People are busy. They’ve got jobs, kids, social events, church activities, favorite TV shows and more often than not, a list of charities that they care about. It’s easy for …
Donor cultivation is part art, part science. At its most basic, donor cultivation (and prospect cultivation, for that matter), centers on communication: staying in touch with your donors and prospects …
It happens to every development professional at some point in their career. Things are going well… you’re meeting with prospects, cultivating contacts, making asks. The days seem to be humming …
If you’re a regular reader of The Fundraising Authority, it is highly likely that you already understand that great fundraising is built on good, solid relationships with your prospects and …
Fundraising events are a staple of non-profit development plans, and for good reason: they work. Donors like events, and besides a capital campaign, no other development tactic generates as much …
Non-profits make lots of fundraising mistakes. Saying that sounds harsh, but it’s not really a criticism. Non-profit organizations are trying to accomplish big things, and when you do big things, …
Direct mail fundraising is part art, part science. Whether you are engaging in prospecting mailings (to people who have never given to your organization before) or housefile mailings (to past …
Guest Post by Adam Farwell Though it doesn’t carry the same stigma it did even ten years ago, the word “branding” still sends shivers down the spines of some non-profit …
Far too often, non-profits get to a certain point with their major donor fundraising and then let it “coast.” Don’t make that mistake — constantly working on raising the bar …
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a great social service non-profit doing phenomenal work. My objective for the project was to help them strengthen their development organization and …
Today, as part of our Learn from an Authority interview series, we are talking with Andrea Kihlstedt, consultant, author, and founder of Asking Matters, about making effective fundraising asks. 1. …
This is an important article for you to read, particularly if you are an Executive Director or Board Member of a Non-Profit. Whether you are an ED / Board Member …
When it comes to non-profits and social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, there really are two wildly varying extremes: On the one extreme, you have non-profits who think …
I can’t tell you how many non-profit executive directors and board members I talk with that say things like: “We really need to raise more money, but we just don’t …
I often get asked about best practices for non-profits that are interested in working with fundraising consultants. As a fundraising consultant, I definitely see the value in consulting for organizations …
Having the support of your board of directors is crucial for your organization’s fundraising success. Ideally, your board would serve as a key resource, helping you make connections, opening up …
