It's 'Back to Acquisition' Time!

When everyone else is thinking "back to school," wise fundraisers are thinking "back to acquisition." For most nonprofits, the fall is a critical time for raising funds and for acquiring new donors. Hopefully you have been acquiring them all year, and cultivating new donors to ensure they give again (and again), but the fall provides a great opportunity to get additional donors on board before year-end.
Generally, acquisition is not a money-maker. It can take months before the donors you acquire "break even." Short-sighted boards and managers can see this as a bad investment, suggesting you instead put your money into more profitable endeavors. But since attrition (the gradual loss of donors due to disinterest, change in financial circumstances, death, etc.) is a fact of fundraising life, acquiring new donors is critical to keep your organization alive and growing.