It’s not insensitive to ask right now. It’s totally appropriate. Just as always, people can decline. But don’t deny them the opportunity! Most every donor has in their heart a desire to help and do good deeds – and sometimes this desire is especially strong during times like the ones [...]
Love it or hate it, whether you use it or not, the reality is that Facebook has changed the face of the world permanently. Whether it be connecting with friends and family, watching funny videos, or checking out news and causes, 2.9 billion people turn to Facebook monthly to get [...]
This article was originally published during the 2008 financial crisis. It has been republished here with permission from the Panas estate. It's a puzzling phenomenon. It may seem counterintuitive, but in tough financial times people actually give more. But they give to organizations they care greatly about. Those organizations that [...]
Individual giving is the backbone of a diversified fundraising program, with over 70% of all charitable gifts made by individuals. And, major gifts are the ultimate in transformational engagement. What many may not realize is that major gifts can be done in any sized fundraising shop. The misnomer that you [...]
I almost included this among my new year’s resolutions articles last month as “Resolved: I Will Help My Board Members Feel Happy.” Is that a daily mantra for you? Regrettably, too many nonprofits have the unfortunate tendency to demonize their board rather than love and support them. We whine and [...]
Raising all the money you need to fully fund your budget doesn’t happen by accident - You need a fundraising plan. The bad news is that most small nonprofits don’t have a fundraising plan. The good news is that planning doesn’t have to be hard, complicated, or elusive. It can [...]
In Part 1 (Boards Need Staff to Support Scary Fundraising Role) of this two-part series about helping nonprofit board members overcome their fear of fundraising, we looked at reframing ‘yucky’ fundraising with ‘loving’ philanthropy. Since it’s the role of staff to step up to the plate to help donors understand [...]
Embrace reality. Board members are busy. Unlike you, they don’t live and breathe your organization. They want to help (really, they do), but they need your support. Because… They’re busy. They don’t have time to figure out what you want and need. You have to tell them. Specifically. You know. [...]
When donors make a year-end philanthropic gift they feel joyful. Seriously, MRI-based research has found when people give, or even contemplate giving, to others their brains light up. In a super good way. They receive a ‘feel good’ shot of dopamine that goes straight to the brain’s pleasure center – [...]
In Part 1 of this two-part series on handling donor resistance we covered some of the reasons hesitations and objections are normal, and nothing to be feared. Rather, they present an opportunity to get to know your donor prospect better and potentially forge an even stronger relationship. There is one [...]
Sometimes when working with major donor prospects they say “yes” right away. More often, they don’t. You may not get an outright “no” (in fact, usually you won’t), yet you’ll get a hesitation or what we call major donor resistance. As in: No, not now. No, not you. No, not [...]
With the new year comes a fresh start in many respects. For some, it’s a new chance to hit physical fitness goals, or maybe even take up a regular volunteering effort with a local nonprofit. For your organization, however, the new year represents a clean slate for fundraising. Barring any [...]