Fundraiser Education

Think about it. When you decide to make a PB&J, you give thought to the type of ingredients you’ll add to the mix: Crunchy or smooth? Strawberry jam or grape jelly? What are you, or those for whom you’re creating this delight, in the mood for? The same holds true for marketing and fundraising collaborations...

Are we simply letting our programs happen without a clear path to achieving our highest and most important goals? As a fundraiser, your ultimate goal should be to build sustainable funding that supports your organization’s mission. Have you instead been focusing your time and energy on the revolving door of acquiring new givers?...

Have you hit anyone up this week? Have you twisted arms? Have you called in the big guns to help you lean on your best targets? Do those words make you cringe? I sure hope so. Because if they don’t, then you’ve got some serious work to do to reshape the way you think about fundraising...

A monthly donor calling up to cancel is a dreaded call for any organization. It’s something nobody wants to hear. But it’s important to respond in the right way...

We believe that being a major gift officer is the hardest fundraising job in the industry. It’s incredibly hard. You have to not only develop relationships with donors, but with every one of your colleagues to help you inspire and solicit donors with your organization’s great projects...

Starting my professional career as a program officer for a statewide grant-maker is a slightly unusual story, one that is filled with gratitude for my mentors. Leaving grant-making for grant-seeking and eventually grant consulting, another unusual twist in the story...

At the end of the day our organization and I need highly trained and motivated volunteers to help in a variety of roles, especially fundraising. A board retreat is a great tool to use for this purpose. I strongly encourage annual retreats...

Mistakes are inevitable, how a fundraiser responds to those errors is what can really set the organization apart. Instead of spending all our time on looking for someone (anyone but me!) to blame, our first priority needs to be our donors...

For a number of years, I attempted to take up golf. I say “attempted” inasmuch as after three rounds of lessons and many hours invested, I never really got beyond the frustration level of competence. It’s a great game. You’re often in beautiful settings with the opportunity to spend time with people you like. So, why didn’t I do better?...

Let’s face it—there’s a plethora of information out in the vast cyberspace about different types of technologies available to help improve your nonprofit. It can all get a little confusing, can’t it? But it all comes down to what your nonprofit it looking to improve. Are you looking to create more brand awareness to drive more donations? Let’s take a look at a tool out there that we’ve all heard of, but (maybe) are not taking advantage of...