The first decade of my fundraising career, I made many mistakes. Of course, mistakes aren’t necessarily bad if you take the opportunity to learn from them. Fortunately, I’m older and wiser now, and I hope you can learn from my own missteps. After 25 years of fundraising, I’ve learned a lot and am happy to pass along these tidbits to you. … [Read more...]
How Nonprofit Executive Directors Should Support their Development Director
Occasionally I like to share different perspectives on my blog. For this post, I connected with Canadian colleague Larissa Stoddart, Founder and CEO of Growth & Co., for her insights on effective nonprofit leadership. Executive Director and Development Director: A Critical Relationship AE: Larissa, let’s start with a relatively easy topic. … [Read more...]
Fundraising is Not Always Fun: 7 Strategies to Help You Cope
You don’t need me to tell you that fundraising isn’t always fun. Sadly, many fundraisers are miserable at work. I hope you’re not one of the miserable ones, but I imagine your days aren’t constantly filled with joy either. I know fundraising can be a drag, which is why I’ve written several posts over the years about putting the fun back in … [Read more...]
6 Nuggets of Fundraising Wisdom I Wish Someone Shared With Me
It feels like yesterday that I was the youngest professional in the room. But the reality is that that’s not been the case for many, many years. In fact, today I’m probably closer to the end of my career than the start of it. As I look back, there are a number of "life lessons" I picked up through personal experience that I wish someone had … [Read more...]
3 Simple Steps to Turn Your Volunteers into Fundraisers
One of the biggest challenges for many nonprofit organizations these days is how to efficiently and effectively use their volunteers as fundraisers. I've been asked to speak on this specific topic many times to help organizations that are struggling with this issue. Fundraising should always be a team effort. It's rarely accomplished by … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Thank Donors Virtually and Really Stand Out
Recently I was leading a training on raising major gifts and one of the participants asked how she could steward donors virtually. It got me thinking about why stewardship is important and why you should think outside the box when following up with donors after they make a gift. The Importance of Stewardship Stewardship is the fourth and … [Read more...]
3 Reasons to Start a Capital Campaign Now and How to Get Started
Nearly every nonprofit should embark on a capital campaign at least once every ten years. If your organization hasn’t had a campaign in the last decade, it’s time to start planning one today. You know the expression: If you’re not growing, you’re dying. It's a cliché, but it's also true. If you haven’t accomplished your mission, it’s … [Read more...]
6 Things You Can Do This Summer to Prepare for Fall Fundraising
Summer tends to be a slower time for fundraisers. Many donors and staff are away on vacation. However, fall fundraising will be here before you know it. That’s why it’s a good idea to take advantage of quiet time in the office to prepare for the mad dash to year end. 6 Things You Can Do to Prep for Fall Fundraising With that in mind, … [Read more...]
How to Hire a Fantastic Development Director for Your Nonprofit
Frequently, my clients ask for help in hiring new or first time development staff. Hiring an exceptional development director takes real skill. There are a few things I look for: a specific fundraising skill-set; a willingness to learn and grow; a good work ethic, and; a good personality match for the organization. Hiring a … [Read more...]
DON’T Do These 12 Things When Asking for a Major Gift
There are many things you “should” do when asking for major gifts. But because there are so many DO's, it might be easier to remember what NOT to do -- i.e., the DON'Ts. Many of the things on this list are things you're likely to already know. But you might forget to implement them in the hustle and bustle of your everyday work. Hopefully, … [Read more...]
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