Are successful fundraisers born or made? I heartily take issue with the contention that fundraising is only for a special few of us. Too many people who are virtually fearless in everything else they need to face in their personal and professional lives are terrified at the notion of asking [...]
A nonprofit faces a financial crisis. The sky seems to be falling. The temptation is to put those money woes at the top of the list as to why you and your volunteers are fundraising. The urgency provides the case for supporting the annual campaign, right? In the long run, [...]
The Quick Answer In 1995, Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, predicted that the Internet would collapse within a year. He was dead wrong. Today, approximately 3.8 billion people around the world have an e-mail address and 2.3 billion have a social media profile. In the wake of Hurricane Maria, [...]
I’ve created for you a little “Declaration of Fundraising Independence” to help you become a fruitful philanthropy facilitator from this day forward. This Declaration incorporates what I consider to be four essential fundraising truths -- pre-conditions which must be met before you’ll be able to successfully exercise your fundraising strategies. [...]
Do you have a background in finance? Me neither. What’s funny is that I wasn’t a person who loved data and numbers until I entered the nonprofit world. Much to my surprise I now live, eat, and breath numbers every day. I’m a disciplined person by nature, and I suppose [...]
When I started in nonprofit years ago I had no idea what a Form 990 was. All those numbers and checkboxes seemed like a lot of painful information for someone to fill out. Frankly, I didn’t understand what most of it meant. I’ve put off filing because of “more important” [...]
The reality of nonprofit fundraising is that circumstances and needs change from year to year. The fund development office is an important function for any nonprofit. As these changes occur, a restructure of this department is sometimes necessary. So, how do you determine when to restructure and where to begin? [...]
In the non-profit sector we talk a lot about storytelling. These one-off stories about something that happens to a person, place or thing offer a glimpse into the work our non-profit is doing. In the context of fundraising, these stories connect donors to impact and shows them what their donations [...]
These are the fundamental areas your nonprofit must focus on in the year ahead. And I mean focus. Prioritize these areas.Create written plans for these areas.Include goals, measurable objectives, strategies and timelines.Assign staff and volunteer responsibility.Monitor, measure and evaluate what’s working/not working.And don’t get distracted from your mission. Persist. I’ve selected [...]
You can, and should, have a major gift fundraising program – whatever your size. If you don’t, you’re just ignoring the facts. Nearly 80% of all fundraising comes from individuals.Studies show over 88% of all funds raised come from just 12% of donors.Two-thirds of all household charity in the U.S. comes [...]
I’m a big baker, but it wasn’t until a year ago that I made my first pumpkin pie. You see, creating a perfect pie is actually pretty complex. You have to pre-bake a crust that’s durable, but also delicate. It shouldn’t be undercooked or burnt. Then the custard has to [...]
Wizard of Oz: A Tale of Prospect Identification If you want to become a major gift fundraising wizard, you would do well to follow Dorothy’s advice. There’s no place like home. You can find a lot of prospects in your own backyard. You just need to know where to [...]