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...
The Early Bird, Time Travel, and Better Grantwriting
Did you ever hear the proverb the early bird gets the worm? When I was a kid, I was very, very literal. I decided that if the early bird got the worm, I had no desire to be that bird! From that came my habit of sleeping in. But now I know better and can apply this...
Are you a BFF?
I've been seeing a disturbing trend of late: a sharp rise in what I call are BFFs: blunt force fundraisers. Nonprofit leaders willfully skipping planning to jump straight to asking. As the author of Ask Without Fear!®, you know I am an advocate for asking. But the...
Can you fundraise in the face of disasters like Hurricane Harvey?
In this morning's note to my weekly Fundraising Kick coaching email subscribers, I offered two ways to respond to a tragedy like the devastation people are experiencing in Texas because of Hurricane Harvey. This message is so timely, I am sharing it here as well. If...
3 Common Capital Campaign Mistakes
Capital campaigns are a wild roller coaster ride of vision-fueled excitement followed by long stretches of slow. slogging. work. The slow parts require incredible discipline to stay on course. I know because I’ve helped run 18 capital campaigns at schools,...
Upcoming Events
I'll be on the road quite a bit this fall. If you'll be at one of these events, let's try to meet up! Atlanta - August 14 - YNPN 2017 I'm looking forward to giving leadership trainings on taking charge of your own career. They've let me offer a $30 discount to people...
The danger of seeking 100% online giving
Online giving definitely is growing. And if you listen to the growth statistics, you may feel you can fully fund your organization using online giving tools. If that's you, stop. Seriously. When something grows from 1% to 2% it's 100% growth, but it's still not the...
Are you just putting out fires?
Here's the text of an email I sent to subscribers of the free #FollowUpFriday email list. Versions of this process helped keep me sane as a fundraiser so I thought I'd share it here. Good morning! Yesterday I felt overwhelmed by the demands on my time. Projects...
It’s not about scaring, but caring
I recently blogged about a storytelling tip for nonprofit leaders that I learned from Kindra Hall. The tip is especially powerful in nonprofit fundraising. Kindra took the millenia old story structure - beginning, middle, end - and reframed it as normal, explosion,...
Nonprofit Payment Processing: The Ins and Outs
Passion may be a key player in determining a nonprofit’s success, but without the necessary funds to make it happen, your nonprofit will only get so far in making a difference. That’s why in order to gain real traction with donors, your nonprofit must first set up a...
Are there other ways to fund your nonprofit?
Have you ever been asked by a board member, "Isn't there some other way of funding our work rather than asking for money?" Or have you thought that yourself? Well, NonprofitHub's CEO Randy Hawthorne says, "Yes!" He is experienced at generating revenue for his...
Is fundraising hurting itself?
Today, the fundraising think tank Rogare published "Less Than My Job's Worth." In this important "green" paper - a paper created for discussion - Rogare's director Ian MacQuillin exams the questions "is fundraising a profession?" and "does it matter if fundraising...