Donor Relationship Management

There’s a new way of thinking coming along that is shaping the future of fundraising. It’s a move away from the narrow idea of simple “fundraising” that focuses on “money.” It’s a move toward a much broader, more holistic notion of “philanthropy.” It’s a special land. It’s where fundraising is valued and considered an important part of…

Online and telemarketing donations have a unique feature that few other direct-marketing interactions have: You still are communicating with donors once they have made their donations. Obviously, a large part of this post-donation interaction should be aimed at confirming that the donation was made and sincerely thanking the person for contributing to the cause. But…

If there is one area of "moves management" that never has sat well with me, it’s the word "stewardship." Stewardship is what you are supposed to do with donors after they give you gifts. The reason I don’t like it is that it conveys more of a passive approach to the relationship with your donor...

Donor retention should be at the forefront of every fundraiser’s mind. Your ultimate goal when raising funds is bringing donors—who feel committed to your mission and want to continue donating year after year—to the table. Simply put, your job is easier when you know you can count on a group of loyal donors time after…

You might find it a bit odd that the CEO of a fundraising technology company might be writing about old-fashioned methods of personalizing communications. I recently had an in-depth discussion with a prospective customer regarding the extent of bulk personalization that is attainable via mail merges, through the hundreds of fields of standard and custom…

Our friend Rory Green wanted to find out how nonprofits measure their donor stewardship and retention efforts. This is an important issue. After all, you improve what you measure, right? If nonprofits aren't measuring donor retention or stewardship, they also probably are going to do a poor job of it. So Green went out and…

If the MGO starts taking care of new donors coming into the organization, he or she will ignore the caseload. And there is nothing worse than that. In fact, this is one of the biggest problems in major gifts—keeping the MGO focused on the good group of donors he or she has committed to...

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…