Annual Campaigns

As nonprofits gear up to promote Giving Tuesday—the post-Thanksgiving fundraising day—they usually highlight it as a counterpoint to the consumerism of the Black Friday shopping extravaganza. But that doesn’t mean it’s smart to ignore all the lessons that successful retailers have learned after years of promoting holiday sales. Among them: A sense of urgency is…

In a decision that will affect fundraising efforts for THON 2016, the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has canceled the third canning weekend of the season. One of the two main reasons for the cancellation is the inability to ensure volunteer travel safety. The second reason is “forced fundraising,” a term coming from a…

Cash gifts at calendar year-end are literally the life-blood of many a nonprofit. Nonprofits often receive north of 40 percent of their annual cash during the last 30 to 60 days of the calendar year. Certainly nothing to treat casually. And yet, that‘s something that some organizations do. As with any appeal, it’s important to know what your objectives are...

At least seven U.S. cities and counties have stopped firefighters from collecting charitable donations at busy intersections citing safety concerns. For nearly 61 years, career and volunteer firefighters around the country have participated in “Fill-the-Boot” roadside charity campaigns, often around the Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends. They raise money, while on duty and in…

I bet many of you are out there thinking, “Do I really have time for #GivingTuesday?” To that I say, "Yes, you do!" The tools and tactics are all at your fingertips. Remember that other organizations are taking part in this global giving campaign and #GivingTuesday is about visibility and momentum during a vitally important…

I am old school and still maintain my to-do list by hand. Some days I do not look at the list because I know what is on the list. The point of this post is not to advocate for the elimination of a work-priority task list, but to encourage you to create a modified version of a list. Divide your list by time segments, priorities and importance with respect to deadlines...

United Way of East Central Alabama won't set a fundraising goal this year, opting instead to better inform the public on how donations are spent. The Anniston, Alabama-based nonprofit, which provides money to 28 nonprofits in Calhoun, Cleburne and Randolph counties, skipped its tradition of announcing a fundraising goal at its annual kickoff event Tuesday.…

An Army veteran said the USO's use of the Purple Heart image in its fundraising campaign creates a misleading impression about the award given to service members wounded in combat. The USO's fundraising materials sent in April included personalized return address labels featuring an image of the Purple Heart next to the veteran's name and…

The annual appeal concept is one that holds to the idea that donors give one time, once a year, hence the words “annual gift” or the question, “Has the donor made their annual gift yet?” Fundraising programs built on this philosophy look to secure that one gift once a year, and then the work is finished. There are several things wrong with this concept...

The United Way of the Midlands is changing the way it raises money as it adapts to the changing nature of the workplace and to intensifying needs within the community. Shawna Forsberg, president and chief executive officer at the United Way, said the organization no longer will announce a specific funding goal each August and…