Corporate Relations & Engagement

Fundraising Is Sales; Ask These Questions
May 11, 2017 at 11:12 am

Have you ever heard that quote in the title? If not, you might want to brush up on your sales skills. It could be the difference between getting a donation or not. Let’s set the record straight, I’m not diminishing fundraising as just “sales.” I’m elevating sales as a process and technique to help us be more successful in our fundraising...

Falsehoods: Check the Sources!
May 3, 2017 at 9:50 am

There is a lot of talk these days about fake news. Fake news is intentional misinformation. Falsehoods. I recall getting an email from a friend during the 2008 presidential election. The information presented was shocking, but appeared to be from a “reliable” news source. I spent 15 minutes on Google and found that the information was completely false...

Top 5 Digital Skills For Nonprofit Professionals
April 27, 2017 at 9:12 am

Digital outreach is a crucial component of how nonprofits engage with potential donors. The importance and reach of a nonprofit’s digital efforts require a dedicated professional—or more—to maintain them...

Expand Your Horizons
April 26, 2017 at 9:10 am

We are big on not attending the same professional conferences year after year. Take a break from your routine and attend a new conference—maybe one outside of your nonprofit sector. This year, I’m taking a break from AFP to attend a different conference and I plan to be back at AFP next year...

When Should You Give Up on a Lapsed Monthly Donor?
April 24, 2017 at 9:06 am

A year or so ago, I joined 20 organizations with a monthly gift. And (sneaky me), I gave them a card that was going to expire a month later. I then tracked what organizations did in terms of “thank you” letters and actions to try to get me back...

5 Trends Facing Nonprofits Now
April 20, 2017 at 3:24 pm

Evaluating—or re-evaluating—recruiting strategy, community outreach and ways to improve volunteer programs should include a thorough understanding of current trends and changes impacting the nonprofit sector. In conducting our latest research into the state of volunteerism and volunteer screening in America, we asked for feedback from more than 700 nonprofit professionals...

Capital Campaigns and Conference Calls: A New Meeting Format
April 10, 2017 at 9:04 am

If you are planning a capital campaign, you should develop your skills at managing conference calls. The success of capital campaigns will depend on your ability to recruit and manage great volunteers. And these days, pulling volunteers together for meetings is harder than ever...