Fundraising

There can’t be many Jeopardy! champions easier to root for than Cindy Stowell. Ms. Stowell has developed a fan base like few other contestants. But she is unable to enjoy her performance on TV, or the outpouring of love from “Jeopardy!” watchers. That’s because she died on Dec. 5, just over a week before her…

As you attend holiday parties, you may have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for meeting with some of your largest donors.

Last week, I mentioned some phrases my parents had said often (it seemed ad nauseam when I was a teen) that, in hindsight, I’ve realized relate to fundraising. Here are a few more “mom-isms” and “dad-isms” that constituted my earliest training in fundraising, whether I knew it then or not...

Households with more than one child are more likely to give, and donate a bigger share of their income, if the eldest is a son, a new study finds. But parents with only one child are more likely to give, and to donate generously, if that child is a daughter. The report from the Women's…

As a fundraiser, I’ve been to my fair share of fundraising parties, often hosted by a board member, donor or volunteer. While these events can be a fantastic way to connect and meet new potential major donors, I typically find them to be awkward, stiff and sometimes a little too heavy on the wine. Recently,…

Paul Ryan has been abundantly clear: As speaker of the House, he won’t spend all of his time jetting across the country to keep the National Republican Congressional Committee flush. But far from being concerned, top GOP moneymen believe the Wisconsin Republican will be a major boon financially for the party. The national network he’s…

Nonprofits can grow faster, solicit donations more successfully and better accomplish their missions through greater use of analytics. If you doubt the benefits of data, you can read the book Moneyball. The book and movie of the same name relate the true story of how Billy Beane, general manager of baseball’s Oakland A’s, rebuilds his…

Brown University has formally undertaken what it calls the largest comprehensive fundraising push in the Ivy League school's history. The $3 billion "BrownTogether" campaign began Oct. 23, during a celebration at Pembroke Field. The university says the campaign will support education and research, campus infrastructure and student life. Brown president Christina Paxson says the fundraising…

A few weeks ago, I was asked to speak to the Big Bend Association of Fundraising Professionals about anything I wanted to talk about. So I chose to talk about what I’ve learned working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector for the past 30 years. I titled my speech “The Lessons I’ve Learned, Sometimes the…

Arguably, your fundraising appeal is one of the most important parts of your nonprofit crowdfunding campaign. It’s the heart of your cause. The meat and potatoes of your mission. The crucial part where you tell supporters what your goal is and why they should care. You know your crowdfunding campaign inside and out. But, you…