Fundraiser Education

Something very rare is happening. It’s one of those once-in-a-century occurrences. You know—like the appearance of Halley’s Comet. What is it? Right now—and perhaps not for very much longer—the very same tools for fundraising that the very best, well-funded organizations use are at the disposal of someone with $500 to spend. Think about it. For…

Why do your donors give? It’s not because of your awesome mission or the 1,723 kids you served last year. It is, in all simplicity, because of what they are doing through you. Your donors are changing the world! But so many nonprofit organizations miss the mark...

In 1993, four respected organizations worked closely together to publish a list of 10 “rights” intended to establish a stronger relationship between philanthropists and their nonprofit beneficiaries. However, 23 years ago the world was vastly different—as was the world of philanthropy. Because of far-reaching changes that have taken place since then, the "Donor Bill of…

Today, one of the greatest skills a fundraiser needs, in my opinion, is the ability to be nimble. Rapid changes in the online space, donor ages spanning six (or more) decades, the still-relevant role of offline fundraising tools, the growth of donor-advised funds, changing foundation priorities and many more things that I won’t list all make the job of fundraising require the flexibility and balance of a gymnast...

Anyone who has worked as a fundraiser or the executive director of a 501(c)(3) organization knows it is, for the most part, smart to keep your political opinions to yourself in the nonprofit realm as well. There are a number of reasons for this; at the risk of oversimplification, I’ll boil it down to the benefit of neutrality...

It’s a fact: Other industries have received far worse hits than fundraising ever will and yet they’ve learned how to grow, change and adapt. In the face of rising challenges in fundraising, what steps can the smart fundraiser take to rise above it all and succeed despite the odds?

Pia Payne, associate publisher and brand manager of NonProfit PRO, and Donna Wilkins, founder and CEO of Charity Dynamics, have been tapped to submit a panel for the 2017 SXSW Conference’s social impact track in Austin, Texas. But they need your help to get there...

During a recent orientation session with two new major gift officers, one individual asked me to define the term “case for support.” He was very eager to learn what I thought about the concept. It is an essential part of the fundraising process, and I'm not the only one in the profession that feels this way...

Year-end annual fundraising is when the rubber meets the road. This is the time for creative fundraising campaigns! There’s tons of money at stake this fall. It’s the generous time of year, when donors think about giving. Donors give more, especially in December and the last days of the year...

In a mailbox that’s a little less crowded than just a few years ago, there’s still a daunting task at hand for fundraisers: how to stand out to the prospective member or donor. Even with a full box of exciting tools at your disposal, the good ol’ envelope is still just an envelope, right?...