Let me share a story with you… A few years back when I first started consulting, I provided organisations like yourself with strategic fund development audits and assessments and then crafted finely honed plans. What I thought were roadmaps to launching an organisation’s successful fundraising program, were not. Why? When I asked my then clients, […]
Not satisfied with where you are currently in your field? Feeling like you have lost your “Mojo?” I know the feeling, I have “been there done that” as they say. What often happens next, is that we begin to apply for job after job with the hopes of landing the next thing that will save […]
Now that it is January, you may think that it is time to relax a bit after that hectic holiday season. However, now is the time to ensure that you have strong follow-up to your calendar year-end appeal. If you have closed out one fundraising year completely by doing the needed follow-up, you have established a […]
Now that December is here, I have been running many lists and queries and during those list pulls, I have noted inconsistent data in databases that have caused numerous complications during one of the busiest times of the year. As a result, I thought it important to run this blog article again to serve as […]
Fundraising volunteers are critical to our success as they are the “ambassadors” of our fundraising efforts. I often get asked, what is the best way of recruiting them to join in fundraising efforts? And, while I believe that, in some cases, if you put it out there they will come, sometimes you need to be a […]
Annual campaigns can be run just like capital campaigns. Yes, you heard it right. Far too often, I see an annual campaign as only a single, direct mail campaign. However, you can apply the same campaign structure to annual campaigns as you would capital campaigns and other major gift campaigns. Below, I outline steps that you can replicate […]
Have you ever wondered how you can land that next fundraising job? While networks are important, a branded resume will really make you stand out and land that next position. Below are steps that you can take to begin to brand yourself as a successful development director and land that next career move! Develop a […]
When organisations start to segment their calendar year-end appeal letters, they often start off with segmenting out active donors and non-active donors. Far too many organisations don’t think of segmenting out their major donors for more direct solicitations. Many believe that a blanket mailing to active and non-active donors will suffice. Well, think again! You may use your […]
Now that your calendar year-end appeal has gone out in the mail, what is left to do? Well, if you take the “sit back and wait” approach you will be missing out for your organisation. Here are some follow-up steps that you may want to consider taking to maximize your appeal effectiveness. Send out a […]
Often, groups wonder, on what should I focus most throughout my annual fund? Over the years, I have determined the most critical factors for ensuring that a development program is not only healthy but thriving. The health of a development program is determined by: Growth in revenues An organisation should always be keeping its eye on […]
Often, we get so caught up with the small event details at special events that we forget to think long-term. Just this week at a conference that I spoke at, I was asked, “How do I collect all the names of people who are attending my special event?” While the group had many suggestions, I recommended […]
While wealth screening is an essential tool for fundraisers of today, I still hold true to augmenting a screening with the old “tried and true” Prospect Rating and Ranking Session. What is a Rating and Ranking Session and how would you hold one? Rating and Ranking Sessions were commonly held to prioritize donor lists after doing […]
Quite plainly, one thing that is known for sure is that donors appreciate the fact that you get their name spelled correctly, especially when you are thanking them for past giving. When it comes time to thank them in your Annual Report or Impact Report, as I prefer to call it, how do you best do […]
When you have been presented with a fundraising goal, the best next step is to determine the feasibility of that goal. One of the most challenging tasks is setting out to accomplish a fundraising goal without knowing whether or not you have the capacity to meet it. Doing so without adequate research can even be disastrous, especially in […]
Engage your Board in your calendar year-end fundraising campaign When running your next year-end campaign, it is essential that your Board sends a loud, clear message to its constituents that it supports the organisation’s mission. The Board is often the least likely group of constituents that is singled out for focused attention and solicitation within year-end […]
Often, executive directors wonder, “what should I be looking for in a development candidate.” And, my answer is, it depends. Development directors last an average of 16 months in their positions, it behooves management to do their diligence before they even hire a chief fundraiser. Where does one even begin? Well, it starts even before you get […]
Ever wonder the best way to approach your foundation research? Not sure where to begin or what tools to use? Don’t want to have to do research over and over again each year? Do you have changing priorities that need constant research? Create an “evergreen” grants management system. Here is the approach that I recommend […]
Ever wonder as to what is the best course to take with your fundraising strategy? Let’s say that you have been given a challenge match by a donor or you have a fundraising goal that the Board has given to you to raise. The question becomes not how can you meet that goal but whether or not you can […]
It is very tempting to take some time off between fundraising jobs to just rest and relax. Fundraising is difficult and demanding work, and there is a need for a recharge. However, this is exactly the time that you should be planning for your next position. Below I share ways that you can use your pre-start […]
Technical skill or personality, which is most important when hiring a new Director of Development? That is a great question. And, while both would be ideal, that is not always a guarantee. So, what do you look for in this case? While just about anyone can have the skill set of a fundraiser, not everyone […]
Sometimes I work with organisations that have endowments. And, these endowments scare these organisations as they consider fundraising. They wonder if having an endowment, some of them significant in amounts, will deter donors and others (e.g., foundations) from making gifts to them. While that may be the case for some, it doesn’t always need to be a deterrent. In fact, […]
The “warm body” approach to selecting committee members, always fails the diversity and strength test. Far too often, organisations will accept those interested persons without first determining who and what they need to best serve the purpose and expectations of their given committee membership. To build an influential committee, one must be strategic in who they […]
Development and Finance both report financial numbers to the Board of Directors, but sometimes the numbers reported don’t add up. Questioning Board members wonder, “Whose numbers are correct?” While embarrassing at times, it may just be that neither one is wrong. There are a few things that you need to undertake from a development perspective that […]
Developing relationship building strategies for your donor prospects So, you have the start of a donor portfolio. You have run all the lists, sorted them, and then ranked them. And now, you have your top two hundred donors. Do you start by making contact, perhaps sending a pre-call letter or even making a telephone call? What are the next […]
