Fundraiser Education

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...

It is hard to believe that 2017 is almost here. Where did the time go? Many of us had a fiscal year that started in July 2016, so we are at halftime in this fundraising year. Others are just beginning a new calendar year filled with hope and possibilities. Wherever you are in the fundraising calendar continuum, you should take a moment to stop, look and evaluate before you jump without a parachute into 2017...

I know that many of us have sent out our year-end appeal letter, or are in the process of doing so. Some of us are pouring our blood, sweat and tears into these letters, sometimes literally, with the paper cuts and the occasional weeping over the hundreds or thousands of letters that need to be…

We’re rapidly approaching the close of what has been a tumultuous year. In 2016, the U.S. experienced an unusually bitter presidential campaign culminating in the unexpected election of Donald Trump. In the U.K., voters chose to exit the European Union—the surprise Brexit vote sent shockwaves around the globe. The civil war in Syria continued to…

In part three of this fundraising and football series last week, we discussed campaigns being a rallying call and the benefits of utilizing people in their most effective roles. This week, we’re covering two more things fundraisers can learn from the game: keeping score and being part of a winning team...

It's the truth: As a sector, we’re accustomed to dysfunction. Sometimes we're mired in it. We’re used to a mentality of lack, rather than embracing the abundance that surrounds us. We’re so busy trying to pinch pennies that the dollars are whizzing by us. And we're often oblivious to that. This becomes our "normal." But it isn't right...

What's worse in fundraising: Doing what everyone is doing? Or following your own path? The answer, of course, is it depends. The downside of carefully following "best practices" is articulated by The Agitator, at "Losing Donors In The Sea of Sameness." They call it herd behavior and "sloppy, copycat practices." Which is frequently true. But…

Think of the impact of time, talent and treasure the nonprofit sector provides on a macro level in the U.S. in a given year. Millions of men, women and children receive free benefits from thousands of organizations dedicated to serving populations in need. What would happen if these organizations did not exist?...

I made a presentation to a large church men’s club on a recent, chilly Saturday morning. I was invited as their breakfast speaker. As I was speaking, many individuals, now retired, were describing their retirement nonprofit volunteer adventures. It immediately occurred to me that we all have the opportunity to have a "fifth quarter" of service to nonprofits, and this tenure could last at least two decades or more...

Now is the time to think about what you want to do in the new year that will leave you a better fundraiser one year from now. I’m not talking resolutions—those are too often forgotten before January comes to an end. Rather, jot down some things you want to make a priority in the next 12 months as part of your professional growth. Here are a few ideas to help you begin your list...