Over the next three months nonprofits will raise over 30% of their annual revenue. Some of you might even raise as much as 50% of your budget between now and...
Andrew’s top posts of 2016
As 2016 comes to a close and I look to 2017, I took some time to reflect on this blog. I love helping nonprofit leaders and fundraisers more effectively lead their...
The success of middle and major donor direct response campaigns
I've just reviewed results from three middle/major donor integrated direct response fundraising campaigns that my teams managed for various social service organizations over the last year. The numbers are astonishing!...
Raising major gifts
Today's guest post is from my good friend and colleague, Karen Erren. As a career nonprofit executive and fundraising leader, Karen has spent more than 20 years building, growing, and leading...
Fundraising Myth Busters: Major donors shouldn’t get direct mail
This is a widely believed fundraising myth. It’s one that I personally hear at least monthly – if not weekly. The thinking is that because major donors give more money,...
8 Tips to Kickstart Your Major Gift Efforts
[bctt tweet="Kickstart your major gift efforts by focusing on these eight simple, but often missed steps:"] 1. Write a plan: What are the organization's goals for the year, and what...
Engaging Major Donors in a Campaign Year
Engaging major donors is a critical component to any nonprofit's fundraising success. BUT, it's even more critical in an election year. Why? Think about it this way. Regardless of party...
Instinct vs. Insight
As a fundraiser you'll have a lot of people offer you suggestions on how best to do your job. Well intentioned board members, executive directors, program staffers, volunteers and supporters...
Take major donors out of your mail program at your own risk (Tip #12)
Don't take your major donors out of the direct mail stream. This is one of the worst things you can do for your organization. Typically this happens for one of...
Fundraising Best Practice Series: Volume 8, Cultivating Major Donors
Regardless of everything you're hearing or reading these days, major gift fundraising is where transformational philanthropy happens. Not Twitter and Facebook. If you want to accomplish big goals in your...