Association of Fundraising Professionals

For the first time in five years, charity respondents to the annual Fundraising Effectiveness Project survey saw positive gains in giving, but still continued to lose donors faster than they gained them.

Nothing could be as gratifying or rewarding as stewarding your donors, yet it’s clear from the latest statistics that we’re still not getting it right. Take a cue from my oh so fabulous subscribers and members, who are using fun and novel ways to deepen their relationships with their donors. What tips could you swipe?

As the donor public has been focused on nonprofit overhead in recent months, it seems that nonprofits have in turn been focusing on their costs to raise money. That's perfectly logical and wise, but this has generated a lot of questions and misunderstandings about what and how consultants or agencies charge.

Datacards offer a wealth of information. These examples just scratch the surface. Digging in to the data can take you way beyond what you learn from glancing at surface demographics and assuming you know your prospects.

I’m about to reveal my Old MacDonald’s theory of the qualities of outstanding fundraisers (you know how they say “the farmer is *out standing* in his field”?). Ahem. Well … the outstanding farmer is surrounded by a chorus of E-I-E-I-Os. The outstanding fundraiser is similar in many ways. S/he sings a similar tune and also works in a nurturing, productive space that enables cultivation and growth.

And that’s why I developed my E-I-E-I-O paradigm. Forget about all the nasty business of “it’s a jungle out there.” No, you (the fundraiser) work on a farm.

Bernard Ross gives us some insights into the book, “Global Fundraising: How the World is Changing the Rules of Philanthropy.”

At Fundraising Day in New York, Clint O'Brien, vice president of business development at Care2, laid out acquisition techniques in today's fundraising landscape in the session, "Acquisition in Tough Times: Finding New Donors Without Breaking the Bank."

I learned a long time ago, as a development professional, that having a great case for support is nearly meaningless unless you also develop compelling messaging. Unfortunately, many nonprofits continue to send the same dull, institutional-focused direct mail that prospects easily bypass in the paper shuffle. Charities continue to make uninspiring calls, publish informative articles few read, run ads that donors only glance at and soon forget. Here are three tips for crafting more compelling content: 1. Cite fewer statistics and tell more stories. 2. Use humor. 3. Choose your words carefully.

Whatever you do, don't think you are "above the basics." How does your organization measure up on the eight basics of donor retention?

Last month I had the pleasure of joining the New Orleans chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for its annual conference, a tight and terrific two-day gathering on the beautiful campus of Holy Cross School. Organizers jammed as much education time as possible into what actually amounted to a day and a half. I couldn’t make all of the sessions, of course, but here are some nuggets of information gleaned from some of the ones I did attend.