As a follow-up to last week’s post in which we offered some general advice from “real world” funders on how nonprofits should operate, this week we’d like to share with you some red flags that funders see when it comes to requests. The following are a list of no-no’s when it comes to putting together… Read more »
The Right Approach to Board Solicitation
Recently, we’ve had a lot of people ask about the best way to solicit leadership gifts from board members. As with any major gift solicitation (because that’s what you’re aiming for, right?), it’s always best to make an in-person ask. Having a board member solicit another board member in-person, is hands-down the most effective way… Read more »
Rethinking Your Annual Giving Approach
Last week Wendy and I attended an interesting presentation on annual giving at our Hampton Roads AFP chapter meeting. Kim Sperling, Director of Development at the Mason School of Business at William and Mary, revealed “Ten Truths and a Myth about Annual Giving,” which reiterated much of the advice we’ve been giving recently around the… Read more »
Is There Really a Crisis of Generousity?
How and Why We Give: Highlights from the Generosity Commission’s Final Report By Wendy McGrady, EVP and COO I was in D.C. for the release of The Generosity Commission’s report at the end of September. Based on my experience and the report’s findings, my article was recently published on the Giving USA blog. Below is… Read more »
The Power of Storytelling: Harnessing “Your Why” to Elevate Nonprofit Fundraising
The Power of Storytelling: Harnessing “Your Why” to Elevate Nonprofit Fundraising By Kaitlin Robb, Consultant and Director of Marketing When it comes to successful fundraising, storytelling isn’t just a technique: It’s the heart of effective communication. Storytelling allows you to connect emotionally with your supporters, turning abstract missions into personal, relatable experiences. Understanding and articulating “your why”—the… Read more »
Webinar: Building Lasting Relationships to Maximize Impact
Free Webinar: Building Lasting Relationships to Maximize Impact This insightful session will deepen your understanding of donor engagement. Learn best practices for cultivating meaningful relationships, effective stewardship strategies and how to communicate your organization’s mission to inspire sustained support. Our team of experts will share: Real—world examples of donor cultivation and stewardship Strategies to… Read more »
6 Practical Steps to Grow Your Endowment
How to Grow Your Endowment (and why you should put in the effort) By Abby Webster, Vice President In the midst of what has been a constantly changing economic, philanthropic, and social climate, a nonprofit’s commitment to financial stability and diversified revenue streams has become increasingly important to fulfilling its mission. One way that many nonprofits are… Read more »
Maximizing Donor Retention: Key Findings from latest FEP report
Making (Dollars and) Sense of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s Latest Report By Ginny Reynolds Badgett, Associate Consultant Each quarter the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) releases aggregate views of the current year’s fundraising data. Much of the data collected and analyzed focuses on donors – donor size, donation count and type (new, repeat or recaptured). These reports… Read more »
Ensuring Equity in Philanthropy
The Potential Impact of the Affirmative Action Supreme Court Decision By Wendy McGrady, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Whatever your opinion on the recent Affirmative Action Supreme Court decision, it is impossible to ignore it’s potential impact on philanthropy. I recently returned from the Giving Institute Summer Symposium where I had… Read more »
Building Your Donor Pipeline for Major Gifts
Building Your Donor Pipeline for Major Gifts By Victoria Dietz, Executive Vice President What does it mean to have a pipeline of donors? In its simplest form, your pipeline is a structured way for you to convert prospective donors into current donors and to secure increasingly generous support from those current donors. At its… Read more »
