Giving USA is the most widely anticipated and recognized report on the “state of our sector.” It’s the State of the Union for philanthropy, if you will. And the latest data from Giving USA is good news! For now... Below is a summary of what's in this video -- not an exact transcript. But you'll get the gist whether you decide to read, … [Read more...]
10 Questions to Ask Donors BEFORE Asking for a Gift
You understand fundraising is about relationships. But building relationships with donors is easier said than done. One reason building relationships is challenging is that it's often difficult to get meetings with prospective donors. And you do need to meet with donors to learn about them and build the relationship. Another reason … [Read more...]
3 Brilliant Ways to Stay on Track with Major Gift Fundraising
Earlier this week I spoke at BloomCon, Bloomerang’s annual conference. I focused much of my talk on how to stay on track with raising major gifts -- perhaps the most critical thing you must do. Staying on track with raising major gifts is hard. It’s not your fault that you have 100 deadlines coming at you, ten “top” priorities pulling you … [Read more...]
Let’s Get Personal – Getting to Know Your Donor BEFORE Asking for a Major Gift
Major Gifts are a personal affair. They’re not just responses to general appeals, special programs or online campaigns. Donors make major gifts because they feel passionate about a cause or organization ... AND they generally have a personal connection to that cause: They have a family member with cancer They grew up loving the great … [Read more...]
10 Shocking Reasons Why Your Board Members Aren’t Giving Bigger Gifts
That’s right, you’ll be shocked to hear why you’re not getting larger donations for your cause. There’s a great board exercise in the book Train Your Board and Everyone Else to Raise Money by Andrea Kihlstedt and Andy Robinson called How High Will You Go? The exercise gets board members to think about their own giving, as well as the … [Read more...]
Get Your Board on Board with Fundraising: Part 1 – Alleviate Fear
I’m on the road this month, speaking at conference after conference. And I find that I’m being asked, more and more, to speak about boards and fundraising. The absolute first step to get board members to help with fundraising is to alleviate fear. Alleviate Your Board's Fear of Fundraising Fundraising can seem scary. It’s not … [Read more...]
4 Risks You Can Take that Consistently Reap Rewards for Your Nonprofit
Risk is part of life. Unless you stay at home hiding under the couch, your life consists of one calculated risk after another. Risk is often more a perception than a reality. There are many people who are afraid of flying. Yet, you take a greater risk to your life driving on the NJ Turnpike than you do flying, and the risk isn’t even … [Read more...]
Myths and Misconceptions about Major Gifts: Interview with Gail Perry
Gail Perry and I met over a decade ago when I saw her present at an AFP conference. Like me, Gail is an expert in the areas of major gifts, capital campaigns (see the interview!) and board members. Visit her website for excellent tips on those topics. It’s always fun to chat with her and learn from her. Interview Highlights As … [Read more...]
Optimism: An Essential Skill for Successful Fundraising
Every day there are hundreds of opportunities to be optimistic or pessimistic ... to see the glass half full or half empty. If you are aware of your attitude and general demeanor, you can train yourself to be more optimistic than you are now, and it can really help your fundraising results. Is the Glass Half-Empty or … [Read more...]
Question: Should You Ask for a Gift on a First Visit with a Donor?
One of the questions I'm repeatedly asked is: Can I Ask for a Major Gift on the First Visit? This reminds of when I was a child and I would ask for something -- and my father would quickly correct my grammar -- you CAN, but you MAY NOT. As a child, I would sometimes ask something like, “Can I have a pet snake?” His immediate response … [Read more...]
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