The single most important lesson I ever learned. Begin with the why. Always. If you don’t, you’re likely to work very hard and not achieve much of value. Why? Because you didn’t begin your endeavor by asking yourself: “What’s the value in this work upon which I’m about to embark?” “Why am I doing this?”…
DetailsI have a little extra tip for you this month because I know many of you may be ramping up for year-end fundraising. Since the lion’s of philanthropy comes from major individual gifts (check to see what percentage of your contribution income comes from the top 15 – 20% of your donorbase), this is…
DetailsIt’s not too early to begin planning your fundraising strategies for the fall and end of the calendar year. You’re probably already thinking about your appeal. But what about person-to-person major gift fundraising? For most nonprofits the lion’s of money comes from the smallest group of people. Many of these folks respond well…
DetailsText messaging is becoming an increasingly important fundraising tool. Is it right for you? Probably, assuming you have donors with cell phones (wink-wink). But there are different varieties of text messaging, and different ways to use this messaging medium. The key is to choose the tool that will work best for you, given your resources, needs…
DetailsThe time to assure you’ve got a manageable plan in place so you’re ready for prime fundraising season next Fall is now. This month’s tips are designed to help you figure out how to prioritize and manage everything on your plate. A task management system may help a little. Here’s one some of my clients use…
DetailsThis is a good time of year to focus on reactivating lapsed donors. April showers bring May flowers… as it is said. What better time than spring (at least in the northern hemisphere) to focus on the same cycle of renewal that many parts of the earth go through? The point is you have to…
DetailsI recently received a question from a grant writer who was unsure whether they should their input on the types of programs that could further their mission and meet a funder’s objectives/focus. I am just a grant writer. I am not generally involved in the strategic planning of our organization, but do have input…
DetailsConsider February, with Valentine’s Day smack in the middle, as #donor month. Why not? The you speak the language of to your donors, the they’ll shower you with in return. And by ‘,’ I mean ‘ of humanity’ – aka philanthropy. Robert Payton, the first full-time Director of the Center for…
DetailsConsider these tips your New Year’s Resolutions. They’re simple to accomplish, relatively inexpensive, and they’ll give your fundraising program a big boost in the coming year. As the folks at Nike would say: JUST DO IT! Tip One: Correct Your Bad Addresses Give donors the gift of reconnection! Did you know in the U.S., at any…
DetailsWelcome to your Clairification Dashboard and Monthly Tip! You’ll find something new here each month — paralleling what you’re likely thinking about during this time period. This month I’m giving you multiple tips because, heck, it’s a very critical month for fundraisers! Did you know nonprofits receive 50% of their annual contributions from October to…
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