It’s fall, so if you haven’t started planning your year-end appeals, you’re late—but not too late! Over 40% of giving occurs in last four months of year. But Google has found that donors begin their research in August, and that online donation-related searches increase 30% from August to September. Of course, December is still king for when… Read more »
7 steps to score a prospect meeting
It seems like people are busier than ever these days, and trying to connect with a donor for an in-person meeting can be a challenge. For that reason, nonprofit professionals often rely heavily on mailings and emails to communicate with donors. However, making the effort to meet with prospective and current donors face-to-face is one of the… Read more »
What a Funder Wants: How foundations and corporations decide whom—and how much—to fund
We heard it straight from the source. Each year, key organizations that guide fundraising in our region come together at the sold-out Funders Forum, hosted by VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads. I was honored to be asked, once again, to moderate the panel at the April 6 event. In addition, our firm’s executive vice president, Wendy McGrady,… Read more »
5 Steps to Success for #GivingTuesday
It’s hard to believe, but we are only five weeks away from #GivingTuesday. This year’s national giving day will be celebrated Tuesday, December 1. Each year, the online giving phenomenon grows significantly. On #GivingTuesday 2014, over $26 million was given—and online donations rose 36% from #GivingTuesday 2013. The Curtis Group is excited to see how… Read more »
“The Greater Good” – What drives high-net-worth giving across generations
How do your major donors define “a life well-lived”? This is one of the key questions addressed in the 2015 Insights on Wealth and Worth Survey, conducted by the U.S. Trust. Since 1993, this periodic survey of wealthy individuals and families has highlighted differences and similarities in values and, ultimately, what motivates giving. This year,… Read more »
Giving USA shows Americans donated record total
Where did the money come from, where did it go and how do we apply these trends to future fundraising? Milestone giving in a milestone year. What better news could I hope for in my term as chair of Giving USA Foundation? As the longest-running and most comprehensive report on charitable giving in the country, Giving… Read more »
Connecting with Millennials: How Nonprofits Can Build Relationships with Tomorrow’s Leaders
The most recent AFP eWire featured three short, but informative, articles on tapping into the power of Millennials. Nonprofits know this influential generational group is more “connected” than any of its predecessors. But, how can the estimated 92 million members of the Millennial generation (born between 1980 and 2001) be motivated to effectively rally behind a… Read more »
The Curtis Group Presents Fifth Successful Webinar: The Role of the Board in Fundraising
On February 20, we offered a free webinar on “The Role of the Board in Fundraising.” This timely subject proved to be one of our most popular webinars yet with nearly 100 nonprofit staff and board members tuning in. Our extensive work with nonprofits over the past 24 years has provided us the opportunity to… Read more »
Giving USA Discussion at the Hudson Institute: Advice to Nonprofits and their Board Members
On Friday the Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, in partnership with Illinois University’s Center on Philanthropy, hosted a discussion titled “Giving USA 2012: Who Gave, How Much, and to Whom in 2011?” The Curtis Group’s Vice President, Wendy McGrady, along with Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy Executive Director, Patrick M. Rooney; Nonprofit Quarterly’s… Read more »
Make the Most of Your Data
Last week we participated in a webinar on donor databases titled “Data Data Everywhere. Mining for Gold in your Donor Database.” This hour-long discussion was conducted by Fundraising Success magazine and featured three presenters: Amanda Mallinger Reinartz, Manager Product Development, Metafile; Jodi Scheib, Vice President, Fundraising, DMW Direct; and Joe Hamilton, Director of Development, Franciscan Friars…. Read more »
