For most of us, 2020 is a year weād like to forget, despite all the fundraising lessons we've learned.Ā So much pain, loss and heartache. I hope when you look in the mirror and at your organization you see strength and pride.Ā As hard as looking back can be its [...]
Okay, 2020 is over. Your year-end fundraising blitz is over. Now what?Ā Do not simply take the money and run -- consider nonprofit gratitude.Ā Think of January as āThank You Month.ā Shower the donors you love with loveā¦ show them the way that you feelā¦ things are gonna get much better [...]
The secret to fundraising success for any organization, especially during uncertain times, is to build and boost donor trust. Savvy donors are looking for ways to give, but they want to be certain that the nonprofits they are giving to are legitimate and that their donations are being put to [...]
As the town crier for donor love, I have a healthy obsession with donor stewardship. I love finding free and inexpensive ways to virtually steward donors with a personal touch.Ā Why the obsession with stewardship? In a word: retention. According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Report, only 19% of new donors [...]
Before this crisis, I would have told any fundraiser the best way to build a meaningful relationship with your donor is to be meaningful to them.Ā Ā Fast forward to today. Weāre in a global pandemic. Itās terrifying, sure. There is a silver lining though (says the town crier for donor [...]
You know when youāre on an airplane and they run through the safety instructions? What do they tell you to do if youāre with small children and the oxygen masks come down? Put on your own mask first! You canāt help others unless you first take care of yourself. This [...]
What about counting the ways for your donors this year? Or at least for a subset of your donors who have the potential to give you the lionās share of your philanthropy? We talk a lot in the sector about donor love and gratitude, but how do we practice it? [...]
A donor-centric culture is the essence of a highly effective nonprofit organization, driving its operations and fundraising. Donor-centricity is more than an industry buzzword, itās a way of being, a way of operating. But what exactly is a donor-centric culture and how can your organization develop it? Simply stated, a [...]
People donāt give because itās the end of the year. They give because you provide them with an emotional reason to donate.Ā Year-end may merely predispose folks to give at this time. And I say may because: Some folks are predisposed to think about their blessings during the holidays occurring [...]
Imagine this scenario: Your organization received a donation from a donor once or twice but have not received anything this year. Some nonprofit professionals may say well that donor is gone, time to find a new one. WRONG!Ā Studies show that it costs less to retain, or re-engage, a lapsed [...]
Current donors are warm leads. When a donor has given to you once, you at least know they have some sort of linkage, interest or connection to what you do. Theyāre not with you for the long term yet, but getting them to give again isnāt like making a ācold [...]
With calendar year-end giving time right around the corner, most nonprofits are gearing up for the major push to bring in year-end donations. If thatās where you are at this point, you may be wondering how youāll ever pull it off. The following three-step strategy will help you build a [...]