It’s a good time to work in the arts. Charitable donations to this sector reached their highest level ever—an estimated $17.07 billion—last year, thumb according to Giving USA 2016: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2015, which was released June 14. Last month, our president Keith Curtis, immediate past chair of Giving USA… Read more »
5 ways to make your major gifts program a major success
Putting a major gifts process in place doesn’t happen overnight; it takes a strategic cultivation plan tailored to each potential donor. But as we’ve seen time and again, the result is always worth the effort. Here are five important ways to improve your chances for success: 1. Know your “rights.” Is it bad timing? Am… Read more »
Not another year-end appeal! 12 writing tips to stand out & inspire action
If you’ve worked in the nonprofit world more than a year, you might already be weary of the pressure to maximize year-end gifts. It’s not that different for your donors, who are often bombarded with requests as December 31 looms closer. The way you communicate your message is key to cutting through the clutter and… Read more »
Believe like a nonprofit. Behave like a business.
Too many nonprofits are rewarded for how little they spend, rather than for what they get done. This is the double standard that author, activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta called out during his recent visit to Hampton Roads. (I highly recommend watching his TED talk). His presentation about “The Overhead Myth” got our sector buzzing…… Read more »
Pledge to Give
What would you say if someone asked you to give 50% of your net worth to charity? My guess is that most would gasp at the mere idea of it. However, with the desire to truly make a significant positive impact, Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet started “The Giving Pledge.” Made public in… Read more »
Study Finds Baby Boomers Give the Most, Among Other Generational Trends
Although Baby Boomers make up only 34 percent of the donor pool, they are the generation responsible for giving the lion’s share of donations to charities. In an online survey conducted by a division of Blackbaud, results showed that Boomers gave 43 percent of all money contributed by individuals. And when factoring in giving by… Read more »
According to Google, September Online Research Drives Year-End Giving
How soon is too soon to begin year-end fundraising? According to a new Google and Millward Brown Digital Path to Donation research study, engaging your donors before the first chill is in the air may be the answer. In 2012, Google noticed an interesting trend: donation-related searches increased by 30 percent from August to September…. Read more »
What Makes you Stay? Preventing the Revolving Door in Nonprofits
For years, the state of the economy was one of the only things on which nonprofits and donors could focus. As nonprofits begin to feel more confident with the future of philanthropy, they are addressing issues that were pushed to the backburner during the economic downturn. Nonprofits are being forced to take a hard look at… Read more »
Key Indicators of Planned Givers: Highlights from a Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council Event
Last week the Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council hosted a presentation by Jeff Johnson of The Stelter Company. Jeff shared some key findings from research his company has conducted over the last few years on indicators and behavior of planned givers. I have summarized a few points below. • Among Americans age 40+, people who… Read more »
Four Tips on Strategic Planning
I’m currently enrolled in Old Dominion University’s Public Administration program. This semester I’m taking a course on nonprofit management and reading a book by Michael Allison and Jude Kaye titled Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations. Allison and Kaye make four key points about effective strategic planning: 1. Focus on the most important issues during your… Read more »
