At Veritus over the years, we have conducted hundreds of major donor assessments. These assessments reveal an incredible amount of information. Besides understanding donor retention and donor value attrition, the data reveals a whole slew of donors who donate essentially the same amount year after year. Perhaps it’s $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 or even $20,000 every…
Hard to believe, but it’s been almost 25 years since I became a fundraiser, working for a large nonprofit, managing its monthly donor program. At the time, the development department consisted of someone responsible for donor appeals, another for acquisition of new donors and someone for major donors...
When was the last time a nonprofit or well-meaning charity responded to your casual gift with a “Thanks, but this may not be for you,” as they gracefully declined your offering. Huh? You’re probably thinking, “Did I hear you right?”...
A recent blog we wrote titled, “Why the Rich are Greedy (and What to Do About It),” garnered some interesting responses from readers. The blog cites research documenting that wealthy people give a smaller percentage of their discretionary income to charity when compared with less well-off individuals. It also mentions the body of psychological research that suggests that affluence tends to make people less sensitive to the needs of others and why…
To begin attracting new donors to your organization, you first need to step back and determine a strong and compelling case for support. Without a rationale for giving, you won't be able to attract any new donors to your organization...
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” has been the go-to guide for those seeking business-savvy social skills for decades. In this book, tycoon Dale Carnegie popularizes the power of influence and uses his enormous wealth and popularity as a basis for his expertise...
If you are heading into a capital campaign, your board members will not only be called on to give generously of their own money, but they will be expected to ask their contacts and friends for generous gifts, too. And that’s often a sticking point!
Happy New Year! I hope you had some time to share with family and friends or just relax. I had a wonderful holiday and finally got to hang those pictures I had been meaning to hang in my office for months! That took care of at least one new year’s resolution...
I’ve been thinking about why some major gift officers don’t do the right things even when they know what to do. I don’t think it’s a motivational problem. Most of the MGOs Jeff and I know are motivated to be successful. So, it’s not about a MGO just sitting around collecting a paycheck, doing nothing and hoping the day will pass...
On Christmas Eve 2017, I was driving on Interstate 64 near Charleston, West Va., when I passed the Dunbar exit. At that moment, I mentioned to my wife the impact of my former professor and how that individual affected me academically like no other in my life. She knew every time I would pass that exit, I would say the same thing. I told her I had recently sent a Christmas card like I always do to Dr. Jack Yeager. Dr. Yeager’s influence on me was profound...
