Sector Report: Fundraising 2009-2010

If your income is down in this environment, look at your offers. Have you been faithful to the basic offer that is proven in your fundraising — or have you been capitulating to the program staff and trying to educate while you fundraise?

Mistake No. 4: Expecting branding efforts to generate income.
Branding is increasingly important to nonprofit organizations. People can't give to you if they don't know you're there. And people won't give to you until they're convinced of the importance of your work. Effective branding will actually engage donors and prospective donors with your organization.

Count on this: Great branding creates an environment where your fundraising works better. But great branding doesn't actually raise any dollars.

So you do need great branding, but you need to couple it with great fundraising or you'll end up feeling good about your messaging and image, and wondering why your income has plummeted.

Please, invest in branding — and combine it with smart fundraising by tying it to your core offer. And don't forget to make the ask.

The economy has affected every one of us — personally and professionally — in some way or another. But poor strategy has had an even worse impact on our fundraising results. Strategy is never luxury; it's survival.

Are you setting aside time for strategic planning? Are you using your consultants to help shape strategy and not to simply execute?

There's still time. Take a strong stand, and put a stop to the deadly mistakes of any fundraising program. Those who respond today with smart strategy and courage will capture market share and be on a growth curve as the economy improves.