Every Fundraiser Needs an Angel in Her Back Pocket

By Gail Perry

The deadline of June 30 is looming near! It’s the end of the fiscal year for many hardworking fundraisers. I hope you are not sweating it out, waiting to see if you meet your fundraising goal for the year.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had an angel in your back pocket? An angel who stands ready to top off your fundraising so you meet your goal?

Every fundraiser needs to cultivate an angel. In fact, you could probably use two or three of them. I know a few fundraisers who always rely on their angels at the end of the year and more often when times are tough.

If you don’t have an angel waiting in the wings this year, why not make it a priority for the coming year?

Start looking now. Get out there and meet with your important donors, listening to them and engaging them directly in your work. Ask them what it would take for them to become more involved. Keep in touch with them monthly so they feel totally in the know.

Then when the time comes, they just might be there for you — and for your nonprofit.

PS. Good luck to you on this year’s numbers!

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Gail Perry Author's page Gail believes in parties first, rabble-rousing second, and having fun while changing the world. Gail Perry CFRE is an international fundraising coach, speaker, trainer and thought-leader. She is a leader in a new breed of fundraisers who are on the cutting edge of fundraising today. Her Fired-Up Fundraising approach, developed over the past 25 years as a nonprofit philanthropy expert, has helped organizations raise hundreds of millions in gifts. Gail's practical and refreshing approach to raising money in today's world is based on the very latest innovative fundraising strategies. An inspirational and popular speaker, she leads energizing fundraising workshops and board retreats around the globe. She particularly enjoys working with nonprofit board members, introducing them to a new perspective on fundraising and ways they can be successful at it. Gail's book, Fired-Up Fundraising, has been called the "gold standard guide to building successful fundraising boards." Gail got her start in fundraising at Duke University, and then went on to lead fundraising at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can read Gail's weekly blogs at FiredUpFundraising.com, and also find her provocative articles at FundraisingSuccess, Guidestar, and Capital Campaign Magic.