Fundraising for any nonprofit organization can be challenging work, especially when it comes to raising major gifts. That’s because raising major gifts requires a healthy mix of effort, patience, and dedication to connect with donors and their passions. Unfortunately, when progress isn’t quick or obvious, raising those big gifts can be … [Read more...]
Asking for a Gift: When Does “No” Truly Mean “No”?
You're finally ready to ask a prospective donor for a gift... You've prepared. You've practiced. You've overcome your fear of asking a donor for a gift. So you make the ask, wait patiently for a response, and the person says, “No.” Your heart sinks. When a Donor Says "No" How do you know when a donor says “no” that it really … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Sabotage Your Major Gifts Program in an Instant
As a fundraiser, securing major gifts is a key aspect of your role. Major gifts can provide significant funding for your organization and can help to establish long-lasting relationships with your donors. However, it's important to remember that the process of securing a major gift is somewhat delicate. 7 Ways Fundraisers Can Sabotage … [Read more...]
Major Gift Fundraising: Reflections, Observations, and Predictions for 2023
While trying to decide what to write for my final post of the year, I looked back over some of my older posts for inspiration. I cherry-picked a collection of nuggets that I hope will be inspirational and motivational. Everyone Should Have a BHAG, Including You! I began the year with a post about creating a BHAG, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal … [Read more...]
Fundraising Boot Camp: The Most Effective Way to Raise Money, Fast
What does the image of boot camp evoke for you? Exercise, sweating, military training, intensity? Probably all the above. According to a quick Google search: A boot camp workout is basically a type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) -- bursts of intense activity alternated with intervals of lighter activity. For … [Read more...]
How to Deal with Disappointment When Raising Major Gifts
Fundraising can be full of frustration and disappointment. This is especially true when a donor doesn’t respond the way you'd hoped they would. There is a Bright Side to "No" However, there is a bright side to no. When you get a string of no’s, it could be a sign that you're being brave. And if you’re not getting any no’s, it’s definitely … [Read more...]
How to Tame the Scariest Part of Fundraising – The Ask
Asking for gifts can be scary. Especially if you’ve never done it before. There are many reasons fundraising is frightening. I can think of five right off the top of my head: Fear of rejection Fear of the unknown Fear of messing up the ask Fear of offending the donor Fear of saying something stupid If you’ve never asked for a … [Read more...]
8 Savvy Ways to Raise More Money in ANY Economy
Fall fundraising season is heating up. It’s normally the time nonprofits raise more than the rest of the year combined. But as the markets falter and uncertainty creeps in, you and your donors may be facing increasing anxiety about the economy. Relax -- you've got this. 8 Ways to Raise Money in ANY Enconomy If you're worried about the … [Read more...]
5 Times I Was Wrong About My Approach to Fundraising
The first decade of my fundraising career, I made many mistakes. Of course, mistakes aren’t necessarily bad if you take the opportunity to learn from them. Fortunately, I’m older and wiser now, and I hope you can learn from my own missteps. After 25 years of fundraising, I’ve learned a lot and am happy to pass along these tidbits to you. … [Read more...]
DON’T Do These 12 Things When Asking for a Major Gift
There are many things you “should” do when asking for major gifts. But because there are so many DO's, it might be easier to remember what NOT to do -- i.e., the DON'Ts. Many of the things on this list are things you're likely to already know. But you might forget to implement them in the hustle and bustle of your everyday work. Hopefully, … [Read more...]
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