Every day, we meet with incredible people who are doing everything they can to raise money for their nonprofit organizations. As we get to know them, we not only hear about the good they’re doing, but we also hear about their struggles. They’re tired, they’re short on time, and they’re [...]
As you probably know, most nonprofits bring in the majority of their revenue at the end of the year. This is a time when many organizations are raising as much as 30% to even 50% of their total budget. To make the most of this end-of-year giving season, I recommend [...]
I’ve offered you checklists, FAQs and e-guides with templates for writing donor-centric annual appeals. I stick by them as a place to begin. They offer an outline of all the elements an effective appeal should include. In this blog post, I’m going to talk about how to evaluate those annual [...]
Traditionally, the fundraising calendar goes out with a bang with nonprofits throwing a year-end giving campaign. Loosely defined, it’s the final push to meet and exceed your organization’s financial objectives before the end of the year. This campaign is helped along by more than seasonal good cheer; it’s also the [...]
If you’ve heard about Giving Tuesday, you likely know that it presents a huge opportunity for nonprofits to raise a lot of money during one 24-hour period. In 2021, Giving Tuesday falls on Tuesday, November 30. That’s right around the corner! If you’re wondering how you can prepare for success, [...]
You know you have to keep accurate records for your nonprofit’s health and transparency and to be in good standing with state and local laws. Some of the tasks associated with maintaining records—like sending donation receipts—can seem tedious and unnecessary. Even so, you can’t opt out of sending them: The [...]
During a hectic work day where many can only squeeze in a lunch break between firing off emails, it can be hard to know if you’re making your donors feel appreciated or if you’re giving them the impression that they’re getting copy and paste interactions. This isn’t something to ignore [...]
Every Nonprofit Needs One, But What’s Really Needed in Your Nonprofit's Annual Report? So, you’re one year into the adventure of starting your own nonprofit and now the time has come to put together your first annual report. Or, perhaps you’ve just been tasked with putting together the annual report [...]
In the nonprofit world, we often walk a delicate tightrope when it comes to the stories we tell. Many nonprofits deal with difficult subjects—illness, hunger, abuse, war, loneliness, addiction—and it’s often detailed accounts of those subjects that inspire people to give. However, raising money isn’t as simple as telling difficult [...]
For many of us, summer fundraising can be frustrating because often our donor communications during this season yield less-than-ideal results. If that sounds like your nonprofit’s typical summer, here are some things you can do to offset that summer slump with an unexpected windfall: 1. Determine if a summer fundraising [...]
This is part three in a six-part series. Read part one and part two. In part one of this series, I outlined my top six fundraising strategies for 2021: Investing in digital-first fundraising and marketing communications Mastering online user experience and messaging Mastering relevant content marketing Mastering personalized, customer-centered philanthropy [...]
Over centuries, storytelling has followed a similar pattern. Once you’ve cracked the code to the pattern, you’ll find that telling compelling nonprofit stories becomes less overwhelming and more manageable. You can apply the same blueprint again and again and know the stories will be well received by your audience. Below [...]