Has anyone ever asked you, “I just don’t get it. What’s the formula for effective fundraising?” Well, here it is: 12141. Say this out loud: One Two One, Four One. Or another way: One to One, for One. Sounds good, but what does it mean? This is the “formula” for [...]
Picking a great nonprofit email provider is a lot like buying a house, just nowhere near as expensive! But think about it… …the decision to buy is a big one …moving in is a lot of work …you make it great by what you fill it with, be it laughter [...]
Have you noticed that when talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in fundraising, the conversation frequently mentions the lack of suitable candidates of color? I’ve heard that to be a major gift officer you have to have access to people with money, be comfortable socializing with them, and speak [...]
Higher salary. Nicer car. An assistant. Perks. Nonprofit C-level executives are compensated better than their coworkers. There is a definitely a wide wage gap between senior managers and fundraisers, program managers and those in the field. But does that automatically mean senior managers should be expected to donate at a [...]
Giving makes people happy! I want all nonprofit fundraisers to get this straight, once and for all. Never, ever feel bad about asking people for a charitable gift. Especially those who are already affiliated with your organization so you know they have a positive association with you. People are always [...]
Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today's question comes from a major gift fundraiser who isn't sure how to persuade their boss to excuse them from tasks (like events) that aren't priorities [...]
Are you trapped on the small-dollar spin-cycle, spending all your time on fundraising activities that can’t fully-fund your organization and help you grow? If you’re going to get out of it, you need to prioritize the fundraising activities that give you the highest ROI. That’s right, I’m talking about major [...]
It was the peak of end of year fundraising. I was talking to a scared, frightened fundraiser working at a homeless shelter. She had crafted a well-written appeal she poured hours into writing. There was just one problem. Her boss said no photos. Specifically, no photos of anyone who looks [...]
We are in a worldwide panic -- fear and anxiety are breeding faster than anything else. This is our call. And we need to answer the call. This means it’s time to go on a quest. Are you ready? What’s the hero’s journey? Joseph Campbell describes the beginning of the [...]
I’ve spent my entire career in fundraising and learned many lessons the hard way. Here’s 31 things I wish I had known when I was just starting out in my fundraising career: You will never make everyone happy all the time. You may be too much for some people. That’s [...]
As generators of key revenue for nonprofits, fundraisers typically feel job security. There’s always more than enough work to be done, and the sense of juggling the work of what could be spread among two or three professionals may be overwhelming, but soothing in that your role feels critical. However, [...]
During the age of COVID-19, many nonprofits, especially those that have been focused on growth, paused their fundraising strategies to deal with the results of the pandemic. Social distancing guidelines made in-person fundraising nearly impossible to do safely, and the economic downturn limited the philanthropic gifts individuals are willing to [...]