The best monthly donor prospects are donors who currently give you gifts of $100 or less. They are not your big check writers; if they did send you a $100 check, it was probably a stretch gift for them. Instead, monthly donor prospects are donors who can make small gifts more often...
Fundraising challenges are part of the package for nonprofit marketers: Attrition, converting small donors into major gift donors, growing the donor base and not to mention factors beyond our control that affect giving trends...
It is true that people give to people. If you are interested in a long and satisfying career in fundraising, get out of the office and engage others. You will be amazed at what you’ll learn about others and yourself...
Where did my lapsed donors go? There are no simple answers. And, there is hope for you and your organization to re-energize these lapsed donors to return to your community...
I’ve been debating (with myself) lately about the difference between knowing fundraising and doing fundraising. This internal conflict came up as a result of a class I am helping develop. Although I have taught university-level courses in fundraising and nonprofit management, I still consider myself a fundraising practitioner, not an academic...
Applying data mining techniques in our fundraising programs has been with us for at least a decade. It’s getting a lot more attention lately, as nonprofits seek out more dollars from their donors—with some success. Data mining is no longer a unique fundraising idea...
I’ve always found it curious that while many organizations diligently develop a strategic plan, few take the time to craft a sustainability plan. By “sustainability” I don’t mean the environmental kind, but rather a plan for sustaining your programs and services over the long-term...
There is no substitute for effective and focused cultivation. It brings new donors into the fold, and it strengthens the bonds with existing donors. It also helps nurture staff and volunteers—coaching and training them for a campaign...
There is a common lack of understanding about the value of redemption in driving fundraising. As opposed to being a “thank you for your participation” item, the data shows that the act of redeeming for appropriately selected items results in higher levels of revenue on the part of volunteer fundraisers and donors alike...
What percentage of your campaign goal should your board members give to your capital campaign? Twenty-five percent? Forty percent? Ten percent? Again and again, I’ve seen board members stumble over this question. They want to do what’s right; but really, they have no idea what’s appropriate or more importantly, what’s possible...
