FundraisingCoach.com Just Ranked #3 on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Fundraising Blogs

I was honored to find out that FeedSpot ranked FundraisingCoach.com the #3 fundraising blog in the world, out of 100.

I’ll be honest — I may have done a happy dance.

It’s not because the ranking itself changes anything about how I serve clients or share fundraising tips. It’s because people all over the world are getting to use real, time-tested strategies that are helping their communities. Right now.

The Company We’re Keeping

The NonProfit Times took #1. They’ve been the anchor for nonprofit news since 1987, long before most of us were writing about this stuff. I was glad to see Bloomerang came in close behind at #2. I’ve long enjoyed their focus on donor retention and even their sponsorship of one of our own research projects. And right after me at #4 is my friend Jeff Brooks at Future Fundraising Now. If you’re not reading Jeff on donor communications, fix that today. He’ll help you immediately change your writing to raise more money.

Being in that company is the real honor. Glad to have been able to be helpful for the past 23 years!

Five Fundraising Realities I Keep Coming Back To

I’ve never been a fan of “look at my new site” or “look at this stat” posts. While it’s good to celebrate, I thought I’d add something useful to this post. So here are five nonprofit fundraising and leadership ideas that have been constant over the last few decades. And ones that seem to help people most when I teach them.

Asking for a specific dollar amount is courtesy to the donor. This is the hardest thing for most new or accidental fundraisers. Most would prefer to suggest or imply or hint at. But as I teach in Ask Without Fear!®, an ask isn’t an ask unless you ask for a specific dollar amount. A donor can’t read your mind, let them know what you are thinking so you can have an honest conversation.
The right next ask could be an ask for advice. Years ago, a board member told me “Ask someone for money and they’ll give you an opinion, ask someone for an opinion and they’ll give you money.” And I’ve found it to be true. When asked with true integrity, real curiosity, you move the relationship out of the merely transactional. If your donor relationships feel transactional, it’s usually because you led with the ask instead of the curiosity.
You are not your best prospect. Nor is your board. You and your board actually pay attention to your nonprofit. You actually read the fundraising appeals. Your donors don’t. They’re generous but they’re busy with full lives. They care, but their lives aren’t centered around you. So listen to fundraising writers like Jeff Brooks and Tom Ahern. And if your boss or board isn’t thrilled with the appeal letter, it’s probably the perfect one to send.
The “back to zero” grind is real, and it’s not a sign you’re failing. Every fiscal year, the clock resets and you’re back at zero. That’s genuinely exhausting, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone. If you’re feeling that weight right now, you’re not alone — it’s not a personal failure, it’s just what the cycle does to people. There are ways to manage the strain, but the first step is admitting it’s hard.
A “no” is rarely a forever “no.” Hearing a “no” can really hurt. And it feels final. But in my experience and the experience of my clients, a “no” is rarely forever. In fact, a no can help you set yourself apart from other nonprofits. Upon hearing a no, most people run. And never talk to the donor again. But if you continue treating them like a human, sharing information, keeping in touch, you’ll find that even the most vigorous no usually changes their mind in 18 months. This isn’t license to be a nuisance. But it is a reminder that to treat people as humans. Even if they don’t say “yes” to your ask..

If You Want More of This

I write the Ask Without Fear!® Newsletter for exactly this reason, real tools for real fundraising conversations. Practical, no fluff. If that’s useful to you, subscribe here and I’ll send you the free ebook, 21 Ways for Board Members to Engage in Their Nonprofit’s Fundraising, along with it.