As a nonprofit fundraiser, you’re likely under a fair amount of constant pressure to find new donors and raise more money. But a more reliable path to success is to identify donors who are already in your current donor pool and moving them up to become bigger donors than they are right now. Best of all, these donors are right in front of … [Read more...]
Want to Raise More Money when Fundraising? Go on a Listening Tour
Recently I was on a coaching call with a new client who doesn’t have experience raising major gifts. We discussed his plans for raising money from individual donors before year end. His idea was to call as many businesses as possible to “get meetings,” then tell them about all the amazing work his organization was doing, and then ask for a … [Read more...]
Would Your Nonprofit Pass a Fundraising Audit? 5 Critical Rules
There are some basic and universal fundraising principles that should be followed by every nonprofit organization. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, these “rules” of fundraising are frequently broken. Sometimes fundraising best practices are not followed due to lack of staff and resources. Other times it’s simply a lack of … [Read more...]
Christmas in July: 6 Ways to Prepare for Year-End Giving
You may think it’s too early to start thinking about Christmas, but that’s exactly what I want you to do. Yes, think about year-end giving starting right now... in July. Once September rolls around, it's already too late. 6 Early Ways to Prepare for Year-End Giving There are many things you can do NOW to increase your year-end results, so … [Read more...]
Misconceptions: Annual Fund vs. Capital Campaign, Restricted Gifts vs. Unrestricted Gifts
The other day, a client asked if the major gifts she raises should count toward her annual fund goal. At first, I was confused by her question. But it reinforced one of the more common misconceptions about raising major gifts. Common Misconceptions About Raising Major Gifts It turns out that the woman who wondered whether major gifts … [Read more...]
How to Best Engage Mid-Value Donors: Interview with Kimberly Blease
Interested in growing your mid-level donor income? Watch this interview with Kimberly Blease, VP of Client Relationships at Blakely, to learn how to best communicate with mid-level donors so they feel more involved and engaged. The full interview transcript (with minor edits for clarity) appears below. Mid-Value Donors … [Read more...]
Find Hidden Gems in Your Donor Database: Interview with Steven Shattuck
Who's hiding in your donor database? In this video interview with Steven Shattuck, Bloomerang's Chief Engagement Officer, you'll discover how to find all those hidden gems in your donor database. Here's what to look for... The full interview transcript (with minor edits for clarity) appears below. Finding Diamond-in-the-Rough … [Read more...]
5 Things You Can Do NOW to Prepare for Year-End Giving
The time for year-end giving (i.e., fall fundraising) seems to come faster and faster each year. Back to school shopping ends and Halloween decorations line the aisles of your favorite stores. If you wait until Halloween rolls around, you'll have waited too long. So, carpe diam -- seize the day! The reason it’s so important to prepare … [Read more...]
How to Solve Your Donor Retention Problem: Interview with Claire Axelrad
Claire Axelrad is fundraising coach, blogger and creator of Clairification -- her own mini online fundraising school. In this interview, Claire explains how you can increase donor retention at your nonprofit. This video is sponsored by Bloomerang. Help yourself to free fundraising resources including educational webinars, … [Read more...]
Fundraising Final Countdown to Year-End
Year-end is a frantic time for fundraising professionals. Nonprofit organizations often raise 20, 30 or even 40 percent of their total fundraising revenue in the last few weeks of the year. Year End Fundraising Checklist It’s likely you are super-busy tallying year-end donations, thanking donors, sending holiday cards, and more. In an … [Read more...]
