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Are your donors missing the picture?
When you send an email, are your donors missing the picture? Seriously. Many may not have images automatically open. So all you get it a weird blank space. And possibly some words. Those words are the...
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[Guest Post] Using your data to build real relationships
Today's guest post is from Neon One's Tim Sarrantonio. He's a fundraiser, a database whiz, and regular conference speaker. A more complete bio comes after this article. You can see his most recent...
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Why you should come to the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference? Alumni tell you.
Wondering why you should come to this year's Nonprofit Storytelling Conference? I could share why I think you should. It's an event like none I've ever been able to be part of. But as a co-producer of...
View ArticleGiving headlines should grab your attention, but not for the reasons you think
Private coaching clients have been emailing me the doom and gloom articles on the latest Giving USA report. Giving was up about $3 billion but when adjusted for inflation, giving was down in 2018. This...
View ArticleWhat Nonprofit leaders need to know about the brain
Nonprofit work is stressful. So often we go about our work without realizing the effects of that ongoing stress on our brains. But Jessica Sharp does. The founder of Sharp Brain Consulting, Jessica...
View Article3 steps for less stress in fundraising for the next six months
Do you feel it? The airports and highways are filled with last minute vacation seekers. Back to school supplies are flying off shelves. The school buses are doing practice runs. It's almost the fall....
View ArticleHow to effectively interact with donors
So many fundraising problems can be solved by interacting with donors. Getting to know them. Asking about their interests. Learning their stories. I call it "seeing donors in their natural habitat."...
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Fundraising with an eye to the future
In nonprofit fundraising, the constant pressure to raise more with fewer resources can be so all consuming that we forget to step back and look at future trends. To help us break out of that, we...
View ArticleBe strategic and curious - not a jerk
Did you read the "Outspoken Donor" article in a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy? I didn't like it very much. But some of the donor's experiences with fundraisers are chilling. For example, she says:...
View Article[Guest Post] The Recipe for Nonprofit Committee Failure
Today's guest post is from Kim Donahue. Kim is the resident governance expert at Boardable. In a fun tongue-in-cheek tone, she shares a perfect formula for making sure your board committees don't work!...
View ArticleImpact Storytelling - translating data to action
Today I was honored to give a webinar with CiviCore on data and impactful stories. I shared one researcher's experience with stumbling on to a form of a story. Then look at studies about using...
View ArticleGet over your discomfort and politely ask for money
I recently tweeted "your discomfort with asking is getting in the way of a donor's joy in giving. So get out of the way!" (Click here to tweet that.) Since then, I've been getting a lot of questions...
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A surprising way to better fundraising
Improving fundraising is a never-ending quest for nonprofit leaders. But recent research shows a startling discovery on how to make your fundraising better. In "The Wake Up Call," researchers Dr....
View ArticleBook review - 10 Simple Fundraising Lessons
One of the joys of being a speaker and executive coach is that people send me their books. I have such a long reading list, that I usually take a l-o-n-g time reading the ones that are sent to me. I'm...
View Article[Guest Post] Expanding Your Money Mindset
Changing the way you think about money is a vital key to becoming successful at fundraising. In this guest post, Andrea Waltz points out an important area for us to address. Andrea is the author of "Go...
View ArticleCreate a system for expressing gratitude
Do you have a system for expressing gratitude? For telling your nonprofit's donors how grateful you are for their support? In my weekly coaching email, Fundraising Kick, we've been looking at systems...
View ArticleFundraising in an age of coronavirus (Covid-19)
If you’re one of my private coaching clients, you’ve already heard me ask: what preparations are you making for the possibility that your fundraising event might be canceled due to the coronavirus (now...
View ArticleLeadership tensions in fundraising
Leaders are an amazing group. They regularly tackle issues no one else is willing to. And, in the midst of being pulled apart by multiple interest groups, they figure out which priorities to focus on....
View ArticleAvoid the 3 Biggest Mistakes of Fundraising in a Recession
The media is full of stories about how this Covid-19 coronavirus is impacting the economy. Gatherings are getting canceled. People are self-quarantining. And donors who are freaking out watching their...
View Article12 tips for fundraising during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
With more and more countries, states, and cities enforcing at-home isolation and the financial markets falling, fundraising is definitely harder. But of the worst things I kept hearing from clients was...
View ArticleShifting focus in crowdfunding
This week, international crowdfunding expert Anita Gallagher came to The Nonprofit Academy to teach us the latest trends on successful crowdfunding. The shift in messaging may surprise you. Appealing...
View Article3 ways for board members to fundraise even when stuck at home
The pandemic continues to change the way we've always done things. What if you're a board member who's stuck at home? How can you support your nonprofit's fundraising? 3 Ways to Help Your Nonprofit...
View ArticleDonor generosity is astounding
When we entered the pandemic lockdown here in the United States, nonprofits were rightly concerned about potentially plummeting donations. Those of us who'd been in fundraising through disasters and...
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[Guest Post] 6 Lessons Learned by Attending Virtual Fundraising Events
On a recent call, I heard a concept that really impressed me. Amanda Herlihy is the Director of Development South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities Foundation. She knew that she...
View ArticleA different look at "Deadlines drive donations"
Today is the start of the last week of the fiscal year for many nonprofits. And one thing we know about fundraising: deadlines drive donations. Year after year, we've seen even arbitrary deadlines like...
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What is a major gift fundraiser to do with all this free time?
For decades, we've known that face-to-face meetings were the best way to raise major gifts. Talking directly to people. Taking them on a tour of the project. Being in the same space as the donors....
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[Guest Post] 10 Tips for Creating a Highly Effective Planned Giving Appeal
Today's guest post is from the "Planned Giving evangelist," Tony Martignetti. Tony is the host of Nonprofit Radio and the creator of the Planned Giving Accelerator. Both as frontline fundraiser and as...
View ArticleHow NOT to write a fundraising letter
Have you ever written a fundraising letter? A fundraising letter you felt really proud about? One that presented your nonprofit in an amazing light. That showed how good you were working in your cause....
View ArticleLeadership and Fundraising in a Pandemic
This week, I was honored to be the guest on Eliz Greene and Thom Singer's show, The Webinar Talk Show. We talked about leadership, fundraising, events, and sales in a pandemic. I loved Eliz's story...
View ArticleAsking is (almost) more about listening
In the last few weeks, I’ve had interesting conversations with people about asking. CEOs who think that asking is a “schpeal” – a precise formula of words that will get the prospect to give generously....
View ArticleThanking donors is NOT an activity report
Fundraising is filled with things that seem to make sense, but don't. One of those areas is when it comes to thanking donors. When we thank donors, we think we need to prove to them that we did great...
View Article3 Things to do Now to Successfully Finish Year-end Fundraising
There is so much information on year-end fundraising out there right now. And, let's face it, so many of us are tired. Ready to stop. But if you run a nonprofit or run nonprofit fundraising, this is...
View ArticleDoubt in fundraising isn't surprising - it just might be a gift
There are a number of misconceptions about what being a successful nonprofit leader and fundraiser looks like. One of the most common is that the leader needs to be 100% confident. Completely sure...
View ArticleWe're not selling t-shirts
Fundraising isn't just about raising money one time. If it were, we could sell t-shirts. Fundraising is about connecting values - the values of donors with the values of your cause. Sure, there are...
View Article4 specific tips for each stage of the ask
When it comes down to it, successful fundraising is about successfully executing the basics. When you want to raise money for something, be sure to do these fundraising basics: Research Remember, run...
View Article3 problems with the major gift as carrot analogy
Have you ever been about to ask for a major gift only to be warned about the carrot in the garden? It goes something like this: "Sure, you could ask them now. But it might be better to wait. You see,...
View ArticleGoing beyond a no in your nonprofit fundraising ask
I recently heard author Andrea Waltz remind fundraisers to "go for no!" (That's the name of her book too.) It's a reminder that too often we give up before the donor has really made a decision....
View ArticleShould I ask my friends?
One of the scariest things about fundraising is the fear that you'll ruin relationships. One of the most common questions I get as a fundraising coach is "Should I send this appeal to people I hangout...
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A nonprofit fundraising plan that adjusts with the time
Today's guest post is from T. Clay Buck, Founder & Principal of TCBFundraising. A Master Trainer, Clay also teaches at the University of Nevada. He's been on all sides of a nonprofit - running the...
View ArticleFire that donor!
Money does weird things to us, doesn't it? A lack of money leads nonprofits to a growing desperation. A feeling they "need" every donor. Anyone who'll give them money. Including bullies. But sometimes,...
View ArticleFundraising Kick: Don't Grow Weary
This issue of the weekly Fundraising Kick seems to have come at the perfect time for subscribers. So I'm sharing it here as well. Fundraising Kick coaching emails are written for busy nonprofit CEOs...
View ArticleThe biggest mistake with major gift asks
One of the biggest mistakes I see with major gift solicitations is incredibly easy to fix. If you've ever made an appointment for a major gift ask, you've probably felt the stress of "getting it...
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4 Fundraising Tips for your Nonprofit from Jerry Panas
Facebook used this picture to remind me that twelve years ago, I was with Jerry Panas at a fundraising training at the University of Southern Maine. What struck me about the picture is the pad of paper...
View ArticleFundraising in Uncertain Times
Last week, I blogged about leading in uncertain times. It's gotten the most feedback of any blog post this year. As I've been thinking about it, the three things that help leading through uncertain...
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Fundraising is leading - from within
I've said for years that fundraising is all about leadership. And we all have leadership opportunities, even if we don't have leadership titles. One of the best ways to grow in our ability to lead is...
View ArticleThe 2 things to avoid in year end fundraising
With 4 weeks left in the calendar year, staying focused is more important than ever. Rather than feeling like you're living out a well planned fundraising year, these last four weeks can often feel...
View ArticleJust ask!
I've been doing LOTS of trainings in the last few months. And getting a lot of the same types of questions. They generally sound like: "How do I know when a right time to ask so-and-so?" "How do I know...
View ArticleHow much time should a nonprofit CEO spend on fundraising?
Every Monday, I send out a fundraising email for nonprofit Executive Directors and CEOs. Last week, I dealt with a question I get alot: how much of a nonprofit CEO's time should be given to...
View ArticleWhy high-achievers find fundraising hard
As a leadership coach, I work with a lot of high-achievers. People who’ve experienced success enough times to be promoted to the head of a team, a department, or even the head the organization. One of...
View ArticleYou don’t need to be in crisis!
Last week, I heard board members make a classic blunder. They were worried that they couldn’t fundraise any more. Why? Because they weren’t in a crisis. They had good reserves and the finances were...
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