Fundraiser Education

8 Simple Steps to Better Email Open Rates
April 3, 2017 at 9:37 pm

Email is the bread and butter of digital marketing. While it’s important to have a number of communication channels through which to engage your community, no organization (for-profit or nonprofit) can afford to neglect email. But the importance and prevalence of email marketing is part of what makes it so difficult. When every organization is…

Focus on Overhead (It'll Lower Investments in Major-Gift Fundraising)
March 31, 2017 at 2:18 pm

This will be the year when a solid group of enlightened nonprofit organizations jump fully into the overhead discussion that is rapidly gaining traction among leaders in this sector. My question for you is this: Are you ready to handle the questions, concerns and yes, heated discussions you might get into with a donor on your caseload regarding this subject?...

How to Ask for What You Want (And Get It)
March 31, 2017 at 2:18 pm

Just the thought of asking for things can make even the most confident amongst us sweat. Whether it’s asking for something simple like a social media shout out or asking for a major donation, the “ask” part can really trip someone up. Not any more...

It’s Time to ‘Poke the Monthly Donor Box’
March 31, 2017 at 2:18 pm

I just finished Seth Godin’s book, “Poke the Box.” As always, it’s terrific, short and to the point. It really got me thinking: Seth tells us to have the initiative to start. Turn fear into action because the consequence of doing nothing is much scarier and is going to raise a lot less money!...

Helmsley Grants $5M to Study Rise of Crohn's Disease in the East
March 31, 2017 at 8:38 am

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has provided a total of $5.2 million to the Australasian Gastro Intestinal Research Foundation and the Chinese University of Hong Kong to study environmental factors that influence the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which have been rising in Asia. The 3-year grants will support researchers in Hong…

Are Annual Reports Important for Your Nonprofit?
March 31, 2017 at 8:37 am

Are annual reports important to your nonprofit? I would say definitely so. It provides the past, present and hints of the future for your organization in a very succinct way. Make sure you understand the purpose of the annual report and how you intend to utilize the annual report before launching this program...

Managing Volunteers: Making the Most of Their Experience—And Yours
March 31, 2017 at 8:19 am

In 2014, more than a quarter of Americans (25.3 percent) volunteered some amount of time at a nonprofit organization. That’s 62 million volunteers—a big-time boost for nonprofits looking to increase organizational efficiency and reduce personnel costs...

New Nonprofit Aims to Raise $50M to Fight Opioid Addiction
March 31, 2017 at 8:18 am

A new nonprofit in Massachusetts plans to raise $50 million over the next 3 years to support innovative efforts to fight opioid addiction and substance abuse and has already attracted $13 million in funding commitments. RIZE Massachusetts held its first meeting in Boston and has begun its search for an executive director. Its board includes executives…

Budget Blueprint: Will It ‘Make America Great Again’?
March 30, 2017 at 8:47 am

President Donald J. Trump released his preliminary budget proposal for fiscal year 2018 titled “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again.” The $1.1 trillion budget blueprint has many nonprofit organizations in a slight panic, wondering what they’re going to do...

Juggling Act: Finding Time for Grants in the Small Shop
March 30, 2017 at 8:23 am

We can all agree: No one in the nonprofit sector has a tougher time of it than the small shop development director. These are the dedicated souls juggling a variety of responsibilities, from individual giving to marketing and communications, to event planning, to public relations, to stewardship and more. How do they fit applying for foundation grants into their insane schedules?...