Fundraising in the trenches, getting out of your funk!
Feeling listless, stressed, in a funk? Snap out of it!
I have been in the field of fundraising for a long time. And, I know that sometimes (maybe a lot of occasions), development work can be hard and draining, and sometimes you end up in…
Is your fear of asking causing you to make assumptions for your donors?
Let's cut to the chase. I know, and you know that one of the biggest things that stop us from being effective in our fundraising is fear. Good old, heart pumping, nail biting, fear.
Recently, I had a conversation with some folks, and I…
Is scarcity stopping you from asking for a major gift?
Do these phrases sound familiar to you?
"I never have enough money!"
"Money goes out faster than it comes in!"
"Money doesn't grow on trees!"
How often have we heard these phrases growing up? Well, if you were like me, probably a lot. As…
Let’s talk about YOU, not me!
Research has shown that people like to talk about themselves. And, there is a reason why. It stimulates areas of the brain. It makes them physically feel good to talk about themselves – stimulating the same areas in the brain that sex, cocaine,…
What does your body language say about you in fundraising?
Recently, I had some conversations with a former co-worker. Her outlook and atmosphere had changed so dramatically that I had pause and ask, what is different. Well, she set me on the course of all of her "research" on the importance of human…
Ask your donors key questions, and fundraising becomes simple!
Let's get rid of our printed newsletter and just send an e-newsletter.
Our donors don't like personal solicitations.
We are only going to send out one appeal a year because we don't want to send too much mail to our donors.
I hear statements…
Where are all your donors going?
Are you looking at your donor retention rate? It seems like this is old hat in the field, but yet, it is such an important metric to be measuring in your development office. The question is, are you?
It is more expensive and difficult to…
What is your aversion to asking others for money?
I enjoy asking for gifts. I like to connect a donor with a mission and see magic happen. Indeed, when you ask one for a gift, the giver gives.
When I have broached this topic as of late, I see faces cringe and heads nod, "no." The body…
Fundraising audits inside and out
The fundraising audit is a major step in fundraising planning. When you think about planning, you think about where are we, where do we want to be, and how are we going to get there?
The fundraising audit helps you to determine, where are…
Why do good grant applications fail?
Why good grant applications fail.
Yes, every grant you write will not be funded. That is a reality. I know, you and I both wish that they were, but that's not always the case.
According to The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University…
How does your fundraising ROI measure up?
How are you looking at your fundraising rate of return?
It is critical that you develop a variety of ways to measure your performance and report these results to the board.
In doing so, you are ensuring appropriate stewardship of your resources…
Are you stuck in the fundraising dark ages?
With some nonprofits, there seems to be a disconnect. These groups have operated using the same fundraising methods as they did twenty years ago, perhaps with the same leaders leading the organisation.
They fail to look at national giving…
