Fundraisers have a heavy burden, especially when there’s a long list of rules to follow in our fundraising communication to please all the internal pundits. It’s easy to lose focus on the experts in donor loyalty—the donors themselves. So what are the building blocks for donor loyalty?...
"Just ask Oprah!" the board member gleefully proclaimed—like it was that easy. Behind her smile, the development director was fuming. She wanted to say, "Sure! When can you set up the meeting?" Almost every organization I train is frustrated with its board. In every webinar, classroom training or custom training I lead, I get an…
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…
It happened in the middle of a lackluster workshop that I’ve long forgotten. Two participants revealed that they were program staff (no, not fundraising or marketing staff) employed by a local women’s shelter. Their eyes were shining as they enthusiastically relayed how excited they were by the day’s training. They couldn’t wait to get back to the office to share their clients’ stories with development and marketing. It was a light bulb moment for me, you see, because I witness this kind of disconnect every day...
The Internet is filled with infinite possibilities. It hosts a tremendous store of knowledge, but it's far more than an encyclopedia: This powerful aspect of our modern lives is a network, built on sharing and connection. Many nonprofit organizations have realized the potential of the Web for both raising awareness and generating revenue. Peer-to-peer fundraising…
Large or small, new or established, your nonprofit needs to set realistic fundraising goals. I am not talking about setting a specific dollar amount as a target (although this is still critical). I’m talking about how you ask for donations. Here are the strategies and goals to use if you want to broaden your fundraising…
It is one of the preeminent roles of a nonprofit board member to assure the financial health of the organization. That means fundraising is a board-member responsibility, but the very mention of the word "fundraising" can strike fear in the soul of even the most stalwart nonprofit supporter, whether on the board or not. Unfortunately,…
In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of two approaches to fundraising practice. I’ll call them the schools of data-nique and incantations. That’s studying data and learning magic. Both make promises they can’t deliver. Although data analysis certainly has its uses, when most organizations haven’t even mastered the basics of human interaction (that is reaching…
I am lucky to be able to spend time with smart people who have great experiences to share. One such person is Jim Leighton, vice president of events and partnerships at Children’s Cancer Research Fund. He straddles management of two sibling events—a virtual, do-it-yourself cycling event that is about a year old and has raised $1.7 million already, and a 14-year-old walk that regularly raises between $200,000 and $300,000...
