Today we’re going to talk about the BIG PICTURE. Because fundraising abhors a vacuum. There’s no point trying to fundraise unless you do so in service of your vision, mission and values with fundraising pre-conditions in place to help. Duh, you’re saying. Why are you stating something so obvious, you’re [...]
The United States government awards federal grants across all sectors, as a means to fund ideas and projects that address community needs. There are 26 federal grant-making agencies and more than 900 federal programs in the US government, and billions of dollars in grants are awarded each year. All government [...]
Did you know that organizations with a written fundraising plan consistently outperform organizations without one? It’s shocking how many organizations aren't writing a fundraising plan. This phenomenon was recently documented in a study by Adrian Sargent from the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy. In their study 37% of organizations under a [...]
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 fundraiser who isn't sure how to create an ask letter for their new endowment campaign. Dear Charity Clairity, We are preparing [...]
Dioceses and archdioceses typically conduct annual appeals at the beginning of the year. Most diocesan appeals are aligned with the Cardinal, Archbishop or Bishop, and serve many needs across the diocese involving education, worship or social services. A common practice is to repeat the campaign year after year, trying to [...]
In Part 1 of “10 Strategies to Supercharge Annual Fundraising Success in 2021” we covered five ways to thoughtfully set yourself up with infrastructure and content that will help you effectively get your most compelling case for support out to your broadest group of likely donor prospects. Now we'll look [...]
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 fundraiser who isn't sure if they should maintain an existing legacy society as they reboot their planned giving program. Dear Charity [...]
When you hear the phrase “faith-based fundraising,” you might immediately think of churches, congregations, and similar organizations. However, many social service nonprofits operate from a mission filled with faith, often representing collaboration among a variety of supporters, regardless of their particular religious affiliation. We spoke with several colleagues in these [...]
Okay. Year-end fundraising is over. You’ve done your thanking due diligence. Now what do you need for annual fundraising success? If you’re on a fiscal year, you’ve still got money to raise to reach your fundraising goal. If you’re on a calendar year, you’ve got to plan to do even [...]
For most of us, 2020 is a year we’d like to forget, despite all the fundraising lessons we've learned. So much pain, loss and heartache. I hope when you look in the mirror and at your organization you see strength and pride. As hard as looking back can be its [...]
Should you ask for and close gifts by Zoom? By telephone? Indeed, you should! Why? Because the number one reason people don’t give is because they aren’t asked. And the more up close and personal you make your ask, the more likely you are to get a positive – and [...]
How Plan a Capacity Building Campaign These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times demand an extraordinary response. Are there more demands for your services than ever before? Are you worried about raising enough money to meet the rising need? If so, a capacity campaign might be the perfect solution for [...]