When it Comes to Fundraising, Go for Big Wins… Not Small Savings
Most development offices are resource-starved. They don’t have the money or manpower to do everything they want to do, so they have to make choices about where to focus their
Can Stronger Systems Make You a Better Fundraiser?
As non-profit fundraisers, we are often focused on the urgency of our front-line activities… We need new prospects. Now! Our organization has to raise $10,000 more. This week! I promised
Are You Using the Hierarchy of Fundraising Asks?
During presentations to non-profit groups, I often talk about the “2-Ask Process.” This is my concept that for every prospect you have at your organization, you should be prepared to
How to Hire Great Frontline Fundraisers
Every non-profit needs to fundraise. That means every non-profit needs to hire someone to do the fundraising. We call those people who actually meet with donors, shake hands, do fundraising
4 Tips for Feeling More Comfortable When Making Asks In Person
Here’s a secret you won’t hear from your boss or read in most fundraising books… most fundraisers get nervous when making asks in person. Even those grizzled development veterans at
How to Campaign-ize Your Fundraising for Maximum Results
Capital campaigns are extremely effective at raising large amounts of money in a relatively short period of time. They’re a lot of work, but non-profit fundraisers have developed a system
Turning Everyday Donors into Major Donors
Guest Post by K. Michael Johnson You need big donors… who doesn’t? Sure, you have some… but to truly fulfill your mission, you know you need more. So, where are they
7 Tips for Better E-Mail Newsletters for Your Non-Profit
Does your non-profit use e-mail newsletters to cultivate and steward donors? If not, it should… e-mail newsletters are one of the easiest and best ways to stay in touch with
How to Renew and Upgrade 95%+ of Your Event Sponsors Year After Year
If you are holding an annual event (one that your organization holds each year), the first step in signing up sponsors for the event is sponsor renewal – the best
The Most Important Question You Aren’t Asking Your Donors
Most non-profits know that great donor cultivation is the key to long-term donor relationships. When donors feel like part of your team, they want to donate, and they tend to
5 Ways to Make Your Next Fundraising Letter Look Interesting Enough to Read
People don’t read letters that look boring or tedious to read. Think about it — when you pick up your mail, do you read long sales letters, or text-heavy updates
Case Study: How to Double the Revenue from Your Next Fundraising Event
I recently worked with a non-profit organization on a major fundraising event where we were able to double the amount of fundraising revenue for this year’s event over last year’s,
How to Be a Great Development Director
Over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to lead the search for a development director for several different non-profits, and over the course of my career have
Don’t Fall Into the Trap of the Shiny New Fundraising Thing
Modern fundraisers are bombarded with marketing messages, sales pitches, and ideas for new fundraising strategies. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of
The Story of Your Nonprofit
How well are you telling your non-profit’s story? No… I’m not talking about that boilerplate “History of our Organization” that you have on your website. And I’m certainly not referring