We’ve all been there. Feeling unappreciated. Working for organizations where you’re the fifth development director in three years. Mired in dysfunction. It can all get a bit discouraging sometimes. But remember, your leadership is a process, and it’s not going to happen overnight. This will take commitment, dedication and persistence...
I bet many of you are out there thinking, “Do I really have time for #GivingTuesday?” To that I say, "Yes, you do!" The tools and tactics are all at your fingertips. Remember that other organizations are taking part in this global giving campaign and #GivingTuesday is about visibility and momentum during a vitally important…
A major challenge for any business is finding the best and most effective ways to market itself. When your business is mission-driven, whether that be through a social business, nonprofit status or otherwise, there is the added complexity of not only educating potential customers on services and products, but also the purpose and the drive…
Creating a year-end campaign is like telling an epic tale: There’s a beginning, middle and end to the story. There’s a noble protagonist. There’s something monumental that stands to be gained (or lost). Nonprofits use many techniques to engage audiences in their campaigns throughout the year, but successful year-end campaigning requires a unique type of…
Nonprofit pros have complex jobs that require complex skills. Yet, at the end of the day, human communications need to be direct and simple. In honor of this time of year, I wanted to share some of my own fundraising horror stories that highlight the importance of proper communication...
It is the responsibility of every executive director and development director to help their board members find their comfort zones in fundraising. Not every board member has to be involved in asking donors for support, but every board member needs to participate in a meaningful way in the identification, education, invitation and appreciation of donors.…
Sarah, the executive director of an arts nonprofit, was giving me a detailed review of her organization’s fundraising efforts and results. This is an organization seemingly doing everything right, but its fundraising results seem to defy these positives. What worries Sarah is the lackluster performance from individual donors. Sarah is right to be concerned...
This is a moment of critical mass for culture in New York, and it looks both energizing and daunting. Sixteen arts institutions in Manhattan alone are in the process of raising more than $3 billion for projects from the ambitious (the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new wing for modern and contemporary works) to the more…
The 2015 Fundraising Effectiveness Project report summarizes data from 8,025 survey respondents (more than double from last year) covering year-to-year fundraising results for 2013 to 2014. The report shows that: Gains of $3.611 billion in gifts from new, upgraded current and previously lapsed donors were offset by losses of $3.438 billion through reduced gifts and…
Leaders are familiar with the initial steps necessary to turn around a faltering organization. Develop a vision, communicate the vision to promote buy-in and execute the vision. In the world of nonprofits, where much of the work is provided by volunteers, donors and staff seeking aspirational satisfaction as opposed to financial, there are additional tactics…
