Fundraiser Education

If you are eager to build on your Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference on Fundraising experience, or if you were unable to attend and travel to Philadelphia in two weeks is viable, let me encourage you to take advantage of another learning opportunity. FundRaising Success' Engage Conference is April 10. This is a small, interactive, case-study approach to fundraising with a direct-response focus. Last year's inaugural event was one of the best I have ever attended — check it out today!

At the DMA Nonprofit Federation's 2011 New York Nonprofit Conference, veteran fundraising consultant Tom Gaffny provided 10 timeless keys to fundraising success that he's crafted over the past two decades during his session, "The 10 Commandments: 10 Ageless, Irrefutable, Non-Negotiable Keys to Optimizing Your Fundraising Success."

If you are associated with a nonprofit, you are a fundraiser. Nonprofits secure funding through a variety of methods, but what funding boils down to is that people believe the organization is filling some need that isn’t being addressed by other methods or organizations. Every single person, from a once-a-year volunteer to an entry-level employee to the board chair, has a responsibility to help raise funds to allow the organization to continue to serve its mission.

Obtaining, maintaining and sustaining in our profession is not easy. At the end of the day, the only one you can truly lean on is you. I agree with William Shakespeare. Trust yourself, go with your gut and seek to thrive, not just survive!

We're bringing the popular Engage Conference back to Philadelphia on April 10. Once again it will be held in the shadow of the Liberty Bell at WHYY in Old City. And once again it will offer a great lineup of scintillating speakers, roundtable discussion, and lots of opportunities to network and get your questions answered.

Over the years, many nonprofits have shared their fundraising secrets with us and we’d like to pass those on to you. Keep the following in mind as you begin to plan out your fundraising initiatives for the year: 1. Make your case with your donors. 2. Appeal to your donor's personal side. 3. Manage your funds responsibly. 4. Thank your donors. 5. Create a culture of fundraising. 6. Develop a well-thought-out fundraising strategy. 7. Utilize fundraising software.

As fundraisers, now is a good time to do some spring cleanup. We’re right smack in the middle of the year-end surge and the summer slump. Our creativity may be buried in slush, and our passion seems to be coated in ice. So roll up your sleeves, and let’s get cleaning!

One simple trick I’ve learned is to set aside the first hour of your fundraising day for accomplishing something really important — something that will move the ball forward for your organization. If you can resist the urge to answer emails and work on “small picture” stuff for the first 60 minutes of each day, you can start the day with what really matters, and in the process gain a huge sense of accomplishment that often extends to the rest of your day.

Ted Hart speaks with a group of fundraising professionals to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his Nonprofit Coach radio show.

Nothing sharpens your decision-making prowess quite like establishing a new fundraising operation, with the heart-thumping expectation of growing income quickly. Opportunities abound, but how do you make the best of them? Anita de Ruijter, fundraising and communications manager at Save the Children New Zealand, outlines four scenarios. What would you do?