Everything You Need To Know About the Google Ad Grant
It’s no secret that Google Ad Grants is a fantastic resource for nonprofits. However, many eligible people are still unaware of the program and how to use it. In this
How to Set Sponsorship Levels and Benefits for Your Next Fundraising Event
For most fundraising events, the majority of your money should be raised through sponsorships. Without a strong focus on sponsors, your event will not reach its true potential. If you
The Top 8 Ways to Increase Your Prospect List
Like great sales organizations, great development operations need a constant stream of prospects… individuals, companies, and foundations that are, or are likely to be, interested enough in your mission to
A 10 Step Guide to a Successful Fundraising Event
Charity events are a popular form of fundraising. While they can be great moneymakers for an organization, they can also be time-consuming and expensive. The success of charity events depends
Two Qualities Donors Need To See Before They Invest Big
As fundraisers, we often focus on planning and tactics: what five things are we going to do to raise $200,000 this year? How are we going to shift our direct mail
Fundraiser vs. Friendraiser vs. Waste of Time
Last night, I was watching an old episode of The Office (US version) that brought a common non-profit problem to mind. In this episode, Michael is getting chided (over the
3 Quick Ways to Double Your Online Fundraising Revenue
In Mastering Online Fundraising, our class for non-profit fundraisers, we talk a lot about how small changes to your online fundraising strategy can result in major returns, including new prospects,
Holding an Event is NOT Your Whole Fundraising Strategy
I like fundraising events. I’ve managed (literally) hundreds of them during my fundraising career, from $500,000 galas to $10,000 hosted events and everything in between. Heck, I’ve even written a
Developing a Tactical Fundraising Calendar for Your Organization
The tactical strategy for your fundraising should not be random, and it shouldn’t be based on a “we’ll figure this out as we go along” mentality. Your best bet to
The Best Place to Find New Donor Prospects for Your Non-Profit
Almost every non-profit organization wants to find new prospects to keep their donor funnel full. Without new prospects coming into the pipeline, there won’t be anybody to cultivate, you won’t
Steal this E-Mail! A Sample Year-End Fundraising E-Mail for Your Non-Profit
It’s almost the year-end giving season, and most non-profits I know are getting ready to reach out to their donors to ask for one more donation before the end of the
Stay Focused, Fundraiser!
Recently, I’ve encountered a phenomenon among development staffs and non-profit executive directors that seems to effect organizations both large and small. It causes non-profits to raise less money than they
How to Do Year-End Fundraising the Right Way (Part III)
Welcome to the third and final article in our three-part series on year-end fundraising. In our first post, we took a look at why so many donors give during the
What to Do When a Major Donor Prospect Says No
Is there any more depressing word in the fundraiser’s lexicon than “no”? It means all of your efforts, research, and cultivation will not be resulting in a gift from this
Making the Most of Year End Fundraising Appeals
The end of the calendar year can (and should) be a bonanza for non-profit organizations looking to raised small and medium-sized gifts to round out their fundraising numbers. Whether your
How to Do Year-End Fundraising the Right Way (Part II)
Last week, we started a three article series on year-end fundraising. The first part described why donors give during the year-end giving season. In this post, I want to talk
How to Do Year-End Fundraising the Right Way (Part I)
We all know how important the final 4-6 weeks of the calendar year are for non-profit fundraising. According to Charity Navigator, mid-sized non-profits may see up to 40% of their
Why Your Non-Profit Should Avoid #GivingTuesday Like the Plague
Have you heard about Giving Tuesday (or, as most people write it, #GivingTuesday)? It’s a noble effort by those in our profession to transform the holiday season from take, take,
