Make This the Year for Your Legacy Program
As we turn the page to a new year, what are your top fundraising priorities? I’d suggest one should be starting or revitalizing your planned giving—or legacy—program. Sometimes we are slow to enact a planned giving program because we fear that talking to donors about making a legacy gift will be awkward. Who wants to […]
12 Secrets to a Great Donor Letter
Ask almost any fundraising expert what inspires donors to give, and you will most likely hear something about donor engagement and communication. It is that important. And letters are still a great way to communicate! Regular, mailed letters can keep your donors engaged and thinking about the important work of your organization. And in this […]
10 Secrets of Highly Effective Boards
Do you ever wonder why some boards are a valued asset for the organization, while others are just a giant headache? I have been thinking about this a lot recently, and I thought I’d share some reflections on good and effective boards. To begin, great board governance is a ‘team sport’. Effective boards work collegially. […]
7 Things the Best Fundraisers Always Do (and One Never)
Much of what highly effective fundraisers do isn’t necessarily rocket science. But good fundraising work is challenging and takes consistent focus, creativity, and fortitude. We are busy. We’re pulled in many directions every day, so I thought I’d take a minute to think on the very basics of our craft. What are some things I […]
What I Learned Writing My Dissertation
Big Project Management Do you ever have a big project that seems overwhelming? Maybe because it is so important or particularly complex?This leads many of us to serious procrastination. We are often tempted to wait for the ‘perfect time’ when the stars align, we can clear the decks, and focus on just this project. In […]
Invest in Your Fundraisers – Your Organization Depends on it!
Your mission is important. And as a nonprofit, without the fundraising team, the mission doesn’t happen. But fundraising is a tough job, and teams across the nonprofit spectrum are plagued by excessive turnover. This can really hurt an organization! Did you know that it takes 6 – 18 months for a gift officer build a […]
Get it Done Now, Get it Done Well
October is officially in our rearview mirror. Right now, you are hopefully busy seeing donors that you were not able to see in 2020. This is good, and you probably don’t want to think about all there is to do for year-end. But 2021 is nearly over and studies show that most nonprofits bring in […]
Growing Donor Lists Organically
It goes without saying – we need donors. Donors are vital to our organizations’ missions and success. But according to HubSpot, donor lists shrink an average of 25% annually. Further, the average cost of acquiring a new donor is $25 (yikes!). Typically, this involves a direct mail program, which is often a sizeable investment. What […]
Using Video in Your Fundraising Work
Savvy fundraisers know that strong relationships with donors are the key to success. So naturally, we try to make sure that our communications are personalized, engaging, on message, and memorable. We spend our days rolling out communications calendars, letters, memos, invitations, and e-blasts. In a world that won’t stop talking, we stay in front of […]
Saying No to Say Yes
Fundraisers always have plenty of things to do – by nature, we are a “yes” people. We have lists of important things, noble things. Calendars full of meetings with good people. Exciting opportunities to build relationships and new proposals to pitch! But in all our “yeses” are we focusing on the most important things to […]