Fundraiser Education

You probably remember the photo of the body of a little Syrian boy, washed up on a Turkish beach in September 2015. It's a hard photo to look at; he looks like he's sleeping, in that sprawling, completely relaxed way that toddlers sleep. But he's not asleep. This photo galvanized (sort of) humanitarian response to…

We all want to expand the work we are doing so we can make progress on our missions. But we need strategies, budgets and programs to make fundraising succeed. Simply saying “because I say so” isn’t enough. What can you do if you are facing unrealistic expectations?...

Last blog, we discussed keeping score and how people want to be on a winning team in part four of this fundraising and football series. This week, in the final installment, we’re covering three more things fundraisers can learn from the game. 9. You must keep focused. There is a lot of noise in the…

Would you like to be a better writer? Would you like to be a more effective public speaker? Would you like to engage donors in conversations that are more meaningful? I have some good news for you. Being a more successful communicator is easier than you think. Here is just one simple thing you can…

I can’t believe 2017 is already here! Are you ready for it? Is your fundraising ready for it? How will you be increasing fundraising revenue and strengthening donor relationships this year? Learn what smart fundraisers will be doing—and download a free 2017 fundraising and marketing calendar!...

We are behind in our Christmas fundraising efforts. From a seasoned fundraiser perspective, nothing weighs more heavily during the holidays than the stress of that simple fact. It is now my job to create the plan of attack for the next nine months to achieve the fiscal year fundraising goal, which will not be easy. When others in need depend upon your success, you constantly strive to seek solutions...

In part one of this two-part series, we talked about six friends you absolutely must make if you want to increase your fundraising results this year—and sustain and grow them over time. Today, we look at six more...

If you or someone you know is either looking for an MGO position or just started in one, I’m going to give you a road map for what to do in your first 60 days. If you follow this road map, you will not only start out your position on the right foot, but you will also give your manager a sigh of relief and, ultimately, comfort your donors. There are two things you need to concentrate on...

Believe it or not, my Elvis obsession helped me arrive here, right at this video from University of Cambridge. Elvis has played a central, deified role in his life and in the lives of the women who knew him. But in this video, he’s cast as a more peripheral character. In the short clip, a Cambridge historian narrates the fascinating history of teenage fundraising in 1950s America...

Everyone is out of the office and the long weekend looms almost within reach. So, we're taking it easy today, and you should too—by kicking back and reading (or re-reading!) some of these stories you may have missed in 2016. These aren't our most-read stories or even the most important ones, but they're a selection of our personal favorites, those we most enjoyed writing and reading...