Fundraiser Education

Mentorship Is a Two-Way Street
August 27, 2021 at 12:41 pm

Mentorship is a two-way street. It should be a give-and-take process. Be both a mentee and mentor over time. Receive advice and guidance from those who have already been where you plan to go. Over time, be prepared to give your knowledge and experience to others by paying it forward...

The NonProfit Voice Ep 53: A Sneak Peek at Peer-to-Peer World's Five Days of Fundraiser Education
August 25, 2021 at 1:22 pm

In this episode of The NonProfit Voice Tech Series, Mark is joined by 10 industry experts that will provide a preview of Peer-to-Peer World, a five-day virtual event happening Fridays Sept. 10 through Oct. 8, including sneak peeks into select sessions that delve into practical tips and real-life examples for peer-to-peer campaigns in our changing world... 

Fundraising Book Review: 'Green Green'
August 23, 2021 at 8:30 am

I love fundraising book recommendations and, as you probably know by now, I love reading (and writing) fundraising books. So here is a review of the book "Green Green," published by Civil Sector Press, written by Canadian David Love, who has been raising funds for more than 51 years...

Planning Your Post-COVID-19 Fundraising Strategy
July 20, 2021 at 9:00 am

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic with business closures and sheltering in place across the country, nonprofit organizations scrambled to deal with their new reality, which included the uncertainty of fundraising, budget cuts and laid-off employees. Most nonprofits began to settle into a cautious routine with most asking, “What should we do next?”...

The Gift Begins with Securing the First Meeting
July 16, 2021 at 9:00 am

Think about your fundraising career. Did you take classes, learn from mentors, read books or attempt to gain experience on a trial-and-error basis? Specifically, when thinking about the solicitation process, you probably focused a great deal of energy on what to say and do before, during and after the actual ask process. I had to experiment and learn over time. One facet to the solicitation process that is most important is securing the first meeting. In my opinion, not enough emphasis, training and education is provided on this topic...

Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way
July 9, 2021 at 8:56 am

Many individuals in the field that aspire for leadership positions are basically on their own when understanding how to effectively lead. There is no one-size-fits-all manual for leadership. Leadership is sprinkled throughout every organization, regardless of size or functionality. If you have not studied the concept of leadership, how do you know what it is like in a nonprofit setting?...

It Is All About a Donor Saying 'Yes!'
July 2, 2021 at 8:54 am

After all these years, I know I need to continue to improve my performance when in a face-to-face solicitation situation. I always want a prospect to say "yes." For all of us — including me — what can we do to enhance the probability that the answer we want will come out of a prospect's mouth?...

The Race You Want to Lose
June 24, 2021 at 8:43 am

We live in an era when anyone can announce anything to everyone. You’d think that would be a good thing. In most cases, it’s not. Most of the time it’s a race for cheap attention. For nonprofits seeking the unearned notice of followers on social media, it’s quickly turned into a race to the bottom...

Easily Distracted? How to Become Indistractable
June 23, 2021 at 8:28 am

For the past few years, I have been wondering two things. First, is the use of my devices giving me bad posture? Second, are my devices hurting my ability to focus? The answer, of course, is yes to both. What to do about it? Being distracted is a behavior. It turns out, behavior is the result of a formula...