As someone who’s been working with and on monthly donor programs for almost 30 years now, the order of operations comes up a lot. It often creates a pause or a stop in the growth of monthly donors. Of course, we’re only human and, as fundraisers, we often tend to focus — and agonize — about things that are least important. But they’re easier. They make us feel we’re more in control...
If you look at the most recent statistics on donor retention, the year 2020 was not great. One reason was that many organizations put a hold on asking for contributions in the first half of the year because they worried about donors not giving. Many continued to be reluctant well into the second half. Hence, many donors who gave in 2019, never gave in 2020...
For many of you, this, too, may be a good time to sit down and take a moment and look at the plan for the fall. Sometimes all it takes is writing something down and putting it somewhere you can see it. Nothing happens magically, but just putting it on your to-do list will make it much more likely to happen...
You know how Richard and I are always talking to you about reporting back to your donor the impact their gifts are making, right? And the reason we do it is that the lack of reporting back is still the No. 1 reason why donors stop giving to you...
Every person who works for a nonprofit or is associated with an organization internally is an ambassador of that organization by virtue of association. As an employee of The Salvation Army, I wear, with pride, a shirt with the logo of The Salvation Army. Volunteers also wear clothing that signifies an association with the organization...
Sustainer giving is not the latest shiny new thing. Instead, it should already be part of your fundraising strategy as it will permeate all your giving and all levels of donors. It will help you keep your lights on. It will help you with your operating revenue. All it takes is a little bit of time to focus on it. So, if you’re looking to grow your monthly donor program, make sure you’re looking at it as an important thing that can be very exciting and fun to work on, just a little bit at a time...
“I don’t understand why the donor stopped giving,” the major gift officer (MGO) said. “They seemed so interested in what I had proposed last year. They gave and they have been silent ever since.” Stop and analyze each part of this statement...
Think about your fundraising career. Did you take classes, learn from mentors, read books or attempt to gain experience on a trial-and-error basis? Specifically, when thinking about the solicitation process, you probably focused a great deal of energy on what to say and do before, during and after the actual ask process. I had to experiment and learn over time. One facet to the solicitation process that is most important is securing the first meeting. In my opinion, not enough emphasis, training and education is provided on this topic...
You might have mixed feelings about the idea of finding and implementing new peer-to-peer fundraising software. Maybe you’ve seen the signs that it’s time for a new solution, but you dread the process of finding the right technology for your nonprofit. When you’re on the buyer’s side, product demos can be tricky. Time is limited, and it’s important that you see all you need to see to make the right selection for your organization and feel confident in your decision...
Technology and more people-centric (i.e., donors and supporters) ways of giving continue to expand, which is essential for nonprofit leaders to understand. For example, people could open a donor-advised fund (DAF) for very little money and give with the ease of tech platforms. Also, leading organizations, such as St. Jude, are reaching out to new audiences, like gamers, because they know they have to meet people where they are, to support a good cause.
