Reflections on 10 Years

FundRaising Success published its first issue in November 2003, which makes this our 10-year anniversary year. To celebrate, we’ll be taking a look back at past issues throughout the year.

To start, here are some words of wisdom culled from stories that appeared in our very first issue.

From Carsten Walter, then director of membership programs at The Heritage Foundation (cover story, "Gentle Persuaders"):

• Never stop testing: “Heritage Foundation tested its monthly giving program for 15 years with no great success. Two years ago, it was bringing in $5,000 a year. But then the foundation found a format that worked, and it now brings in $750,000 a year.”
• Don’t forget the back-end analysis. “Many organizations don’t look at the life value of a donor. Are there giving patterns that might red-flag someone with potential? They don’t look at renewal rates. Is there a warning in there that they’re not approaching people the right way?”
• “Constantly ask yourself, ‘Is this moving our mission forward?’”
• “Treat donors like human beings, not like accounts.”

From Curt Barry, president of F. Curtis Barry & Co. (feature, "Show ’Em Your Wares"):

• “Nonprofits have made good use of catalogs and fulfillment for fund development, donor solicitation and mission advancement. But merchandising and mailing catalogs means that you have to run the operation by the rules and metrics of businesses in the for-profit world.”

From Greg Fox, then senior vice president of strategic marketing at Merkle (feature, “Hope is Not a Strategy”):

• “Direct mail as we knew it is gone. It has given way to a new era in which improved knowledge, better tools and new strategies are essential.”

From Linda Lysakowski, then president of Capital Venture (feature, “Determining the Ask”):

• “One piece of advice I’d give to fundraising organizations in this difficult economy is to focus more on their internal assets. Sometimes fundraisers think they have to go out and find new donors, new foundations or new corporations to contribute, and they don’t take full advantage of the people who are already supporting them. They should spend some time focusing on the top 10 percent of their current donors and try to cultivate them and make them larger donors rather than focusing on the external pool of donors.”
• “Organizations must remind donors about their missions, appealing to them on both intellectual and emotional levels. Some organizations are out there trying to raise money, and they don’t do a good job of explaining themselves and what they’re doing with their money.”

From Beth Gentner, former director of development for the John Glenn Institute at Ohio State University (ProFiles):

• “I always contribute to the charities where I’ve worked. I would not be good at a job if I didn’t believe in its mission.”

From Margaret Battistelli, editor-in-chief of FundRaising Success (Editor’s Note, “Use Us … We Like It”):

• “With an uncertain economy tightening purse strings, war and terrorism drawing people into themselves, and high-profile scandals undermining the pubic trust, these are challenging times for nonprofits. But they’re exciting times too, because from challenge comes change … and growth.”
• “FundRaising Success is looking forward to helping facilitate growth in your organizations. It’s our sincere hope that you’ll join us, guide us, support us and, most importantly, use us in that capacity.”