Fundraiser Education
February 10, 2017 at 10:27 am
What is the most important thing a donor can give you? If I were to ask that question at an Association of Fundraising Professionals conference, I suspect most members of the audience would respond by saying, “A big check!” If I were to pose the same question at a National Association of Charitable Gift Planners…
February 9, 2017 at 11:17 am
Passion is defined as compelling enthusiasm. Imagine if your donors simply oozed with excitement about the work you do at your organization (not just for the cause in general). How would they be different from the donors who just melt away, day after day, like the ice cube in the bowl?..
February 9, 2017 at 10:58 am
We all know the Amazon Dash button to be a one-step ticket to replenishing household supplies—laundry detergent, dish soap, paper towels—and your day-to-day necessities—Doritos, GoldFish, Pop-Tarts—for those of us who prefer convenience over human interaction. But did you know you could use the Dash button to support the American Civil Liberties Union and really “stick it to the man”?...
February 9, 2017 at 10:14 am
In my 30 years of involvement with philanthropy professionally, when volunteers and professionals think of fundraising, they almost invariably are thinking of that moment when an “ask” is made. Whether through the mail, email, social media or—the dreaded face-to-face meeting—the act of asking for money sends chills up the spine and tremors of fear through the limbs...
February 8, 2017 at 11:18 am
When we attend the same conferences, see the same people and hear from many of the same people, we are not growing as much as we can. One of the things I love about our consulting practice is that we work with clients of all sizes and stripes. We learn from each engagement, which we are honored to work with...
February 8, 2017 at 9:39 am
Last week, this piece on marketing automation ran in the Huffington Post, pushing nonprofits to invest in marketing automation. I am here to beat the drum again, as it may be one of our most important conversations...
February 7, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Your organization’s major donors are, after all, right in your backyard. Yep, they’re already in your donor database, and you just have to know how to work them. Here’s the 411: If you’re not honoring your first-time or small-dollar donors and if your systems are broken, you’re going to have a hard time getting from here…to there...
February 7, 2017 at 9:42 am
Are you confused between opinions and facts when it comes to email marketing? Here’s a list of 104 answers for you…
February 7, 2017 at 8:38 am
The Surdna Foundation plans to put $100 million of its roughly $1 billion endowment into investments that seek both financial and social returns. "The investments are an experiment," Shuaib Siddiqui, director of impact investing at Surdna, said. "We’re carving out this $100 million pool of capital to figure out: Can we continue to meet the needs…
February 6, 2017 at 10:06 am
When you fully embrace what I am talking about, you learn to focus on relationship and conversations versus getting distracted by the “yes” and “no.” You learn to take your time and nurture things along, to really value the donor and to really listen and care.
