Direct Mail

Check out the winners of the 2014 FundRaising Success Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence Direct Mail (Less Than $10 Million) category: Iona College, World Jewish Congress and Tiger Haven.

Take a look at the 2014 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence Direct Mail ($10 million and Over) winners: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Longwood Gardens and Perez Art Museum Miami.

Yes, your organization is small, your budget is smaller and your available time is the smallest yet. You want to grow so that this time next year, you have more supporters — and more money to accomplish the mission you are passionate about.

Aren't your donors worth putting some extra effort into creating events and campaigns that are worth their time and, ultimately, their money?

Be explicit, don't beat around the bush, get to the point and be clear in your fundraising appeal letter. You'll raise more money if you do!

When I open an envelope, I want to quickly grasp what it is I am being "offered" — what problem can I solve if I send a gift? Are you answering that question for your reader?

Announcing the FundRaising Success 2014 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence. The 2014 Campaign of the Year Award winner relied heavily on powerful, consistent messaging across multiple channels.

Raising revenue in a steady, somewhat predictable way is what allows an organization to accomplish its mission.

Reviewing the winners across all channels for the 2014 DMAW MAXI Awards, the shared themes were engagement, extraordinary storytelling and relationship building. The stats and snapshot images of the winning Direct Mail, Digital Media, Multichannel and Telemarketing campaigns provided high-level intel of the strategies and tactics.

For an organization that was founded 35 years ago — specifically to build one memorial — the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) certainly has become a master of reinvention.