By: Gloria Kelley Fundraising Consultant “Charity” is a limiting concept that tends to be crisis-oriented and indicative of a weakness of some sort. This ultimately leads to the “tin cup” syndrome of fundraising (i.e., begging, impulsive, emotional, and, worst of all, token in nature). Those were the old days! Philanthropy, however, is a much [...]
By: Erin Williams, Fundraising Auctioneer As professional fundraisers, we hear all too often from nonprofit leaders, “My board doesn’t have an active role when it comes to the gala” or “My board doesn’t participate in fundraising.” The nonprofit’s financial stability is a primary responsibility of the board and fundraising is a huge part of [...]
Send a handwritten letter There’s something special about handwritten notes in the digital era. A handwritten note will really stand out in a mailbox, grabbing the attention of your supporters. A thoughtful note can be sent out any time of the year and for any occasion: Right after a donation For your donor’s [...]
Scott Jones, CFRE, CAI, BAS Senior Consultant & Auctioneer The purpose of reporting on your fundraising results is to fulfill the accountability and transparency requirements associated with the acquisition and utilization of donated funds and convey to your stakeholders that implementation is progressing, and that the organization knows what it is doing. Who are [...]
If you are looking for ways to increase visibility to your mission, there is a program thru Google that offers non-profits grants to help them promote their cause and increase visibility to attract more donors and supporters, as well as increase visibility to those who might become recipients of your mission. Of course, you [...]
By Scott Jones, CFRE, CAI, BAS Senior Consultant, Raising Paddles Quite often I am asked to share with board members strategies on “How to begin the conversation.” Specifically, how do I ask guests to participate in the giving the day of your biggest fundraising event? It’s simple. We must help each board member to [...]
By Dan Campbell, Senior Partner, Fundraising Auctioneer One of the most common questions we hear from those we consult with is ‘how many fundraising elements should we include in our program?” What is too many? Which ones are best for our event? It is not surprising that we see some events that are jam packed [...]
Do you like Parties? I sure do. Parties are fun, and the more the merrier! But what makes a party fun? I usually make sure my “fun” friends are invited. Of course, I will invite everyone in that circle to attend as well, based on my party planning. I might even ask my other guest to [...]
Bueller? Bueller? Looking for your donors and there's no response? Where are our donors when we're looking for them. 6 Ways to Get New Donors 1) Relationship Mapping. Your current donors, board members, and volunteers are your best link to finding new donors. ... If each board member provides ten contacts to the developmental [...]
Anyone can throw a party. Only YOU can develop relationships with your guests that will help them realize the impact of their gift for your great cause. How do you engage auction guests, whip up your live auction, focus on your mission, keep it fresh, get those bid cards waving, and make sure your guests return year [...]
