The Nonprofit Sector’s Most Pressing Issues: The C-Level Exec’s Point of View, Part 3

Food For The Poor makes its fundraisers travel to the communities it serves so they know firsthand what they're asking for. Similarly, all fundraisers should have contact with donors to learn why they are giving, Aloma said. Here are some more tips from Aloma:

• Don’t believe a donor who says he doesn’t want to be thanked. Thank him anyway.
• Pay closer attention to behaviors and actions than words.
• Learn to listen between the lines.
• Know what your unique selling point is.
• Be honest in what you’re doing.
• Get to know your donors as best as possible and how to communicate with them usefully.

“Rule of thumb: Know the gender mix of donors — more than 50 percent are women typically,” Tandon said. “Who makes the giving decision at the household level? Many times, women make the decisions. The safe bias is speaking to women.”