"Look what YOU did!" This was the subject line of an email I recently received. Was it good? Bad? Suddenly, I felt like a kid being called to the principal’s office. Was I in trouble? What had I done? Of course, it didn’t take long for curiosity to get the best of me and I immediately opened the email. In big, bold letters, the … [Read more...]
Are Your Donors Superheros or Cash Machines?
Have you ever heard Tom Ahearn speak on donor communications? He spoke last week at the AFP-NJ Conference and many of his points were perfectly timed for your year-end fundraising efforts. The Key Motivator for Giving is NOT the Needs of Your Organization This maybe surprising to many of you, but you must be able to convey the opportunity for … [Read more...]
4 Rock-Solid Ways to Raise More Year-End Money
As the end of the year approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about year-end giving and how to help my clients and readers (you) raise even more money this year. I went back and reviewed my posts from last year on the subject (listed at the bottom of this post — some great reading, by the way) and thought of a few additions. 4 Ways to … [Read more...]
Nonprofit and Life Lessons Learned from Steve Jobs
Over the last few weeks, we have been abuzz over the life and death of Steve Jobs. Carmine Gallo wrote a post on the Steve Jobs Seven Rules of Success, which I think apply beautifully to nonprofit professionals and fundraisers, and I can’t help but share them with you — with my own spin. 1. Do What You Love Clearly, Jobs loved what he … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Pollyanna Principles for Reinventing Nonprofits
Have you ever felt like a Pollyanna? Have you ever wished you could be that optimistic? The Pollyanna Principles can help. I recently finished reading The Pollyanna Principles: Reinventing Nonprofit Organizations to Create the Future of Our World by Hildy Gottlieb. I couldn’t wait to share my review. Please know that this is an honest review … [Read more...]
4 Simple Steps to Asking Individuals for Donations
Do you include face-to-face fundraising to ask individuals for donations as an integral part of your annual fund campaign? Now, I’m not talking about going door-to-door or sitting in front of a grocery store with a can. I'm talking about individual fundraising. If you don’t know how to do individual fundraising or if you are just getting … [Read more...]
Fundraising 101: Learn the Essentials of Fundraising
Fundraising is a massive topic. It can be overwhelming for the beginner. So I recently created an online guide to help you learn the ropes: Fundraising 101: Successful Fundraising Made Simple This extensive guide is composed of 12 of my most popular articles, woven together in a series of logical steps. It provides a full tutorial … [Read more...]
Nonprofit Financial Management Made Simple
If you are like so many passionate, nonprofit folks, finances and accounting are not your forte. Unfortunately for you and your nonprofit, this can be a serious problem. Like you, I would rather be at the dentist than reviewing financial statements. However, reading and understanding financial statements is one of the many important … [Read more...]
4 Steps to Raise More Money AFTER Your Event
Did you know that much of the money made from a truly successful fundraising event is made after the event is over? Although I'm in favor of a fundraising event earning a lot of money from sponsors and attendees, fundraising events are also excellent cultivation opportunities. Attracting New Donors Think about your last event. Were there any … [Read more...]
An Essential Resource for Nonprofit Beginners
Are you new(ish) to the nonprofit world? Do you ever wish there was a comprehensive guide to nonprofit organizations that covered the basics? Do you need a place to turn when you have a quick question about fundraising, leadership or management? The Best Book for Nonprofit Beginners Although I wouldn’t call it the “bible” for … [Read more...]