Fundraiser Education

You have a choice. That’s right, you do. You can inspire people who care about your cause to give to you because you’re moving the needle of change forward, or you can scare them into action using statistics designed to create urgency. You can share personal stories of people in need—the people you serve—that are…

Regardless of the fiscal year, summer seems to be a transition time for many—time to work feverishly to achieve fiscal-year financial targets while creating an organizational and operational plan for the next fiscal year. Many of us start putting on the brakes to a hectic year and begin the brief process of trying to finally take time off. (I have not taken one day off this calendar year or played a round of golf. Shame on me.) ...

Everyone I know has gone through a slump. It happens to the best of us. Thankfully, it doesn’t make national news, like when a baseball player goes 0-45 at the plate or a team loses 20 games in a row. But, for you personally, it can be demoralizing and despairing, and can lead you to depression. If you’re working in fundraising, it can be extremely frustrating, and in many cases it can lead to self-doubt about your own abilities. If you are currently going through or have gone through a slump, here are some ideas to shake yourself out of it...

Have I made mistakes in my past and present? You bet, but I have always cared deeply about each institution and the people I served during my tenure on staff. I constantly try to learn from others, both young and old, to perfect my craft. Nonprofit service is like golf, in the sense that you must constantly practice to become a better player. The dynamics of the nonprofit world are constantly changing and you must adapt and change to be successful...

Are you struggling to nail the perfect appeal letter? Whether we are sending appeals via email or direct mail, we will need to nail the ask. It needs to be solid, heartfelt—and donor-centered. Everybody’s talking about donor-centered fundraising, but in my opinion, very few nonprofits are getting it right.

Be sure that before you ask for the first gift that you are prepared. Have everything in place to drive the campaign to completion in an appropriate timeframe. Timing is everything. Momentum is vital. A campaign that languishes does nothing to build donor, prospective donor, volunteer and staff confidence.

Today Ted Hart, CEO of Charities Aid Foundation of America (CAFAmerica) and CEO of P2P Fundraising, GreenNonprofits.org and TedHart.com, speaks with Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, on how to build a fundraising program using the asking styles that suit you best. Tune in at 7:00 p.m. EDT for a first look at the data. Check Out Social…

I will never forget my visit to the city garbage dump of Manila. We had a major project operating among the people who lived there and made a living out of sorting garbage. The stench was beyond unbearable. There was acidic smoke everywhere. And the dust wanted to choke the breath out of us. Even more dramatic were the living conditions, the health of the kids, the look of despair in the eyes of a mother who wanted to do better. I wanted to run away. But I couldn’t, because we were there to gather project information and stories to take to our donors back in the States.

As a master BS'er (behavioral scientist) in private and professional life, I want to know why people do things, so I can use it in executing my evil plans. My beloved henchman, Otis the neuropsychologist, feeds my habit regularly with links sent in emails with cryptic subject lines. This subject line was “awe.” I thought it was about cute puppies. But no, it was a gem. Turns out, if I can get someone to experience awe, they are more likely to be less narcissistic and be more helpful to others. How can we do that?

Do you have a real or fantasy related bucket list? In truth, we can only control a small part of our destiny.