One thing I hear often from the nonprofits I work with is that they only ask for money a few times a year. "We have a spring Gala, summer Golf tournament, and end of year appeal. We have ten major donors that we talk to and a handful of grants." [...]
Like so many of you reading this today, I never thought that I would become a professional fundraiser. I started my career in law and business consulting and one day an opportunity presented itself to work with my alma mater on a major capital campaign. That university put me through [...]
We all know older traditions sometimes live well beyond their proper lifetimes. This seems especially true regarding print and online forms. One such form, which comes in numerous flavors, is the fundraising pledge form. I am guessing such forms first came about as part of the early existence of capital [...]
I heard Tom Ahern speak the other day to Bloomerang employees (there are a LOT of great perks of working at Bloomerang, some of our Lunch and Learn speakers and topics are WAY up on that list). Tom was talking about the Ahern Audit and donor centricity in general. At [...]
I've helped to manage my fair share of events: from small intimate dinner parties to galas that raise $200K. For the effort that goes into planning and executing any event, a nonprofit needs to be very pointed about what they are looking to achieve. My favorite ones are those that [...]
Your program staff can be an invaluable resource to fundraising efforts. The more opportunities you give them to spend time with donor prospects, the better those prospects will understand your mission. Here are three ways to get your program staff more involved with fundraising: 1. Make an introduction to those [...]
In this video, Amy Eisenstein sits down with Lori Jacobwith - a master storyteller and fundraiser, and the founder of Ignited Fundraising. Lori shares her storytelling techniques and explains how they can help your nonprofit raise more money. We’re proud to sponsor Amy Eisenstein’s video series! Be sure to check back on [...]
Today we continue with a 3-part series about the most cost-effective way to fundraise -- major gifts from individuals. In Part 1 we covered the basics, including why major gifts are so important and how to identify your best prospects. In Part 2 we covered the important process to qualify [...]
Today we continue with a 3-part series about the most cost-effective way to fundraise -- major gifts from individuals. In Part 1 we covered the basics, including the reason you really should do this. Why? Because studies show over 88% of all funds raised come from just 12% of donors. [...]
Today we begin with a 3-part series about the most cost-effective way to fundraise -- Major gifts from individuals. Not foundations. Not businesses. Not events. Studies show over 88% of all funds raised come from just 12% of donors. You get a huge bang for your buck from an individual major gifts program [...]
We often hear nonprofit executives and fundraisers lament the coming of donor advised funds, or as some donors refer to them, charitable gift funds. There is no doubt the rise of such funds in our sector is nothing short of phenomenal. The numbers are almost staggering to comprehend. Consider these [...]
Our own Steven Shattuck and Jay Love recently joined Gail Perry's Facebook Live series to chat about 2018 fundraising trends. You can view the full conversation here. Full Transcript: Gail: Hey, everybody. It's Gail Perry. And happy new year to you. I'm so glad you're joining me for Facebook Live [...]