So many of us struggle through our work days without ever knowing if what we do makes a difference. For nonprofit fundraisers, it’s pretty clear. If donations are healthy and donors are happy, then missions are being fulfilled and you can see the results of your hard work reflected in the number of people sheltered and fed, animals rescued, legislations enacted, symphonies performed, patients educated, diseases cured, etc.
Tim Burchill, executive director of The Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at Winona, Minn.-based St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, says the ethical challenges that nonprofit organizations face in regards to fundraising can be broken down into seven categories. 1. Tainted money. Burchill says this category is a media favorite. While some organizations restrict who they’ll take funds from — e.g., Mothers Against Drunk Driving won’t take money from alcohol companies; American Cancer Society won’t take money from tobacco companies; etc. — many other groups don’t make such distinctions. Burchill says there is no money that is inherently bad, but each organization needs to
I took a seat in the Grand Ballroom in the Waldorf=Astoria on the second day of the DMA Nonprofit Federation’s 2006 New York Nonprofit Conference in early August with my coffee and bagel just as Heath Slawner began his general session on the power of influence. Slawner’s presentation shed light on the topic of influence and ethics in a fresh, new way that had me on the edge of my seat even before the coffee had a chance to kick in. A partner at Montreal-based training and development firm Hart Resource Development, Slawner outlined six principles of ethical influence developed by Dr. Robert B.
The world of corporate sponsorships can be a complex one, and organizations and their corporate partners alike need to be aware of its ins and outs, as well as what it takes to ensure mutual satisfaction in any individual partnership. That according to Patrick Pierce , who spoke about getting the most out of corporate sponsorships during the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Fund Raising Day in New York 2006 in late June. Pierce, senior manager at Chicago-based IEG Advisory Services, which provides sponsorship products, services and advocacy, outlined the types of corporate/nonprofit relationships — sponsorship, cause marketing, philanthropy and strategic philanthropy — and what
First, my sincere apologies to the intrepid folks who judged the 2006 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence. I knew it would be tough. I warned them … I did! But no one expected it to take as long as it did or to be as demanding as it was.
For a good 10 hours, the four judges camped out at our offices here in Philadelphia and painstakingly studied and rated nearly 90 direct-mail packages, and multi-channel and Web-based campaigns. My job was to keep them fed and stay out of their way.
The temperature as I write this is 101 degrees. Is it any wonder, then, that summer is a time of general malaise and lethargy? (Unless, of course, you’re a kid hopped up on Kool-Aid, pool water and the sweet, sweet rush of school-break delirium).
But even though its editor is a hot-weather wuss, FundRaising Success — the magazine — refuses to fall prey to the summer doldrums. We’re changing … we’re growing, even as some of us are wilting.
The temperature as I write this is 101 degrees. Is it any wonder, then, that summer is a time of general malaise and lethargy? (Unless, of course, you’re a kid hopped up on Kool-Aid, pool water and the sweet, sweet rush of school-break delirium). But even though its editor is a hot-weather wuss, FundRaising Success — the magazine — refuses to fall prey to the summer doldrums. We’re changing … we’re growing, even as some of us are wilting. Associate Editor Abny Santicola has been promoted to senior editor as of Aug. 1.
The best way to determine an organization’s need for a capital campaign is by doing a strategic plan that outlines the goals and direction of the organization for the next three to five years. That according to Corrine Sylvia, founder and president of Corrine Sylvia & Associates, who currently is campaign counsel for Pennsylvania’s West Chester Area Senior Center’s $1.5 million capital campaign and the Philadelphia-based Congregation Rodeph Shalom’s $10 million capital campaign. “Out of that strategic plan will come either capital items or programmatic items that you need to find funding for over and above what you raise for the annual fund, and
When used in concert with each other and with your other fundraising strategies, omnipresent technological companions such as TVs, cell phones and computers can help you net more quality donors and perhaps even nudge them into the fundraising holy ground that is monthly giving.
Sure, e-philanthropy is hot, but most nonprofit organizations still rely on direct mail as their fundraising workhorses. And the outer envelope is the wrapper for your all-important ask. It’s the first thing recipients see, feel and interact with.
As such, it requires a well-reasoned strategy that depends a lot on an organization’s mission, target audience and competition in the mail. Something that works for an advocacy group might not be right for a health organization. One thing that worked 10 years ago might still fly, while another favorite tactic could flop. It’s a testing game for each organization.
