How to turn your fundraising event attendees into supportive donors
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…
How to create a quick and easy fundraising plan to help you reach your goals
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 your direct mail appeal letter typesetting can help your letter raise more money
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. …
How you can find prospective donors for even your small nonprofit
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…
How a gift range chart can help you raise more money even in your small nonprofit
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…
How to run a successful Mother’s Day fundraising campaign
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…
What’s next after your capital campaign feasibility study?
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…
More than just a monetary number – the capital campaign feasibility study
There are quite a number of groups seeking to test the feasibility of a possible capital campaign.
And, so naturally being a consulting firm catering to small fundraising shops, I tend to get asked to talk about these, and I am currently in…
The revolving fundraising door at our organisations
What is going on out there?
For the past year, I have watched development jobs come and go on the job boards.
I lamented that folks like myself with over 20 years of experience, certifications, and education were getting passed up for the…
Oh, the woes of a nonprofit fundraising database!
So, let's talk database.
What? That seems like something so mundane. Well, it may be, but it is so critical to fundraising.
Throughout my professional career, I have been victim to bad databases, and I have been asked to work with bad databases.
One…
New “DCS” interim development services
Development Consulting Solutions is announcing NEW interim and project-based service offerings:
Who is DCS?
There are limited Certified Fund-Raising Executives (CFRE) providing outsourced fund development services and serving as interim…
Is it time to go public with our campaign? Maybe, maybe not!
When to go public?
A question that I am asked a bit. When can our capital campaign go public? When can we put a thermometer out on our lawn? When can we start to ask our constituents and the general community? When can we have a special event…
