If you’ve been raising major gifts for a while as part of your annual fund (as I’ve encouraged my readers to do for years now), it might be time to consider a capital campaign. This post dives into three reasons to have a campaign, as well as three reasons NOT to have a campaign. 3 Reasons NOT to Have a Capital Campaign Let's begin by … [Read more...]
Setting Goals to Raise More Money: What’s Your ONE THING?
As we head into the New Year, it’s only natural to start reflecting on the year gone by and begin planning for the year to come. As you begin this process, you’ll want to think about things you did well and those you wish you’d done better. The years seem to go by faster and faster. It’s hard to imagine that it was 20 years ago when we … [Read more...]
The Amazing Power of Authenticity When Building Donor Relationships
At a recent board retreat I was facilitating, a board member challenged me. He said that he felt the donor cultivation strategies I was discussing seemed contrived. He didn’t believe we could develop real relationships with donors because the ulterior motive was to raise money. However, this particular board member was missing one key fact … [Read more...]
A Capital Campaign Tool You Can Use to Raise Major Gifts
The most important capital campaign tool is the gift range chart. This chart demonstrates how many gifts (and donors, and prospective donors) at each level (amount) it will take a reach your goal. Traditionally this tool has been used exclusively for capital campaigns, but the principles apply equally to raising major gifts for your annual … [Read more...]
3 “Non-Risk” Risks for the Fearful Fundraiser
Are you risk-averse? If trying something new gives you butterflies in your stomach and stops you in your tracks, you're likely risk-averse. Many fundraiser's are. Some people have an immediate and negative reaction to trying new things. And sometimes, their cautious natures are warranted. But often they’re not. So when Seth Godin … [Read more...]
The Changing Landscape of Fundraising: From Major Gifts to Capital Campaigns
If you’re one of my longtime readers, you know that for the past 10 years, I’ve been writing and talking about how to raise major gifts. From my free online Major Gift Fundraising Guide to the Major Gifts Challenge to my online course, Mastering Major Gifts, I’ve focused my career on helping you raise major gifts. So what comes … [Read more...]
Thinking Beyond Cash: How to Ask for Blended Gifts
Major gift fundraising is about helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals. Of course, it’s about achieving your mission, too. But it’s important to remember the purpose from the prospective of your donor. And many donors would like to do more for your mission than they think they can -- which would, of course, benefit your … [Read more...]
Rethinking Capital Campaigns: A New Way to Lead a Successful Campaign
Capital campaign fundraising is on the brink of an irrevocable and irreversible change. This move is making high-quality, professional expertise available at a fraction the cost. This change is taking place across a number of sectors. Whether legal, medical, accounting, or even capital campaigns, expertise is no longer held by a select … [Read more...]
Foolproof Way to Make a Compelling Case that Keeps Your Donors Giving
One of the challenges you may face when attempting to raise major gifts is struggling to “convince” donors to give. In reality, you shouldn’t have to convince them at all... they should want to give! So how can you create a compelling case for support? You do so by writing a compelling case for support, which focuses on benefits, not … [Read more...]
5 Highly Recommended Books for Nonprofits: End of Summer Reading List
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! I generally read two books at a time, sometimes three. Almost always one on fundraising, another on being a better consultant, trainer, or speaker, and sometimes a novel, just for fun. The … [Read more...]
