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 [...]
In The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management, Weinstein and Barden share there are five major fundraising principles. I believe we can apply these principles to special fundraising events. "People give to people to help people." The reason donors give is because they love what you do and who you do it for. They believe [...]
With an abundance of options from over 40 consignment companies, choosing the best travel experience for your event may seem like a challenging task. We've observed that most companies offer similar products like Napa or Mexico leaving you wondering which one provides the best value. Enter Mission First - the solution to this need. [...]
By Shannon Eason, Senior Partner, Fundraising Auctioneer You’ve probably received an email inviting you to one of our workshops. If you’re near Kansas City, St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, or Tulsa you’ll want to put this on your calendar. Why? Ahhhhh..let us count the ways! 1. You’ll be treated like a guest and see how [...]
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 [...]
By Scott Jones, Senior Partner, CFRE, CAI, BAS Part I: The Homework All too often, I find myself in conversation with fundraising managers concerning the uncomfortable position of having board members ask their connections for monetary support. We all agree that all fund development is founded on board support and participation. Why is it [...]
