Fundraising maven Pamela Grow has presented her followers with a daring challenge: for one whole year, cease donor acquisition activities. “What if you made 2013 the year of the individual donor and got off the acquisition treadmill, once and for all?” she asks. (Read more here.) I get her point, despite my aversion to either/or [...]
Two century-old fundraising wisdom from the second Mrs. Judson
May 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Donor-centered fundraising has never been as important as it is now. Or so goes the buzz among development gurus. I’ve said as much myself – first in Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as Ministry and then again (and again and again) in my interaction with clients. When it comes to nurturing loyal giving, nothing beats [...]
Data even donors can love
May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Previously I referenced research that claims donors aren’t much impressed by outcomes data. It’s heart-warming stories givers want, we’re told, not bone-dry facts. But not all data points are tedious. Some are as interesting and as encouraging to the folks writing checks as the best told tale. Consider, for example, findings from a recent study [...]
Symbiotic mutualism and growing givers’ hearts
April 29, 2013 By 3 Comments
When fundraising is treated as ministry, organizational leaders don’t worry about the proliferation of good causes to which people can give their time, talent, and treasure. In Kingdom company, there’s no hint of a competitive spirit. In fact, the fast growing community of organizations operating under the banner of Christ is heralded as a benefit. [...]
4 tips for minimizing risk when selecting a donor management system
April 24, 2013 By 1 Comment
Infrastructure. For most folks, the topic is about as exciting as underwear. No one wants to talk about infrastructure, let alone pay for it. But ignore infrastructure, and you doom your best laid plans for fundraising success to failure. Topping the list of infrastructure essentials – just after budget and staff – is your donor [...]
Tips for perfecting your thank you
April 15, 2013 By 2 Comments
Recent days have brought a flurry of articles through my in-box that praise the power of a simple thank you. An appreciative word is good for business, we’re told. “Thank you” leads to reciprocal generosity. It’s a tough cookie who’s immune to the motivating effects of acknowledgement and thanks, researchers report. The take-away for fundraisers? [...]
Avoid the trap of “maybe gifts” and mission drift
April 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
I heard it again on my last trip out — a proposal to expand an organization’s mission packaged as a development strategy. “By launching X, we’ll open the organization to a whole new group of donors,” the executive director said with more conviction than evidence. Never mind that the organization’s strategic plan included nary a [...]
7 deadly sins of grant seekers
April 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
For the faith-based nonprofits with which I work – and in fact, for the majority of small to mid-size 501(c) 3s – foundation-funded grants are a tiny fraction of total gift income. Yet invariably, “write more proposals” is the first suggestion from organizational leaders when money is tight. I spend a lot of time talking [...]
How to get what you expect (and more) from your fundraising program
March 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Rule 1 for nonprofit CEOs with visions of big gifts dancing in their heads: “Beware shopping for a development director when you are hungry—that is, when your organization is in desperate financial condition.” Rule 2 is like unto the first: “The notion that even a great development director can single-handedly pull an organization out of [...]
