Let's cut to the chase -- if you want to raise major gifts successfully, you need the right combination of five components: knowledge strategy persistence optimism courage That's it. I've just let you in on the "secret formula" -- and it probably seems pretty straightforward, right? 5 Key Components to Raising Major Gifts … [Read more...]
Year-End Giving is a Sham: A Better Way to Raise Money
Okay, maybe calling year-end giving a sham is a bit extreme. But there *IS* a better way... Most nonprofit leaders rely heavily on year-end fundraising because the holiday appeal letter and/or email brings in 30%, 40%, or 50% or more of the annual fundraising revenue. That’s a whole lot of eggs in one basket, metaphorically speaking. It … [Read more...]
3 Efficiency Hacks for Stewarding Donors in Record Time
Stewardship is the critical, final step in the fundraising process. Stewardship is everything that happens after a gift is made -- most notably thanking a donor and letting them know how their gift was used. When done well, stewardship leads to donor retention and increased gift amounts. When donors feel great about the gift they made, they … [Read more...]
Why You Should Never Raise Major Gifts Alone
Fundraising is a team sport. You may have heard that expression before. And when it comes to major gift fundraising, that’s absolutely true. The more people on your team, the better you are likely to do. Conversely, if you are expected to raise money on your own, it will be harder to do by yourself than if you have the support and … [Read more...]
Asking Made Easy: The 1-2-3 Approach to Soliciting a Gift
Asking for a gift for your nonprofit is easier than you might think. The real challenging part is pushing past your fear of asking. Once you’ve decided to ask, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Getting Over Your Fear of Asking for a Gift Getting past the fear of asking is probably the hardest part of all. So let's take a little time to … [Read more...]
2022 Fundraising Pep Talk: You CAN Raise Major Gifts! (In Just 6 Steps)
Two months into the new year, two years into the Pandemic, twenty-two years into the century, and let me guess -- you’re still not raising major gifts the way you’d hoped. Something’s got to give. Something’s got to change. No more excuses. There’s no time to waste. THIS will be the year you raise major gifts. First, Face Facts... … [Read more...]
3 Surefire Ways to Alienate Your Donors on Valentine’s Day
This week, you’re going to be bombarded with ways to show #DonorLove. Much of the advice you get will be standard and sound. Some will be cheesy and tacky. Hopefully some ideas will be original and inspirational. It’s up to you to determine which is which. I suggest doing things that will make you stand out (in a good way) with your donors. … [Read more...]
Top 10 Reasons You WON’T Raise Major Gifts in 2022
After teaching fundraising for more than a decade, I have a pretty good idea of who will raise major gifts and who won’t. There are familiar patterns I've learned to recognize -- markers of success, and markers of failure. Some of these patterns are obvious; others, not so much. I've done a number of posts over the years on what it … [Read more...]
Year-End Inspiration Grab Bag for Major Gift Fundraisers
One of my many Covid-era projects included cleaning out my office. In the process, I’ve come across lots of notebooks and post-its -- little nuggets of inspiration and wisdom -- from the past decade. In an effort to help you start off the New Year on a high note, I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you. So grab a sharpie and jot a … [Read more...]
Ditch Black Friday and Cyber Monday for #GivingTuesday
I have an interesting thought experiment for you… Imagine a world in which Time Square is plastered with the logos of nonprofit organizations as opposed to corporate brands. Where the ads between your favorite programs promote causes rather than products. Where the holiday season is a time to give to charities instead of buying the latest … [Read more...]
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