How to follow-up on your calendar year-end appeal once it is mailed
Now that your calendar year-end appeal has gone out in the mail, what is left to do? Well, if you take the "sit back and wait" approach you will be missing out for your organization. Here are some follow-up steps that you may want to consider…
Using a gift chart to validate a fundraising goal and campaign
When you have been presented with a fundraising goal, the best next step is to determine the feasibility of that goal. One of the most challenging tasks is setting out to accomplish a fundraising goal without knowing whether or not you have…
Engage your Board in your calendar year-end fundraising campaign
Engage your Board in your calendar year-end fundraising campaign
When running your next year-end campaign, it is essential that your Board sends a loud, clear message to its constituents that it supports the organization's mission. The Board…
Using a mini-feasibility study to determine the strategy of your next fundraising campaign
Ever wonder as to what is the best course to take with your fundraising strategy? Let's say that you have been given a challenge match by a donor or you have a fundraising goal that the Board has given to you to raise. The question becomes not…
Characteristics of a good development director
Technical skill or personality, which is most important when hiring a new Director of Development? That is a great question. And, while both would be ideal, that is not always a guarantee. So, what do you look for in this case? While…
Creating a framework for your annual fundraising campaign
While the calendar may have just turned to the month of June, fundraisers are starting to prepare for their end of year campaigns. Now, the question is, how do you plan the structure of this campaign? What are the elements that need to…
Creating a "Grateful Resident" Fundraising Program
If you have ever worked for a non-profit senior residential community, you know the importance that the residents play as a prospective donor constituent audience. It is they, and their families, who are the "warmest" potential prospective…
How a matching gift challenge can boost your fundraising donor acquisition and retention rates
Matching gifts offer an excellent way to help organizations raise more money to fund their missions than they ordinarily do on their own. This type of gift program gives donors a sense of immediacy and urgency to their giving. A matching…
Measuring your fundraising programs acquisition and retention metrics
While there are some relatively simple measures for evaluating the effectiveness of your fundraising program, such as Return on Investment (ROI) and the fundraising numbers, you often need to go beyond that to determine the long-term health…
How to acquire new prospective donors while reactivating lapsed ones
According to recent findings in the 2018 Fundraising Effectiveness Project, The Agitator points out that "The warning signs are there – decreasing numbers of new donors and decreasing reactivation rates of lapsed donors." We are apparently…
How to create sponsorship opportunities for your fundraising event
So, you have an upcoming special event and you want to seek sponsors, and now you are wondering how to develop sponsorship opportunities that make sense and that inspire businesses to support you. Well, when I advise my clients on how to…
How to develop Giving Societies for your non-profit fundraising program
Giving societies can be an excellent way to cultivate, steward, and upgrade donors in your organization. Some giving societies focus on level, monthly, major, and legacy donors. Generally, non-profits set up various groups at different giving…
