise zillions of donors and gazillions of dollars but don’t deliver.
   
3. Brand experts will outlaw effective fundraising within organizations that don’t realize what’s happening to them.