Fundraiser Education

These are just a few of the issues you'll be able to delve in to when you attend the FREE FundRaising Success Virtual Conference & Expo. And it's all online.

Diana Nyad’s epic 110-mile uncaged swim (video here) from Cuba to Key West was a tremendous achievement. But even more remarkable than setting this record was 64-year-old Nyad’s perseverance in reaching her goal (this was her fifth attempt in 35 years). There’s so much nonprofit communicators like us can learn from her. Here are six vital lessons we can take from her experience …

Here are some of the signs that give fakers away, so you can avoid the costly mistake of shackling yourself to a faker when you need a fundraiser.

If you’re working in fundraising it can be extremely frustrating, and in many cases, it can lead to doubting yourself and your own abilities. If you are currently going through a slump, or have gone through one in the past, here are some ideas to shake yourself out of it. 1. Take time to analyze what you are doing. 2. Review each donor on  your caseload and discover something new about each one. 3. Look for low-hanging fruit. 4. Bring a team together. 5. Don't try so hard.

Sherpa means “a member of a people noted for providing assistance to mountaineers … [and who] have achieved world renown as expert guides.” Hmmn. I really like that! Here is what sherpas can teach fundraisers: Think of your donors as mountaineers. Think of yourself as an expert guide. The best guides create not only positive experiences but aslo brilliantly shareable ones. The best fundraisers are engagement experts. The best organizations have teams of "engagement sherpas." Everyone contributes to a positive donor experience.

If you recall, I need your help to prove to an old fundraising colleague of mine that our industry is absolutely innovative. So far, I have 44 amazing ideas, and I'm so excited about it that I'm going to leave the survey link open one more week.

A lot of nonprofits are blaming the economy for their fundraising pain. If you blame the economy for your woes, you may be ignoring other factors — things you may have control over. Here are some factors that are much more common and damaging to fundraising than the economic climate: budget cuts to donor acquisition, a self-centric brand that doesn't focus on donors, not talking to donors, no real fundraising offers and not taking online giving seriously.

I want to prove that our industry is made up of amazing thinkers — don't let me down.

Whether you're dog-paddling in your fundraising career, a gold-medal fundraiser or somewhere in between like this old dog, enjoy your work today. It truly does matter.

I’m about to reveal my Old MacDonald’s theory of the qualities of outstanding fundraisers (you know how they say “the farmer is *out standing* in his field”?). Ahem. Well … the outstanding farmer is surrounded by a chorus of E-I-E-I-Os. The outstanding fundraiser is similar in many ways. S/he sings a similar tune and also works in a nurturing, productive space that enables cultivation and growth.

And that’s why I developed my E-I-E-I-O paradigm. Forget about all the nasty business of “it’s a jungle out there.” No, you (the fundraiser) work on a farm.