Last week, my partner at Capital Campaign Pro, Andrea Kihlstedt, and I went to Maine on a planning retreat. We walked, thought, and talked our way to a breakthrough. The change of scenery and change of pace got us out of our “heads” and out of our routine, and therefore allowed the ideas to flow. Sometimes sitting at your desk can be … [Read more...]
Simple Stress Relief for Busy Development Directors
Have you ever been so stressed that you can’t get any work done? It’s a refrain I hear from development directors all the time. It’s like overload paralysis. The more work you have, the less you get done. I know how that feels. This week is especially busy. A few years back when I originally wrote on this topic, I found myself pacing in … [Read more...]
6 Essential Tools and Technology for EVERY Nonprofit Fundraiser
In the 21st Century, there’s no getting around the essential nature of technology. When it comes to using the latest technology, where do you and your nonprofit fit? Ask yourself the following questions: Do you sleep outside the Apple store the night before a new phone drops? If so, then you're an early adopter. Do you simply have to … [Read more...]
The 9 Most Important Issues Facing Fundraisers Today [2023]
![The 9 Most Important Issues Facing Fundraisers Today [2023]](https://www.amyeisenstein.com/wpsys/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/9-most-important-fundraising-issues-2023-150x150.jpg)
As a nonprofit fundraiser, it can be challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of fundraising and donor engagement. Not to mention the exponential growth in technology and rapid developments in data management. Add to that the fact that most development shops are under-resourced and understaffed, and you don’t exactly have a … [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...]
8 Ways to Destress and Put the FUN Back in FUNdraising
You may not think of fundraising as fun, but there are small things you can do to make your fundraising responsibilities (and everyday life) more fun. And having fun really is important. Did you know...? Medical professionals universally agree -- having fun provides some of the best stress relief you can get. In our American … [Read more...]
The Zen Approach to Modern Fundraising: 11 Paths to Serenity
Fundraising can be stressful. But it doesn’t have to be... Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty. When we use the word today in western culture, we're generally describing then notion of peace and tranquility with the mind and spirit. Yet, peace and tranquility rarely define the life of a … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance While Working for a Nonprofit
This year has taught many of us that we can work from anywhere (including our homes). But that doesn’t mean -- and shouldn’t mean -- we always have to work. COVID Changed Everything Pre-pandemic, many development directors felt they were always working. But since they didn’t “work from home” (as much) there was likely more of a separation … [Read more...]
Raise More Money: Highly Recommended Tools and Services for 2021
Every year, I invest in at least one new service, program, or technology to make my life easier or more effective (preferably both). Last week, I asked everyone who receives my weekly newsletter for suggestions about your favorites. Top Recommended Tools and Services for 2021 Keep in mind -- most of these are not personal endorsements. I … [Read more...]
Should Fundraisers Work Christmas Week? What Do You Think?
Historically, nonprofit organizations have raised the majority (more than half) of their fundraising income in the last six weeks of the year, with a large portion of that income arriving during the last week of the year. Not only that, but it’s not unheard of for donors to show up at a nonprofit organization, stock certificate in hand, on … [Read more...]
