Celebrating your nonprofit – The Nonprofit Blog Carnival
The February Nonprofit Blog Carnival generated some interesting comments but not many blog posts. The call for posts was for creative ways to celebrate you cause. We seem to be a creative bunch...Many people said they loved this topic. But there weren't any blog post...
A surprising tweak to increase donor retention
I've worked alot on donor retention and often written about the importance of keeping the donors you already have. But in a recent webinar on storytelling for nonprofits, I had a rude awakening. The webinar was presented by the legendary fundraiser Ken Burnett. He was...
![[Guest Post] 3 Tips to Create Sustainable Nonprofit Systems](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02230953/TycelyWilliams200w.png)
[Guest Post] 3 Tips to Create Sustainable Nonprofit Systems
I'm honored to introduce Tycely Williams. Tycely impresses me with her ability to create solutions for nonprofits that can be sustained even with small staffs. Here are some of her thoughts on helping let fundraising permeate all the areas of your nonprofit. She'll be...
![[Guest Post] Quitting the Culture Club – Why blaming a lack of culture of philanthropy is just plain lazy](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02230955/D.McCormack-200w.jpg)
[Guest Post] Quitting the Culture Club – Why blaming a lack of culture of philanthropy is just plain lazy
A few weeks back, I was talking with Dan McCormack about an upcoming training. In the midst of our conversation, Dan said he didn't let his team use the term "a culture of philanthropy." His observations were so right, I asked if he'd do a guest blog post on this. I'm...
The biggest mental block to fundraising success – board members and nonprofit leaders
A couple weeks ago, I asked subscribers to the Ask Without Fear! email newsletter, "What is stopping you?" I've received over 100 responses from nonprofit leaders, fundraising staff, and board members! I'm still sorting through all of them, but a very common one is a...
50 Shades of Green – Standing up to violence against women
Invest #50ShadesofGreen to help end abuse Let's turn the multi-million corporate ad budget for 50 Shades of Grey on its head. My wife and I saw our friend JoAnne Hankey suggest people not see the movie but give the money they would've spent to a women's shelter....
Nonprofit Blog Carnival – Celebrating your nonprofit cause
Call for submissions: Deadline February 26th! It is my pleasure to be hosting the February Nonprofit Blog Carnival! With Valentine's Day in February, the last three years have focused on "loving": loving nonprofit staff loving donors and keeping them coming back and...
Are you lying to your nonprofit board members?
I'm not sure why it is, but so many of us outright lie when we invite people to our nonprofit board. We tell them, "It won't be a lot of work. And it will be alot of fun." But neither are totally true. Board work is work. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's routine....
Nonprofit Board Orientation – 3 tips to starting them right!
In a recent study, 75% of nonprofit executives said their board members weren't sufficiently engaged. 3 out of 4! With numbers that high, you know there has to be a systemic issue. Nonprofits are doing amazing things around the world. People work and volunteer at them...
What would you like to learn about nonprofit boards?
As we wrap up the year, it's amazing to see what a year it's been. Many of you are reporting increased donor retention, better storytelling results, and increased fundraising (some of you dramatic increases!). As I've been reflecting this year, I've been remembering...
![[Guest Post] How to Make Your Fundraising Plans for Next Year Better… and More Effective](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/02231001/joe-garecht_large.jpg)
[Guest Post] How to Make Your Fundraising Plans for Next Year Better… and More Effective
I've been enjoying Joe Garecht's work at The Fundraising Authority for years. And I'm thrilled that he'll be teaching in The Nonprofit Academy in January. He'll be teaching on How to Write a Successful Non-Profit Fundraising Plan, so I've invited him to share a few...
![[Guest Post] 5 Reasons Your Peer to Peer Program is Failing](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/02231001/davelinn200w.jpg)
[Guest Post] 5 Reasons Your Peer to Peer Program is Failing
Today, I've invited Dave Linn to teach about peer-to-peer fundraising. Having run bikathons and walkathons myself, I know how powerful they can be...and how much of a pain they can be too! Dave is the Chief Operating Officer of The Generosity Series, a series of...
5 truly useful gifts for travelers who fundraise
I've been seeing lots of "gifts for travelers" lists. Unfortunately, most of them are full of expensive items that are of questionable value. Do we really need $85 galoshes? Or a $70 light bulb? Here are some real gifts you can get your favorite traveling fundraiser!...
Training Your Board to Raise Money – a book for your new year
I love finding practical tools that can help nonprofits thrive. The new book Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money is just that. Crisis with nonprofit boards Gone are the days when boards could be rubber-stamping social clubs. More than ever, nonprofits...
![[Guest Post] Are you frustrated with some of your board members?](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/02231007/SimonePJFundCoaches-200w.jpg)
[Guest Post] Are you frustrated with some of your board members?
Today, I'm pleased to share with you a fun post by Simone Joyaux. Simone is one of the most provocative and insightful fundraising consultants I know. She is particularly good at working with boards and governance, so I asked her to write a piece in relation to her...
Ask Without Fear!® now in Chinese
We are thrilled to announce that Ask Without Fear!® is now available in Chinese! Thanks to the tranlators at Shantz Language Services, people raising support in China and in Chinese speaking populations around the world will be able to read Ask Without Fear! in...
Ask Without Fear!® now in Chinese
We are thrilled to announce that Ask Without Fear!® is now available in Chinese! Thanks to the tranlators at Shantz Language Services, people raising support in China and in Chinese speaking populations around the world will be able to read Ask Without Fear! in...
The power of thanking and #npstoryconf
Even though I'm currently doing fundraising trainings in Europe, I'm still basking in the glow of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference in Seattle. An amazing experience I've probably been to hundreds of conferences. But this one was like no other. A couple hundred...
Is your nonprofit fundraising ask like Al Roker’s #Rokerthon?
Legendary weatherman Al Roker is attempting to set a Guinness record for the longest weather broadcast with a 34-hour weather report. 34 hours! For every hour of reporting, he gets a 5-minute break. You can watch the #Rokerthon live here. Does your donor feel like...
Upcoming Fundraising Coach Speaking and Trainings
I am often asked where my next speaking events are. Here are the upcoming trainings and talks for November 2014 into January 2015. In addition to online events, I'll be on all over the USA and in two other countries! Updated 11/15/2014: Included PennyBridge's...
![[Guest Post] How to Overcome Objections in Scheduling Your Fundraising Solicitation Meetings](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/02231010/andreakihlstedt-200w.jpg)
[Guest Post] How to Overcome Objections in Scheduling Your Fundraising Solicitation Meetings
I'm a huge fan of Andrea Kihlstedt. She's a true expert in fundraising - one that makes you feel smarter just by being around her. She's the author of multiple books and the creator of the "asking styles" way of helping people ask in coordination with their hard...
Storytelling is for fundraising NOT for nonprofit marketing!
I'm shocked at how people looking for solid fundraising tactics, simply blow off storytelling. It's as though there is some cosmic organizational chart in the sky that has storytelling is on one side (the "marketing" side) and fundraising is on the other. Divorcing...
Quick storytelling tip for nonprofit board members
Being a nonprofit board member can be an exciting adventure. You're part of something bigger than yourself, doing incredible work. But the joy tends to evaporate when you're asked to talk about your nonprofit to your friends. My coaching clients often ask me questions...
Get new donors with Facebook Ads?
Are you confused about Facebook Advertising and how it applies to your nonprofit fundraising? You know that your donors and prospects are on Facebook. Facebook ads are becoming a must in today's pay-to-play Facebook model but where do you start? And how much do you...
4 Great Nonprofit Trainings this Month in The Nonprofit Academy!
A few weeks ago, The Nonprofit Academy joined the Fundraising Coach. With over 50 webinars, templates, and tools in the NPA Online Vault, it's already a great resource for affordable, efficient, and effective nonprofit trainings. But members typically get one new...
Stop being jealous! Tips on dealing with #ALSicebucketchallenge
Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about my "view" of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. When I saw it happening, I watched with professional curiosity. I love seeing a nonprofit hit a fundraising campaign out of the park! You'd think that as a guy lost his mom...
Get jazzed when a donor says “no”!
As I wrote earlier this week, some of my coaching clients are being transformed by the idea of keeping on going until we get no. This concept is helping them keep up their endurance in asking. And it's helping donors really connect to causes that matter to them. So...
Sometimes, you need to go for no
I just finished writing my latest "Question Marc" column for FundRaising Success magazine answering a question from "Panicked in Pasadena." Panicked was that way because donors weren't responding to her solicitations. Can you relate? We stop too soon One of the tips I...
Ebola, Apple’s iPhone 6, and your nonprofit’s successful fundraising
Today the Apple iPhone 6 hits the streets. People are lining up by the hundreds like the line going around the block in this image from New York City. Are they lining up that way for your nonprofit's fundraising? Yesterday I published an article on LinkedIn's Pulse...
3 inexpensive tools to make your year-end giving amazing
In creating an Ask Without Fear! training for the executive directors of the Jewish National Fund of Canada, I was reminded how important September is for the vast number of nonprofits. Even for those like JNF that have religious holidays in the coming weeks, the end...