Planning your first fundraising cultivation event
Cultivation events are great ways to begin to qualify prospective donor relationships and deepen already existing donor relationships. Cultivation events should be a part of any individual giving. However, when first getting started with…
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 get started with "Moves Management" in your major gift fundraising program
So, you have finally decided to start your major gifts program in your fundraising office, and now you are wondering how to establish a Moves Management system for cultivation. Well, you may be first wondering, what are moves? Moves are…
How to Find New Major Donors for Your Organization Using an “Inside Out” Prospecting Approach
Soliciting new donors, much like growing your major gifts portfolios and upgrading mid-level donors to give more, should also start with those you already know. Prospects can be hiding in plain sight. It is after you’ve culled through…
How to develop nonprofit membership levels that inspire giving
If your nonprofit organization has a membership component to it, you may have found that individual’s membership levels remain the same year after year. Or, members seem to be choosing one specific level over another, time after time. What…
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…
How to follow up after a fundraising cultivation event
The cultivation event was a starting point. It’s what you do after the event that counts when it comes to donor cultivation and building sustainable relationships with your attendees. Event follow-up is the critical element to starting…
How to upgrade your donor's giving to your organization
Organizations often become so focused on acquiring new donors and broadening their universe of prospects rather than developing and building relationships with the ones that they currently have. Many organizations that I see are not focused…
How to create multiple giving options for all of your donors interests
A wise organization is one that provides its donors with multiple options, whether programs or projects to invest. Donors come with all different types of passions held deep in their hearts, and it is our job to match those desires with our…
How to start a major gifts fundraising program without any major donors
How to start a major gifts fundraising program without any major donors I often get asked, "How can I start a major gifts program if my organization does not have any major donors?" Is it even possible? And, the short answer is YES! Even…
