Donor Relationship Management

When I first began my career in fundraising, I was told to exceed expectations. I also was told that I should promote customer service. Always prepare for the unexpected because you never know who will walk through the door. Your ultimate success depends on it...

About 15 months ago, my husband and I adopted a rescue dog from a Best Friends Animal Society shelter. Cubbie quickly became part of our family, providing me with companionship, as I work alone most of the time, and giving us another good reason to exercise. But like anyone with an unknown past, she came with some baggage, and it has required patience to get her to fully bond with us....

Every year, my favorite charity saves 1,835 cats in Vancouver, British Columbia. But it doesn’t talk to me about that. It tells me about one cat at a time. Why? Because it understands what makes a great thank-you letter. The thank-you letter is an often-neglected piece of donor communication. It sits, stale and unattended, getting…

Is there one single narrative that can entirely define your organization, its mission and your donor experiences from both sides of the giving equation? Doubtful. One thing I don’t doubt, though: Storytelling is important. In fact, emotionally compelling storytelling is the foundation of every successful fundraising program...

The modern world has allowed us to connect like never before. The Internet and social media have made it possible to reach people with any message you want to share. Everyone can now have an audience. However, you don’t just want any audience. You don’t want to be yet another voice in a loud and…

We’re told transparency creates trust between our organization and its supporters. For far too long, we’re told, nonprofits have operated in a sort of vague existential “never zone” of “we’re doing good, so you don’t have to worry.” The fundraising pundits tell us that’s what donors demand, these days. “Be transparent. You need to share everything. Donors want to verify before they give.” Do they?...

I had an unexpected reconnection a few weeks ago with Rev. Tony Marciano, executive director of Charlotte Rescue Mission, Charlotte, N.C. The last time we talked was when Tony asked me for some suggestions on his receipting program. Since about seven years had passed, I decided to ask Tony how things were going. And what he told me about receipting and retention is worth sharing...

"How many of our first-time donors give again?" The Fundraising Effectiveness Project has been studying donor retention rates for years. Its "2016 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey" found that just 19 percent of first-time donors will give again. That stat makes me want to gnash my teeth and pull at my hair. After all the hard work…

Do you want to acquire more new donors? Do you want to retain more existing donors? Do you want to upgrade the support from more of your donors? Do you want to get more planned gift commitments? To achieve any of those goals, there’s something essential you must first do. You need to build trust.…

When I embarked on my own in fundraising consulting I had only one client that I served as a sole practitioner. I soon realized that I was missing the synergy of a team. Collaboration is important. We all have different skills. So, as we developed our team, we also looked for redundancy. We didn’t want just one person with a unique set of skills. We wanted backup...