Strategic Planning

We’ve been working with major gift officers for quite a long time. I think Richard and I, along with our associates, have seen just about every type of personality, work ethic and passion, or lack of, in the MGOs we have managed...

Every fundraising program has them: financial objectives, which are set and tracked internal to the organization. We also have fundraising goals, which we communicate to our constituents. I’ll call those “external” goals...

With the rise in popularity of fitness challenge events, attracting and retaining high-value fundraisers has become increasingly competitive and beneficial for charities. But the influx of potential event participants can also expose them to additional risks and losses. They lose vital revenue with every deferment and dropout, so education, inspiration and motivation delivered regularly throughout…

As a strategic planning practitioner, I love the process and the outcomes, but I am saddened when a well-conceived plan just sits on the shelf. From a fundraising perspective, a strategic planning process that engages key constituencies and great minds is a wonderful cultivation opportunity, and the resulting plan should give confidence to donors who might invest in making the plans a reality...

Storytelling has been "hot" for some time now and for good reason. Our human brains are wired for storytelling. We’re automatically open and receptive. So, you’d be foolish not to use this to your advantage when it comes to your nonprofit marketing and fundraising—especially if your goal is to raise money. Storytelling is not difficult once you get the knack of it...

What’s the first thing you think of when you think “capital campaign?” I’ll bet it’s buildings. Most people believe that capital campaigns raise money for new buildings. In fact, many people think that donors like to give big gifts for buildings...

Since 2008, new donor retention rates are down 22 percent and repeat donor retention rates are down 11 percent. And let’s face it, 2008 was not a banner year for fundraising (or really anything in the economy, if you weren’t a character in “The Big Short”). So, we are either getting worse at retaining people, or lower retention is happening to us because of systemic changes...

In July of 1979, I had my first article published in CASE Currents titled “Mini-Phonathon: Many Benefits.” The basic premise of the article was that you can use the telephone to inform, as well solicit funds. I worked at Florida International University in Miami and was the first alumni/development director for the university...

Call it gossip, scuttlebutt, tittle-tattle or rumor—workplace negativity is an insidious morale buster that can distract even the most dedicated employees. And nonprofits aren’t immune to it. People are people, even when working for the greater good...

Not surprisingly, most development professionals have a long "To-Do" list. It can feel overwhelming to keep up with data-entry, make donor phone calls, draft mailings and reports and more. Being able to cross things off our list can feel great...