A Look Back — and Forward

Perry: In 2003-04, fundraising sort of followed a formula: events, mailings, grant proposals, government sources and major donors. Now, even these basic strategies are far more complex with many more tools to enhance their success.

Fundraisers today have to be much, much better copywriters. They have to know the etiquette of smart e-mail communications: how to write a subject line so their e-mail will be opened, even. Fundraisers now have to have serious marketing skills.