Fundraiser Education

A Look Back — and Forward
November 1, 2013

Fundraising Success is 10 years old! Here, fundraising pros recall the state of fundraising in 2003, and talk about what's changed and what they hope to see happen in the next 10 years.

Our Overloaded 'Bag of Tricks'
October 31, 2013

It's a lot of fun these days to figure out the best way to use some or all of these great new tools, but it's still a balancing act to figure out which ones will give us the best overall return on investment.

What’s Scarier: Witches, Goblins or Fundraising? 7 Ways to Stop Being Afraid
October 29, 2013

When people won’t fundraise because they’re scared, remind them to consider the alternative. If it were them being faced personally with this problem, how might that change their feelings? We don’t raise money simply for the love of money. We do so to restore balance to a world that constantly gets out of whack. If we don’t do it, who will? Here are seven ways to set your fundraisers up to overcome the "scary."

An Open Letter to Fundraisers: Things I Wish You Wouldn’t Do
October 28, 2013

Dear Fundraiser, some things you do really bug me. As your colleague, I’m cheering for your success. So in a helpful spirit, I offer you my list below.

I wish you wouldn’t: send me an automated thank you message for an online gift and assume that’s enough, forget to thank me at all, send me a buck slip receipt and a generic postcard instead of a real letter …

Father of the Bride
October 28, 2013

I have never read one article about what families of development professionals experience. Their love, sacrifice and dedication are amazing.

Elements of a Successful Fundraising Effort
October 24, 2013

To ensure a successful fundraising effort, organizations have to focus on and structure the campaign process in the following ways so the needed funds are raised and the process simultaneously strengthens the organization. 1. The need has to be clearly identified and should relate to a specific segment of the community. 2. The solicitor who is passionate about the need for which he or she is raising funds can best make that need come alive …