When organisations create their direct mail appeal letters, the remittance envelope is often an afterthought. Far too many organisations put little thought into how the envelope or reply device should appear and what it should say. Many believe that a generic reply envelope will do just fine for their purposes or others want to “use […]
How to approach your major donors during your calendar year-end campaign 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 […]
Many organisations when seeking to start their first development office do not which way to turn or where to start first. Far too many organisations often start and end with grant writing. They don’t get beyond this particular strategy and never get to the point of having a diversified fundraising function. If done correctly from […]
It is year-end campaign planning time. Far too often I see organisations using a blanket approach with their donor base. With a few minor tweaks in their strategy, they can increase their revenues by a third, sometimes even double. What strategies do I recommend? Well, what I often see is that one of the most overlooked […]
Each year, approximately 10% of your non-profit donor base will attrition naturally through death, moving, or just not giving any longer. Then you add lapsed donors on top of that natural attrition, and you are looking at an eroding donor list. Sound familiar? Well, in previous blog posts, I examined how to begin attracting new donors […]
A lapsed donor is one who has lapsed from giving at least a calendar year. They are the most significant donors to focus your efforts on re-engaging since they have already demonstrated an interest in your organisation. There are several ways to re-engage these lapsed donors. Here are some suggestions that you can implement within […]
It is probably not where you initially think! To begin attracting new donors to your organisation, you first need to step back and determine a strong and compelling case for support. Without a rationale for giving, you won’t be able to attract any new donors to your organisation. Here are the critical components that you […]
They offered you the job, you signed the offer letter, and now you are patiently waiting for your start date. Well, believe it or not, your start time begins before you take the job. This pre-start time is the time that you can start to leverage. In fact, you are sending signals even before you walk in […]
You have just been offered a job as a Director of Development and now what? Well, over the past twenty years, I have had my share of jobs and have started some fundraising offices within nonprofits as part of my consulting practice. As a result, I have gotten pretty good at figuring out what the […]
Often, I get asked, “What is the magic behind a successful fundraising campaign?” Well, it is not all magic. There is some science. And, with over twenty years of experience, I am going to share the top tips that have made it all “seem” like magic so that you can too. I am going to […]
An important part of any fundraising campaign is how you plan on recognizing your donors at different giving levels. While donor recognition opportunities do not motivate all donors, the fact is that some are. And, you need to be prepared to offer this valuable tool to inspire the sights of your donors who are motivated […]
Do you mail a spring or fall direct mail appeal letter and hope for the best? Well, “a wing and a prayer” is not a strategy. A strategy by definition is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim. Here are some simple steps that you can take to follow […]
Now that it is development planning season for many with the start of a new fiscal year looming, I am often asked, where do you start first when putting together your development plan and calendar. Well, for me, I start at the beginning. I tend to look at the key metrics and how past Return […]
Just this week, I was working with a client, and we were discussing Board member engagement in fund development. The assumption was, ho hum, “they just won’t participate.” It was then that I came across a blog article outlining all of the wonderful ways that you can engage your Board in fundraising. You know things […]
Spring is the season of Galas or so it seems. And, rightly so, the weather is turning warmer and everyone’s thoughts seem to be on getting out after a long winter. I am often asked by organisations who are holding galas or other fundraising events, what is the key to turning event attendees into loyal […]
So, maybe you have been operating without a plan up until now. And, that is ok, but it is not strategic, and to meet your goals, you need to have a plan that you follow, monitor, and correct if needed. Here are some simple instructions on how you can quickly create a development plan if you […]
One may think that the content or copy of a direct mail appeal letter is King (or Queen), but studies have found that there is something else as equally or maybe even more important than what the letter says. What is that one thing? Typesetting. And, typesetting does matter when it comes to direct mail […]
One may think that there are only a limited number of donors to go around, but think again. In my work, I assist small to mid-sized organisations in running their first capital campaigns. Many do not have established donor bases to tap into for an already existing pool of major donors. So, I assist. And, […]
One might think that gift range charts are just for large projects such as capital campaigns or for significant fundraising efforts. And, while, yes, there is some truth to that, gift range charts can be used effectively in even the smallest of fundraising shops. A gift range chart will tell you exactly how many gifts […]
At the start of Spring, our thoughts turn to flowers, sunshine, and our Mom’s! And, for many nonprofit organisations, this is a great direct mail theme and just in time for a Spring appeal. So, how can you maximize this appeal to give your donors the best experience? Well, for one, if your organisation has moms […]
As a nonprofit organisation, you are here to meet a mission to your stakeholders. Maybe long ago, or not so long ago, you were founded to assist a particular group or meet a critical need. And, months go by, years go by, and you are still in existence. But, is the need still there? Are […]
So, your consultant has just finished your capital campaign feasibility study. The report is sitting on your desk, and you are wondering, where do I go from here? Here are some possibilities: The report may recommend that the organisation takes some time to prepare its fundraising infrastructure before going into full campaign mode. Preparation may […]
I often get asked from my clients, how many touchpoints do you need to give to a donor at a certain level? And, my answer – it varies. There is some science to the whole matter. In fact, after I conduct a rating and ranking session, I will combine all of the numbers and come […]
Technical skill or personality, which is most important when hiring a new director of development? That is a great question. And, while ideally, both would be great, 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 […]
quick fundraising ideas for nonprofit organisations
and crowdfund campaign to help you raise more money for your favourite cause. Many organisations when seeking to start their first development office do not which way to turn or where to start first. Far too many organisations often start and end with grant writing. They don’t get beyond this particular strategy. Quick Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofit organisations. It is year-end campaign planning time. Far too often I see organisations using a blanket approach with their donor base. With a few minor tweaks in their strategy, they can increase their revenues by a third, sometimes even double. >