Although many fundraisers understand “academically” that building relationships with donors is key to raising funds, I’ve found that many don’t really know what cultivation really means or how to go about it. This week, I’m speaking to a group of fundraisers in Texas. My keynote is on how to get started raising major gifts. But before … [Read more...]
Holiday Donor Gifts that Keep on Giving – Without Costing a Thing
November is all about gratitude. Every year we learn more and more about how gratitude impacts giving. One of the main reasons that donors give (consciously or otherwise) is to feel good. When we (as nonprofit staff and board members) express genuine gratitude to our donors, they feel good about giving and are more likely to give … [Read more...]
5 Practical Steps to Raising Major Gifts in Time for Year-End
The summer has flown by and the kids are back to school. It’s now time to think about your year-end fundraising. Statistics show that most organizations will raise up to 60% or more of their total fundraising in the last few months of the year, so the fall is always a very critical time of year. Although raising major gifts is a lengthy … [Read more...]
Getting Real with Major Gifts: Interview with Jamie Roseman of Planned Parenthood
For more than a year, I have been blogging about how to raise major gifts. I thought it would be interesting to team up with some of my colleagues in the field to share some of their expertise on the subject. Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Jamie Roseman, at Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood … [Read more...]
Exactly How and Why to Use a Pre-Call Letter with a Donor
A pre-call letter is a letter (or email) you send to a donor to let them know you will be calling, so hopefully, they are more receptive to your call. Tim asked what I thought of pre-call letters, and how much detail they should have. He also wanted to know if you should really let prospective donors know why you’re calling, or if you … [Read more...]
Getting Real with Major Gifts: Interview with Keith Rhodes of BBBS
For more than a year, I have been blogging about how to raise major gifts. I thought it would be interesting to team up with some of my colleagues in the field to share some of their expertise on the subject. Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Keith Rhodes, the new Senior VP of Major Gifts for Big Brothers Big Sisters of … [Read more...]
How to Determine The Right Ask Amount When Asking Donors for Gifts
Our question this week is from Sarah, who wants to know: How do you determine the right ask amount? This is a great question, and one that many people struggle with. Unfortunately, there's no exact formula. Fundraising is about working with people, which makes it part science and part art -- but there are some general guidelines … [Read more...]
How to Get a Donor to Meet with You for the First Time
Have you ever tried to get a donor to meet with you in person? Did you succeed? Was it challenging? This is a question I get asked all the time: How do I get a donor to meet with me for the first time? If you're wondering how to get a donor to meet with you for the first time, I want you to ask yourself, “What is the goal for … [Read more...]
How to Get New “First-Time” Individual Donors for Your Nonprofit
Fundraising is all about relationships -- but what do you do if your organization is so new, or so grant-focused, that you don't have any relationships with individuals who might become donors? In other words, today's question is: How do you get individual donors for the first time? Fortunately, the answer for how to get … [Read more...]
Getting a Major Gift: Moving From Cultivation to the Ask
If you’ve been following the Major Gifts Challenge, we’re getting closer and closer to asking for a gift. And if you haven't been following along, it's never too late to start! Let’s take another quick look at the four stages of the fundraising cycle. 1. Identification Congratulations! You’ve already identified your top prospective … [Read more...]
