Creative

No matter what Congress does, there will always be a desire in human beings to make a difference. As long as you don't become hopeless, you can help people respond to the high and good within themselves. People will always want to be remembered. There will always be individuals who are willing to step up when there's a need, because it is in giving that we receive. (Thank you, St. Francis of Assisi.)

Jean Haynes is an experienced donor and consultant who works with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, especially educational institutions. She loves helping nonprofit leaders and boards achieve their fundraising goals so they can change more lives. In this video, she shares three things you can do to draw your donors closer.

It can be hard to get the OK to use humor, especially when it deviates significantly from your organization's usual tone or it's the first time. It's tough but worth the effort.

Through close observation, fundraisers have discovered three "Design Laws" — practices that, if we follow them well, encourage our fundraising messages to bear fruit. Those laws are: Make it plain; make it corny; make it obvious.

There's plenty of time for some last-minute efforts that can produce income without driving you right over the abyss. I've compiled a list of eight things that won't take much time but have the potential to raise money before Dec. 31. And I've listed them as a checklist to give you the satisfaction of celebrating progress with a check mark. Ready? Here goes!

Three fundraising professionals shared some statistics on year-end giving and provided ways to make your end-of-year fundraising campaigns stand out from the crowd in the session "Taking Your End of Year Campaign … Outside the Box."

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to connect more deeply with donors. And to do that, you have to plan ahead.

To persuade donors to give amid an increasingly competitive nonprofit landscape, you must move your messaging away from organizational needs and toward social impact. In so doing, you will enjoy an individual donor base that is more invested, engaged and committed to the work your nonprofit does in the community.

Are you on the campaign trail to win the hearts and dollars of your donors for your cause? Your organization's survival depends on what your donors decide — not just on one day, but again and again as they are presented with your messages.

If you invest in a horse and never give it the chance to run full out, on its own terms, you'll never know how fast or how far it can go for you.