Reflections on 10 Years

• “Direct mail as we knew it is gone. It has given way to a new era in which improved knowledge, better tools and new strategies are essential.”

From Linda Lysakowski, then president of Capital Venture (feature, “Determining the Ask”):

• “One piece of advice I’d give to fundraising organizations in this difficult economy is to focus more on their internal assets. Sometimes fundraisers think they have to go out and find new donors, new foundations or new corporations to contribute, and they don’t take full advantage of the people who are already supporting them. They should spend some time focusing on the top 10 percent of their current donors and try to cultivate them and make them larger donors rather than focusing on the external pool of donors.”
• “Organizations must remind donors about their missions, appealing to them on both intellectual and emotional levels. Some organizations are out there trying to raise money, and they don’t do a good job of explaining themselves and what they’re doing with their money.”

From Beth Gentner, former director of development for the John Glenn Institute at Ohio State University (ProFiles):