When in doubt, write a JTOY
Excellent fundraisers know that fundraising is about a relationship with a donor. Since they're a "donor," the relationship is centered around their giving. But it is a relationship. That giving is linked to a donor's values and passions - things that make her...
How to Find Major Donors: The Nonprofit’s Ultimate Guide
Whether your nonprofit seeks to expand its outreach, embark on a new project, or maintain the good work that you’re already doing, you need the significant support of major donors. Major donors make the largest contributions that your organization receives, so your...
48% of US nonprofits say December fundraising was lower than last year
But most say overall 2018 fundraising is the same or better than last year's. What a year 2018 was here in the USA. It started with a lot of nonprofit professionals and boards scared that the new charitable deduction would hurt giving. As the year went on, others...
Get fundraising unstuck by reframing
I just returned from training NGO leaders in Lebanon. Prior to the training, I spent time studying Lebanese philanthropy and interviewing people who'd registered. Fundraising is clearly getting harder. I kept hearing the two reasons it was particularly hard in Lebanon...
Fundraising in the last days of December
Year-end is a huge time for nonprofit's fundraising. There's a debate if the spike in giving is because we ask so much more frequently at this time of year or if it's because people are more generous because of the mix of public and religious holidays combined with...
Who’s leading the army?
Last month, at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, I saw Jeff Brooks help nonprofits understand donor communication by sharing a great image. I wrote about it to my Fundraising Kick email subscribers. But I wanted to share it here. Hopefully it'll help as you write...
Capital Campaigns for the 21st Century
Capital campaigns are a mainstay in nonprofit fundraising. There's something special about a time-limited, specific goal like a capital campaign. It gets us motivated to give generously and accomplishes results we can see and touch. But things are changing. For...
A true disruption in fundraising
We often hear people claim they're going to "disrupt" an industry, even fundraising. "This will change everything," they promise. And the implied threat is that you'd better adapt or get left behind. They are usually selling a website or an app that is supposed to...
![[Guest Post] 3 Surprising Things I Learned From Making Recurring Donations to 115 Nonprofits](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/02225840/Brady-Josephson-Bio-Pic-Image.450w-400x250.png)
[Guest Post] 3 Surprising Things I Learned From Making Recurring Donations to 115 Nonprofits
Monthly giving is important for nonprofits. But are we doing it well? To test, Brady Josephson ran an experiment involving giving to 115 nonprofits. And I'm honored that he agreed to write about his findings. Brady is the Vice President of Innovation and Optimization...
Digital Fundraising + Social Media: Your Guide to Raising More
If you’ve been paying attention to recent trends in philanthropic giving, you’ve probably noticed that digital fundraising and online giving have become more and more popular among donors. But how can you make this trend work for you? Digital fundraising never stops...
Are you telling the RIGHT story in your fundraising?
Steven Screen is at it again. Steven is an amazing direct mail and fundraising expert. And he has a way of making me feel uncomfortable. He says the best story for raising money is the "incomplete story." You see, when I write fundraising letters, my first reaction is...
Make the most of the summer
Last week, I sent my Fundraising Kick subscribers a couple ideas on how to make the most of the different pace of the summer. Although Kicks are written for nonprofit CEO's, I thought this might be helpful to a larger group of people as well. Happy New (fiscal) Year,...
Happy (Fiscal) New Year
Years ago, I recorded this "Thank you for fundraisers." I wanted to get it out early this year to give you the extra "umphf" to push through these last few days of the fiscal year. (If your fiscal year ends in June!) Thanks for your hard work. Our world is better...
3 Things to Stop Doing in Your Thank You’s to Donors
I just returned from a training where I got to hear Mary Cahalane teach on writing good thank you letters. Studies estimate that 53% of donors who stop giving to a nonprofit stop due to the nonprofit's lack of communication. 53%! When donors don't hear from us, they...
Will you take the Red Pen Challenge?
Fundraising is a counter-intuitive profession. But it is a profession. Experts research fundraising tactics and test strategies to find out what works. Often, the results seem illogical. Like is the case in writing fundraising letters that actually raise money. The...
Are you making a specific fundraising offer or reverting to “join us”?
I recently wrote about the importance of your fundraising offer. This post has gotten more response from readers than most. And it's captured the attention of my private coaching clients so much many of them are actively working on being more intentional about...
Spring Forward With 5 Fundraising Ideas for Savvy Nonprofits
With spring finally here, your organization is likely looking for ways to boost your fundraising efforts to reach new supporters and fund projects crucial to your mission. Whether you’re an experienced fundraiser or are new to the game, you can always use some...
What do you offer?
Listen to a direct mail specialist like Tom Ahern or Steven Screen talk about fundraising for any length of time and you'll hear them constantly talking about "offers." You need clear offers. Test various offers. What is your offer? This can confuse the rest of us....
Are you able to sharpen your saw?
I've been talking to a lot of amazing nonprofit leaders and staff. Our sector is full of some of the most dedicated people! But dedication seems to go only so far, doesn't it? With all the hard work, doesn't it just feel like there's more to do? In our latest...
![[Guest Post] The Science of Giving: Why Your Brain Craves Meaning](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/02225924/Laura-Roser-Headshot-rgb-400x250.png)
[Guest Post] The Science of Giving: Why Your Brain Craves Meaning
The Science of Giving: Why Your Brain Craves Meaning by Laura A. Roser Your brain is a meaning magnet. It can’t help it; it’s been conditioned. Since the hunter and gatherer days, humans have tried to make sense of the world. From the Egyptians and Greeks with their...
5 Ways Nonprofit Tech Can Improve Your Donor Stewardship
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...
He’s rich. Now what?
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 doing the hard work of...
7 Key Ways Online Giving Has Changed Over the Past Year
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...
The new tax bill’s aftermath doesn’t need to be the end of your nonprofit
There are dire warnings in the United States press about the huge drop in charitable giving coming in 2018. Even groups who should know better, like AFP - the Association of Fundraising Professionals, is saying the sky is falling. (Full disclosure: I am on the board...
Should you tell event attendees how much was raised?
I often get asked by event organizers if we should talk about money in our event follow up. It's a great question because these people are wanting to be transparent but not wanting to hurt future donations. So should you mention how much was raised at the event?...
2 types of nonprofit stories – and the one that drives donations
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 "donor stories."...
6 Lessons Learned on the Capital Campaign Trail
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 enterprise,...
Why Donor Fundraising Systems Matter for Your Non-Profit
Over the past twenty years, I have worked with hundreds of non-profit organizations. In my experience, the majority of non-profits (and the vast majority of small and mid-sized organizations) are frustrated with fundraising. Most non-profits feel overwhelmed with fund...
4 hours of free leadership, goal-setting, and fundraising training
As much as I love to do in-person leadership and fundraising trainings, sometimes you just can't get to them. So webinars can be incredibly helpful. Over the last few months, I've done webinars for NCDC, qGiv, NonprofitHub, and Bloomerang. Webinars on Leadership and...
Guilt, stories, and fundraising
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. And I want...