This is the first installment in a series of 10 posts dedicated to fundraising best practices. Once a week for the next 10 weeks, I'll cover another best practice topic. ...
18 Strategies to Maximize Year-End Giving
Focus on the top 15 – 30 donors who haven’t made a gift yet this year. Get your Executive Director, Board Chair and senior development staff out to meet with...
6 questions that can improve your nonprofit copy.
If you want to write better nonprofit copy (whether for direct mail, newsletters, annual reports, etc.), make sure you're answering these six questions: 1. Does my copy speak to the...
Six Ways to Engage the Entrepreneurial Donor
Every major donor is different. Your cultivation process should be tailored to meet the specific needs and expectations of each donor. And remember, beyond the need for customized cultivation strategies,...
5 Steps to Major Gift Success
I can't believe we're nearly halfway through 2011. Where the heck did the first half of the year go!?! Approaching the month of June means you've got just about six...
Understanding Fundraising Costs
Understanding your fundraising cost structure is important. Very important. It lets you know how much you can invest to acquire a donor, and what you can spend to cultivate that...
6 Tips to Improve Your Online Donor Experience (and Results)
1. Understand the purpose of your site Sure, you want to build awareness, share information, and educate the public about your organization and your cause. I get it. That's what...
What do Unicorns, Loch Ness and Big Foot have to do with your fundraising?
So what exactly do Unicorns, Loch Ness and Big Foot have to do with your fundraising, huh? The answer? Well, they're just as mythical as the following 6 assumptions you and...
Are you soliciting minor gifts from MAJOR donors?
One key way to maximize Long-Term Donor Value in your direct response program is to ensure that each time you make an ask, you're asking every donor for the most...
I’ve got a good excuse for not writing. I swear.
I can't believe it has been 69 days since I last blogged. That's HORRIBLE. It's not that I haven't had anything to say. It's just that I haven't had time...