Feelings are important. Emotions drive many of our decisions—large and small. And yet, we’re not to be “emotional.” Nonprofits take this admonition very seriously as they make their rational—some might say over-rational—appeals for investments in their cause. Prove it with data. Show that we’re on top of this problem. Demonstrate we have the solution to a great social ill...
As any good businessperson knows it is easier to get a current customer to buy more than it is to acquire a new customer. The analogy in the nonprofit sector is to increase affinity. Affinity can start as volunteerism then culminate as donations, or in peer-to-peer, as fundraising activity...
Bequest programs are a fundamental building block of any planned giving program and for good reasons: They are simple to establish; they represent the largest segment of planned gifts (over 65 percent by some estimates); and they do not change the donor’s life one iota...
Have you ever wondered why you’re not getting larger individual donations or funder awards? It is perplexing isn't it? You did your research and you knew that the donor/funder made larger gifts, but they haven’t made them to your agency! This is frustrating. You wonder, "Was it how we asked? What happened?"...
Capital campaigns rely extensively on large gifts. It’s common for 50 percent or more of the campaign goal to come from 10 gifts. So, the success of your campaign will depend on your ability to build strong relationships with the people who might make those gifts...
It was the late 1980s. I was a guest in the home of a Fortune 500 executive in Vail, Colo. It was a cavernous house where, on several occasions, I got lost trying to navigate my way back to the guest quarters. I was invited to this couple’s house to brainstorm new ways they could help the organization they loved attract more donors. They had come to know and trust me because of my work with the organization...
If you’ve been following the weather, you may know that it’s been a rough few weeks, especially in New England. In Massachusetts, we were hit by our second Nor’easter within 10 days; and this last one was really bad. Snow was falling at one to two inches an hour, and the many downed trees caused power to be out for 99 percent of our area...
How often do you think about your current job and look back on your nonprofit organizational stops? I suggest you do an analysis on this area, especially if you have many jobs ahead of you. If you spend at least a third of each day at work, I assume you would like to enjoy the daily experience...
Fundraising is never easy and more than ever, nonprofits are facing tougher challenges. The fundraising landscape has become more crowded, but less abundant. We’re seeing a steady increase in visibility of charities—more crowdfunding platforms, campaigns for natural disasters, tragedies and political action groups...
On occasion, I get called in to discuss planned giving options, especially for smaller organizations. Often, they want to attempt to roll out a planned giving program without first laying the proper groundwork. In football terminology, start with basic “blocking and tackling...
