Donor Relationship Management

Every day, it seems like there is a new, shiny thing to play with in the nonprofit space. Some of them will stand the test of time. Others will not. But rumors of the death of “X” (where “X” is direct mail, unrestricted giving, segmentation, corporate philanthropy or whatever else is tried, true and boring) are greatly exaggerated. Highly effective nonprofits are doubling down, improving on what they know works, has worked and will work, regardless of whether their stories make for great dinner party anecdotes...

“Four coming in” the manager shared with his team, alerting them of the arriving guests. I am forever impressed with the customer service at my favorite Chick-fil-A in Athens, Ga. I can’t recall the last time that I wasn’t offered repeated drink refills at my table or I carried my own tray to the trash can. When I was on crutches after surgery, I was offered the opportunity to sit and order at my table....

Fundraising is hard, and it's only getting harder. That's according to the latest "Nonprofit Pulse," a survey from accounting firm Marks Paneth. Of the 114 CEOs, executive directors and other high-ranking officers at major nonprofits surveyed, 47 percent said that donor demand for better impact reporting (or social return on investment) has made it "challenging" or "extremely challenging" to raise funds...

When one of my best friends lost her son to a form of pediatric cancer, I sent flowers, spent hours on the phone with my friend, and, when she became involved with a charity dedicated to fighting this particular form of childhood cancer, I became a regular donor. Years later, when my friend confided that she herself was no longer supporting the charity, I finally ended close to 20 years of support because of the organization's shabby treatment of donors...

Picture this: You’re going on a blind date. You sit down and order a round of drinks, but before you can say “cabernet sauvignon,” your date starts listing off every detail of your life and history and asking you about them. Uhhhh, check please! That’s the world we all live in today. That includes your…

A staffer responsible for donor relations at a mid-size community charity began our conversation by describing a fundraising program that, although fully functioning, is showing the early warning signs of real trouble. Stagnant gift size and a declining—albeit slowly—donor-renewal rate. Her concern was palpable. At an appropriate pause, I asked her what she thought the issues were. Her response was simple: “Our donors simply aren’t giving enough. They don’t understand the urgency of the work we’re doing.”...

I used to think Mop & Glo was the greatest product known to man. Once a week, I’d mindlessly squirt Mop & Glo on my tile flooring, run a damp mop over my tile and step back to admire the shine. Until the day came when there was no shine left to admire. So, are you using what I call "Mop & Glo fundraising"?...

Newsletters can and should be a great way to stay in touch with your donors and keep them updated on how they are helping you make a difference. Unfortunately, most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and filled with articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is.…

I want to let you in on a secret. Almost every day Richard and I get notes and emails from major gift officers, who, like you, are readers of our blog and lament that their bosses, executive directors or boards are making it impossible to do their jobs. Richard and I have a ton of empathy for your situations....

While Valentine's Day is very symbolic for us, I will never forget what I was told decades ago: to show affection every day of the year and not just one special, designated day. I always have carried that premise over to donors in my career. We need to love them all of the time. Unfortunately, many professionals have not developed a proper method or process to do this over time...