Can you point to ONE thing (a book, a person, a workshop, etc.) that made you better at your job, or even a better person? Although there are many wonderful fundraising books available these days, my all time favorite book, one that changed the way I work, is The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. NOTE: I'm not receiving any … [Read more...]
Above All, Raising Major Gifts Requires Deadlines and Accountability
Setting goals and meeting them is important -- especially when it comes to major gift fundraising. In fact, I'd argue that it's impossible to raise major gifts well if you don't: Set deadlines Keep yourself accountable Why Accountability Matters -- for ANY Goal In early January, I shared some of my New Year’s Resolutions with my … [Read more...]
Want to Raise More Money for Your Nonprofit? Learn to Say “No”
The number one complaint I hear from development directors is that they don’t have enough time to do their job. They have too many responsibilities and not enough hours in the day. Sound familiar? What if you could say “no” to some of the things currently on your to-do list? People-Pleasers Lose Productivity One common character … [Read more...]
7 Ways You can Use AI to Boost Your Fundraising Right Now
I recently attended a local fundraising conference and sat in on a session on AI (artificial intelligence). One of the participants raised her hand and said she didn’t understand how AI could help her. She bravely admitted she had never tried ChatGPT. The speakers smartly asked the audience to help give the woman examples of how and when … [Read more...]
9 Soft Skills Every Fundraiser Needs and How to Improve Them
Like most professional careers, fundraising requires a set of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are the fundraising techniques and best practices learned through schooling, trainings, webinars, and at conferences, as well as on-the-job experience. Soft skills, on the other hand, are often harder to learn if they don’t come … [Read more...]
Exercise at Work? Walking Your Way to Raising Major Gifts
Last week, my partner at Capital Campaign Pro, Andrea Kihlstedt, and I went to Maine on a planning retreat. We walked, thought, and talked our way to a breakthrough. The change of scenery and change of pace got us out of our “heads” and out of our routine, and therefore allowed the ideas to flow. Sometimes sitting at your desk can be … [Read more...]
Simple Stress Relief for Busy Development Directors
Have you ever been so stressed that you can’t get any work done? It’s a refrain I hear from development directors all the time. It’s like overload paralysis. The more work you have, the less you get done. I know how that feels. This week is especially busy with end of school activities, graduations, kids funning in and out, etc. A few … [Read more...]
6 Essential Tools and Technology for EVERY Nonprofit Fundraiser
In the 21st Century, there’s no getting around the essential nature of technology. When it comes to using the latest technology, where do you and your nonprofit fit? Ask yourself the following questions: Do you sleep outside the Apple store the night before a new phone drops? If so, then you're an early adopter. Do you simply have to … [Read more...]
The 9 Most Important Issues Facing Fundraisers Today [2023]
As a nonprofit fundraiser, it can be challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of fundraising and donor engagement. Not to mention the exponential growth in technology and rapid developments in data management. Add to that the fact that most development shops are under-resourced and understaffed, and you don’t exactly have a … [Read more...]
3 Efficiency Hacks for Stewarding Donors in Record Time
Stewardship is the critical, final step in the fundraising process. Stewardship is everything that happens after a gift is made -- most notably thanking a donor and letting them know how their gift was used. When done well, stewardship leads to donor retention and increased gift amounts. When donors feel great about the gift they made, they … [Read more...]