For many years the nonprofit sector has been battling the “overhead myth”. The overhead myth is the idea that overhead costs (administrative and fundraising) are bad. But the truth is, every organization in both the corporate and philanthropic sectors require overhead (or operating) costs, and they could not function without … [Read more...]
Pre-Campaign Prep: BEFORE You Hire a Consultant with Andrea Kihlstedt
Andrea Kihlstedt is THE go to expert on capital campaigns, and is the co-founder of Capital Campaign Masters. Interview Highlights (Transcript) The text below provides the HIGHLIGHTS ONLY as Andrea and I discuss the "pre-campaign." Be sure to watch the full interview to get all the important details. The First Steps When … [Read more...]
Andrea Kihlstedt on Hiring a Capital Campaign Consultant
Recently, I interviewed my mentor, colleague and friend, Andrea Kihlstedt. Andrea is the co-Founder of Capital Campaign Masters and THE go-to-expert on capital campaigns. She's currently in the process of finishing the 4th edition of her book, Capital Campaigns: Strategies That Work. Interview Highlights (Transcript) Here’s a BRIEF … [Read more...]
How to Recruit Stellar Board Members to Your Important Cause
Solid nonprofit boards filled with engaged, committed superstars, who are also effective in all of their roles -- including fundraising -- don't “just happen.” In actuality, finding (and keeping) the right people is the process of answering one simple question: “What's in it for me?” After all, I don't need to tell you how busy your … [Read more...]
Roles and Responsibilities of Constructive Nonprofit Board Members
Have you ever felt frustrated with your nonprofit's board members? If so, join the club. As I said in the first post in the Year of the Fundraising Board series, board issues are one of the most common challenges my nonprofit clients face. Before we dive in to the nitty-gritty of crafting a fundraising board, then, it makes sense to take … [Read more...]
The Importance of Goals and ACFRE Certification
We all know that goals are critical in the world of fundraising. Whether you're in your first capital campaign or your umpteenth annual fund drive, setting measurable, achievable (yet lofty) goals is one of the primary keys to success. On Achieving My Own Goals As a fundraising consultant, the same is true for me in a different way. In order … [Read more...]
8 Simple Steps to Create an Outstanding Development Office
Whether it’s your first day on the job at a new organization, or you’ve been at your organization for many years, you’re reading this because you want guidance on how to get your development shop off on the right footing, or significantly improve an existing one. If you fall into the latter category, do not despair! It’s never too late to … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Turn Board Members into Fundraising Fanatics
So what do you do when your board simply won't help with your fundraising efforts? Pull out your hair? Gnash your teeth? Recently I had the opportunity to speak at the Foundation Center in NYC. The topic was How to Engage Board Members with Fundraising. While I shared several methods to engage board members, here are three surefire ways to … [Read more...]
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