Go for the Gold!
I’ve started watching the Winter Olympics and I’m reminded that Olympians are a breed apart. It’s not just their physical ability; they have a single-minded commitment to winning. Reaching that level requires years of disciplined sacrifice. Many elite athletes devote roughly 10,000 hours to training before they ever compete on the world stage. Of course, […]
20 for 20 – 20 Fundraising Lessons for 20 Years
This year, we have reason to celebrate. In 2026, AC Fitzgerald marks 20 years of working alongside nonprofits committed to strengthening civil society, protecting freedom, and advancing philanthropy. Over the past two decades, the nonprofit sector has weathered economic booms and downturns, a global pandemic, heightened political polarization, and rapid cultural change. Through it all, […]
Has Your CRM Turned “Donors” into “Accounts”?
Imagine being called an ‘account.’ Not a person. Not a partner. Imagine being reduced to just a line in a database. How would you feel? Over the past several years, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: more and more fundraisers are referring to their donors as “accounts”. As in, “I work with 100 major gift accounts […]
The 3-Bucket Strategy for Major Gifts
Every nonprofit leader knows that major gifts don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of strong relationships, careful listening, and intentional strategy. Too often, however, development teams juggle prospects without a clear plan, leading to missed opportunities. The 3-Bucket Strategy offers a simple but powerful way to organize your approach—ensuring every donor receives the right […]
Best Practices = Best Results
No two nonprofits are exactly alike. Each has its own history, programs, people, accomplishments–as well as its own challenges and opportunities.But is your organization a snowflake?What I mean is, are you sooo unique that you believe you can’t: Create an urgent and compelling case for support? Engage board members in friend- or fundraising? Take the […]
August is National Make-a-Will Month
Q: How many of your donors have an estate plan? A: All of them. Your donors either have planned for the disposition of their assets or the government will decide for them after they die. August is National Make-a-Will Month, so it’s the perfect time to encourage donors to (a) make a will and (b) […]
Make the Most of Mid-Level Donors
Once I was on a fundraising panel at an event and a participant asked, “What should be my number one focus in fundraising?” One of the other panelists immediately said, “Build your major gifts program.” Indeed, this has become the advice followed by many nonprofits that look to a limited pool of wealthy donors to […]
Double the Value of your Donor File
What if you had a magic wand to double the lifetime value of your donors and reduce your investment in acquiring new donors? Well, that magic wand exists… it’s called stewardship! As you may know, 70% of first-time donors to nonprofits never make a second gift. If this statistic were true for customers of Apple […]
Fundraising Optimism
A Good Year Ahead for Fundraising? If you looked at the performance of the S&P 500 last year, you might feel optimistic about fundraising this year. As we know, the performance of the S&P is highly correlated with charitable giving. Good news, there are other reasons for optimism as well! A recent report by Dunham+Company […]
Do You Need an AI Policy?
At this point you have probably already dabbled with AI or at least heard about its impending take over… The truth is that AI has been around since the 1950s, but its development and usage are quickly accelerating. It is no longer a matter of if AI will be as ubiquitous as Google, but when. […]