One may think that the content or copy of a direct mail appeal letter is King (or Queen), but studies have found that there is something else as equally or maybe even more important than what the letter says. What is that one thing? Typesetting. And, typesetting does matter when it comes to direct mail […]
One may think that there are only a limited number of donors to go around, but think again. In my work, I assist small to mid-sized organizations in running their first capital campaigns. Many do not have established donor bases to tap into for an already existing pool of major donors. So, I assist. And, […]
One might think that gift range charts are just for large projects such as capital campaigns or for significant fundraising efforts. And, while, yes, there is some truth to that, gift range charts can be used effectively in even the smallest of fundraising shops. A gift range chart will tell you exactly how many gifts […]
At the start of Spring, our thoughts turn to flowers, sunshine, and our Mom’s! And, for many nonprofit organizations, this is a great direct mail theme and just in time for a Spring appeal. So, how can you maximize this appeal to give your donors the best experience? Well, for one, if your organization has moms […]
As a nonprofit organization, you are here to meet a mission to your stakeholders. Maybe long ago, or not so long ago, you were founded to assist a particular group or meet a critical need. And, months go by, years go by, and you are still in existence. But, is the need still there? Are […]
So, your consultant has just finished your capital campaign feasibility study. The report is sitting on your desk, and you are wondering, where do I go from here? Here are some possibilities: The report may recommend that the organization takes some time to prepare its fundraising infrastructure before going into full campaign mode. Preparation may […]
I often get asked from my clients, how many touchpoints do you need to give to a donor at a certain level? And, my answer – it varies. There is some science to the whole matter. In fact, after I conduct a rating and ranking session, I will combine all of the numbers and come […]
Technical skill or personality, which is most important when hiring a new director of development? That is a great question. And, while ideally, both would be great, that is not always a guarantee. So what do you look for in this case? While just about anyone can have the skill set of a fundraiser, not […]
How do you make that decision to accept your next position? Do you go by with what your heart feels? Well, there is some importance to listening to your “heart,” “intuition” or “gut” when making decisions like this, there is also an important thing you can do, and that is due diligence. You want to […]
There are quite a number of groups seeking to test the feasibility of a possible capital campaign. And, so naturally being a consulting firm catering to small fundraising shops, I tend to get asked to talk about these, and I am currently in the midst of one now. What I find is that groups think […]
What is going on out there? For the past year, I have watched development jobs come and go on the job boards. I lamented that folks like myself with over 20 years of experience, certifications, and education were getting passed up for the lower paid, less experienced, “greener” young ones. And, there might be some […]
So, let’s talk database. What? That seems like something so mundane. Well, it may be, but it is so critical to fundraising. Throughout my professional career, I have been victim to bad databases, and I have been asked to work with bad databases. One thing is for sure, without an initial thought out structure, problems are inevitable. I […]
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