In order to be successful, your nonprofit needs to create a balance between fundraising and developing relationships with existing supporters. Think about it this way: your nonprofit may be an expert at encouraging first-time donors to contribute. However, if you...
I’ve been getting the same type of question from a wide variety of nonprofit leaders in many different sectors. The question goes something like this: “This guy is rich. What’s my next step?” Part of me wants to applaud them. These leaders are...
As all up-to-date fundraising professionals know, online giving has become one of the most important sources of revenue for nonprofits in the past few years. Online donation forms allow supporters to donate securely and quickly from anywhere in the world, on their...
I’ve just getting back from the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference so it’s likely no surprise stories are on my mind. At the conference this year, I noticed talk about 2 types of nonprofit stories. I heard talk about “institutional stories” and...
Capital campaigns are both wonderful and stressful times in a nonprofit. Here are six lessons I’ve learned after 30 years on the capital campaign trail. 1. It’s About the Vision—Not The Money While preparing for a fundraising campaign can be a daunting...
A while back, I received a call from an ALS Foundation. The call was awful. So awful, I’ve waited over a year and a half to write about it. Long enough that I don’t remember exactly which ALS organization it was. But fresh enough that the emotions linger....