Fundraiser Education

Have you ever wondered, after the fact, why you donated to a particular cause or organization? You hadn’t planned on it. It wasn’t something that had been on your radar. So why did you give? The answer, in a lot of cases, is because it made you feel good. That’s how most of us feel…

Where should smart fundraisers be giving their attention in 2016 to capitalize on our economic growth? Technology changes and the economy changes. But people? Not so much. How will you be increasing fundraising revenue and strengthening donor relationships in 2016? Here are six things smart fundraisers will be doing...

Look at the calendar year of resource development ahead of you. You must work through the seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall each year. As each cycle ends, another begins. If you take a seasonal view of your work, there are specific activities that direct you through the process of planting seeds, 
tilling the soil and harvesting the ultimate rewards. Here is a guide for each of the four seasons...

Nonprofit organizations, just like their for-profit brethren, often find themselves in need of capital to further their missions. Museums, theaters and other arts organizations undergo capital campaigns in order to preserve and promote culture. Hospitals need funding to expand into larger, state-of-the-art facilities. In some instances, organizations can tap into the resources available through wealthy…

Knowing what’s on the horizon for 2016 can help your organization create the most effective fundraising and impact strategies. Tuning into new developments in the social impact sector will help you attract and delight donors while moving your cause forward. We’ve gathered the top trends to look for in 2016, along with some actionable tips.…

Content marketing is about creating and sharing information (videos, images, infographics, newsletters, white papers, etc.) in order to attract and engage with your prospects and constituents. Nine out of 10 organizations use content marketing, while marketers, on average, spend more than a quarter of their marketing budgets on it. Why? Because content marketing is effective.…

I’m going to assume your board members fundraise. Or at least they mean well and want to fundraise. If that’s not the case, read Joan’s post about how to convince your board to fundraise. But let’s assume that is the case. That doesn’t mean it’s easy for them. After all, they don’t work for your…

A typical nonprofit organization’s calendar is always full. Meetings, campaigns and other important dates. But which should take highest priority? Here are 14 important dates that you should consider circling on your nonprofit’s calendar. They will help you strategically plan throughout the year...

Cathy is the executive director of a small, worthy nonprofit focused on the elderly. In the midst of her planning for 2016, she reached out to me with a familiar concern. How do I persuade prospective donors to actually invest in my organization? In fundraising lingo, “How do I convert more prospects into donors?”...

We’ve been hearing about “El Niño” for months, and sandbags, K-rail and umbrellas have been in great demand. For fundraisers, there are possible El Niño “seasons” (deviations from the normal or expected patterns) year-round. We can’t predict them all, so always being ready for the unexpected has to be more than a cliché; it must be our typical operating mode...