As we transition into a new year, non-profit executives should take some time to lay a solid foundation for a successful and strategic 2022.
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Organizations must consider the critical differences between professional solicitors and fundraising counsel when engaging a non-profit consultant.
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How many donors and prospects a major gift officer or other professional fundraiser should have in their portfolios is a moving target and while there isn’t an exact science to making that type of decision, for many years I have recommended development personnel consider “Dunbar’s Number.”
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Whether you want to call it a Capital Campaign, Major Gift Campaign, or a combination of the two, focused fundraising campaigns provide nonprofit organizations a unique opportunity to advance their mission.
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Philanthropy is supposed to be about bringing together people and passions, but if you don’t even know someone’s basic information – how can you make that connection?
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The ongoing year has seen a rise in fundraising trends. That, along with surveys and information technology, might help us predict its future reasonably accurately for the next two years or so.
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While perhaps initially a short-term solution to ensure the organization was able to continue to meet the needs of the communities they serve, there’s been a rising comfort level with a virtual format.
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Crafting an effective fundraising letter can seem like a daunting task, and fundraising letters aren’t like other writing — you’re writing to get results and to get people to care enough to open their checkbooks.
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Too often in non-profit organizations, we are focused on capturing the richest individuals as donors. However, you may miss the mark if you rush into gift solicitation with donors simply because you believe they have the most money.
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Sending a standard thank you note to a donor after their gift is received is important, but treating every donor the same is an ineffective strategy. Here are a few segmentation categories to consider and early action steps to take to steward your donors.
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As we transition into a new - and hopefully better - year, non-profit executives should take some time to lay a solid foundation for a successful and strategic 2021.
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You have likely considered kicking off a major gifts or capital campaign with a feasibility study to examine the factors that could contribute to your campaign’s success or failure, such as leadership, target audience, brand impact, and costs.
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Sustainability efforts do not need to be grandiose or complicated. One of the most impactful things you can do to promote sustainability in your organization is to implement measures to retain your existing donors.
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If you’re not incorporating Facebook’s Charitable Giving features into your philanthropy matrix, your non-profit organization is missing a valuable opportunity to capture donations. The fundraising tools enable you to connect with your audience, solicit donations, and empower donors to fundraise on your behalf.
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While legacy practices – the things that your nonprofit does year after year simply because “that’s how it has always been done” – make for easy planning and consistency, they could be preventing your organization from thinking strategically about each initiative and hindering your ability to keep up with the needs of today’s donors.
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We believe data is important to drive sound decision-making and avoid the “see-what-sticks” approach on which many organizations rely heavily. We utilize data when helping clients with their fundraising strategies; however, organizations can extrapolate the concept to support innovation and new ideas with evidence, ultimately leading to a higher success rate.
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Subscription-based shopping for common products like toothpaste and cleaning supplies has increased exponentially in popularity over the past few years. For example, I receive a bulk order of dog food from Amazon every eight months. Before I recognize the food is running low, Amazon automatically ships the refill, and “ta-da!” it arrives at my door just as Toby needs it.
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After endless conversations with donors, writing newsletter articles, blog posts, social media pieces, and other communications, the professionals within your organization are often the first ones to get ‘message fatigue.’
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Fundraising – like pretty much everything else – during a global pandemic feels confusing, uncertain, and slightly uncomfortable; however, it is critical you recognize that your non-profit organization continues to meet the needs in your community and contribute to it in essential ways. Frankly, you must continue to generate income to support your mission and work.
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I am a firm believer in using data and the science behind it to drive your fundraising results. Instead of taking a buckshot approach, non-profit organizations must strategically focus their energy and efforts.
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