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How Small Shops Can Overcome the Challenges of Fundraising Software
Too many nonprofits think that choosing a fundraising software provider is the end of a journey. It's really just the beginning. Using software is essential, but the use you'll get from it is only as...
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Tips & Tricks from the Foundation Side of Grant Seeking
Grant seeking is a distinct form of fundraising - one that can seem like a complete mystery. That's why I asked Diane H. Leonard to share some tips. She's not only written grants, she's successfully...
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One way to avoid a failed capital campaign
Recently, I've been getting a lot of questions about capital campaigns. Some nonprofits are going into them wisely, knowing that they have one-time additional costs to be able to better fulfill their...
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Is your mission statement trying too hard?
Can you recite your nonprofit's mission statement? Does it inspire and energize? Or is is more like a laundry list of tasks? If it sounds like tasks, it's hurting your fundraising. Your nonprofit's...
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One of 2016's top 25 Fundraising Experts
I'm honored to find myself on the list of America's Top 25 Fundraising Experts. It's great to be in the company of people like Jerold Panas, Penelope Burk, Tom Ahern, and Simone Joyaux. You can see...
View Article#FollowUpFriday and piling up fish?
I just sent this out to everyone getting weekly #FollowUpFriday email reminders: It's #FollowUpFriday!It's Follow Up Friday! Over on the http://followupfriday.org/ page, D.C. Dreger quoted a John...
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Giving continues to grow
Fundraising in nonprofits can be an almost thankless task. At the end of each fiscal year, no matter how well you did, you start again at zero. It can feel like funds don't come in as quickly as you or...
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Your fundraising letters helped by zombies
Have you ever struggled with the active voice vs. passive voice in your fundraising letters? It's so easy to slip into the passive voice, thinking it sounds more "objective" or "business-like." But...
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Do you wish you had the time to educate your board?
Do you ever wish you had the time to educate your board on the field of fundraising and what really works? Now you don't have to! Watch this quick video to see why: Learn more about this done for you...
View ArticleIs crowdfunding the right fit for your nonprofit?
I've been fundraising since before Facebook. Even before Google existed! I've seen a lot of fads, tricks, and solid strategies in my time. Two of the most persistent seem to be bake sales and...
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Have you written off someone as a lost cause? #followupfriday
A coaching client just told me a powerful story of following up. For about six months, he was following up with three supporters. Each had made small donations in the past, less then $1,000 each....
View ArticleIs #GivingTuesday worth it?
I've been getting alot of questions about #GivingTuesday. So here are some thoughts and some links to more insights. A few weeks ago, Farra Trompeter and I discussed #GivingTuesday as part of a year...
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A truth about major gift fundraising
Major gift fundraising can be a wonderful experience for donors and for the nonprofit. The results are great - both for donors and for the nonprofits. But an unseemly truth about major gift fundraising...
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Only 6 Nonprofit Storytelling Conference tickets left - #npstoryconf
There are only 6 more tickets left for next week's Nonprofit Storytelling Conference in Chicago. I've personally never seen a conference make this much of a difference to attendees and the...
View ArticleThank You Script for Calls
Research has shown that board members calling donors to do nothing more than say “thank you” for their gift can increase donations by a full 25%! Nonprofits get the best of both worlds. Board members...
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Educating donors is not fundraising
I've been hearing a well-meaning but fundraising killing myth while talking to many groups and training many boards over the last few months. It boils down to: "We need to do more education. If people...
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3 things to do now that #GivingTuesday is over
I've been glad to hear of my clients' #GivingTuesday success. Matching gifts and leveraging peer-to-peer approaches seem to be the most effective reasons for their success. But #GivingTuesday is over,...
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The most important words of your email?
Writing the only part of the email your donors might see: the email subject line Is your inbox filled with holiday sales, year end reminders, and charity appeals? It can be challenging to make your own...
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3 Great Fundraising Webinars to Kick Off 2017!
These three trainings will get your 2017 fundraising and goal setting off to a great start! The 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People & How to Beat Them (free) Join neuropsychologist Dr. Theo...
View ArticleThe missing link in fundraising programs
Whether your fiscal year starts now or is only part of the way through, January is a good time to evaluate your fundraising progress. To help you're planning, here's an email I sent our Fundraising...
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