Building trust in any relationship is essential if that relationship is going to be real and authentic. And creating mutual trust in your nonprofit donor relationships is really your ultimate goal. Why? Because if you have mutual trust, then you and your donor will feel comfortable to be real with one another...
Soliciting new donors, much like growing your major gifts portfolios and upgrading mid-level donors to give more, should also start with those you already know. Prospects can be hiding in plain sight. It is after you’ve culled through your existing list that you should then utilize proven strategies to find new major donors elsewhere...
Some nonprofit executives fear that the nonprofit pie is a zero-sum game. They fear that there is a limited number of charitable dollars available and that they are in nonprofit competition with other organizations for their share of the pie. We tend not to ascribe to this philosophy; our view is that the dollars in…
So, what do these two monuments and monthly giving have in common? The sculptors were totally committed. They had the vision, and they chipped away at it—bit by bit, day after day, year after year...
Who would ever think of running a nonprofit major gifts program as if it were a business? Not many people. And that’s too bad, because it would cause each of us to pay more attention to the things that are important. I have often said that the only difference between a nonprofit and a for-profit is that the for-profit pays taxes. Other than that, there should be no difference...
Years ago, while growing up in West Virginia, I had a dream. My dream was to obtain a doctorate degree. I was focused on the quest to obtain the degree and not on how I would ultimately use the degree. While I was a graduate assistant at the Marshall University Graduate College, I befriended a professor who was completing his doctorate degree...
As a leader, attracting new nonprofit donors and keeping them engaged is essential to your success. But what makes donors tick? And what do they really want from you?...
Nonprofits are always looking for ways to increase donor retention rates and supporter engagement—and for good reason! New donors are great, and your nonprofit needs a healthy flow of new donors to ensure a steady rate of growth...
One of the great pleasures in working with nonprofit clients is getting up every day and knowing that you are helping them do good on behalf of their constituencies. They advocate on behalf of people living with autism, cancers, ALS and cystic fibrosis. Some support people dealing with the hardships surrounding immigration, homelessness, depression or drug addiction...
Monthly donor commitment isn’t necessarily easy. It’s hard work. There are two different kinds of commitment in monthly giving: organization and donor...
