What is your aversion to asking others for money?
I enjoy asking for gifts. I like to connect a donor with a mission and see magic happen. Indeed, when you ask one for a gift, the giver gives.
When I have broached this topic as of late, I see faces cringe and heads nod, "no." The body…
Fundraising audits inside and out
The fundraising audit is a major step in fundraising planning. When you think about planning, you think about where are we, where do we want to be, and how are we going to get there?
The fundraising audit helps you to determine, where are…
Why do good grant applications fail?
Why good grant applications fail.
Yes, every grant you write will not be funded. That is a reality. I know, you and I both wish that they were, but that's not always the case.
According to The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University…
How does your fundraising ROI measure up?
How are you looking at your fundraising rate of return?
It is critical that you develop a variety of ways to measure your performance and report these results to the board.
In doing so, you are ensuring appropriate stewardship of your resources…
Are you stuck in the fundraising dark ages?
With some nonprofits, there seems to be a disconnect. These groups have operated using the same fundraising methods as they did twenty years ago, perhaps with the same leaders leading the organization.
They fail to look at national giving…
Plan before you prepare your next proposal.
What are the first steps to your grant planning?
First you need to document your funding priorities with custom tailored cases for supports that can be used to match up to a funders priority.
Once you have outlined your needs, the next steps…
I have a motive, and it is a bequest.
Yes, I have a motive, and it is a bequest. As a young woman with no children, I have already created my estate plans. Yes, I have. And while those I love will be taken care of as they should. There is a time after they are gone when my assets…
Insanity? Creating a fundraising plan without conducting an audit.
When developing a fundraising plan, I am often asked whether or not, I can skip the development audit analysis. And, I arguably say "no!"
A fundraising audit is probably the most critical stage of the entire planning process looking at where…
A Case Study: Donor Acquisition – It Does Work!
This week, I had a conversation with one of my very first clients. And, I wanted to share their success story. You see, too many groups don't want to invest in donor acquisition because they know that they will lose money - in the short-term.…
Younger people want to give, but can’t!
Younger donors don't give as much. You can chase the Millennials and the generation whatever's, but if you don't take into consideration the family life cycle, then you are misdirecting your energies.
What is the family life cycle I hear…
Hello, are you really listening to me?
We are all so very guilty of appearing to listen to someone, but yet already forming a reply in our head..
You know, you are sitting with a donor and rather than listening, you are rehearsing what your response may be.
Are you missing some…
We need money now! An ethical decision.
This week, I read a post by the very insightful Veritus Group. In the post, they asked,"When you think of your donor, do you first think of them as a source of cash – as a way to reach the goals you have set?"
This question indeed touched…
