Check Out FS October!

Ever wondered what a h-u-g-e-l-y successful major-gifts campaign looks like? How about one that combines a planned-giving element, as well? Lucky you … our October cover story, "Leading Freedom (and Fundraising) Forward," explains how the American Civil Liberties Union pumped up its current coffers and ensured its financial stability well into the future with a campaign that relied on a lot of door knocking and pavement pounding.

Also in the current issue, fundraising consultant Gail Perry explains that by taking the fear of asking off their plates, you can turn your board members into powerful allies in your efforts to fund your mission in her article, "The Secret Superheroes of Fundraising."

In "Getting to the Heart of the Donor," Russ Reid's Lyric Murphy explains the implications of new research that supports the idea that nonprofits must diversify their communications channels and integrate their overall fundraising strategies.

Sarah Durham offers a Brandraising twofer this month. Part 1: Start donor relationships off right with prompt, polite thank-you notes. Part 2: Start priming for end-of-year appeals. In her October To the Point column, "Demographics are Destiny," Jocelyn Harmon lists five reasons to diversify your fundraising by race and ethnicity — now. And in "Fundraising Touches Two Worlds," Easier Said Than Done columnist Jeff Brooks talks eloquently about how the mundane, sometimes frustrating art of fundraising also connects its practitioners to the miraculous.

I do hope you'll pop over to the FundRaising Success site and check out our new content!

Peace & blessings!
Margaret