There’s a popular saying: progress, not perfection. While you may want things to be perfect (I certainly do), there comes a point when the pursuit of perfection starts holding you back instead of moving you forward. So the real question becomes: How do you know when it’s time to leap, launch, or jump? The Illusion of the “Right” … [Read more...]
The Nonprofit Leadership Time Warp Challenge
A few weeks ago, I asked nonprofit leaders about their biggest challenge. The overwhelming response? A lack of time. It’s no surprise. Time is the one thing every leader wishes they could stretch just a little further. Yet, time works in funny ways. Sometimes it flies, and other times it drags on painfully slowly. When 60 Seconds Feels … [Read more...]
Easy Does it: Solicit a Major Gift by Unlocking Your Inner Child
As children, we have no trouble asking for things we want. When we're small, we ask for toys, games, and candy. And while we hear “no” frequently as children, it doesn’t seem to deter us from asking again, and again, and again. Yet, somehow by the time we reach adulthood, “no” seems harder to swallow and our instinct to ask for what we want … [Read more...]
5 Reasons NOW is a Great Time to Ask for Major Gifts (or Start a Capital Campaign)
If there are leaders at your organization saying it’s not a good time to raise money, today’s post is for you (feel free to pass it along to them). Past is Prologue During the pandemic, many people though it was a bad time to raise money. With so much uncertainty in the world. Today feels very uncertain too. But that doesn’t mean you … [Read more...]
Top Trends Impacting the Future of Fundraising for Nonprofit Leaders
Next week I’m giving a talk called, “The Future of Fundraising: Top Trends Impacting Nonprofit Leaders Today and Tomorrow” at the NAYDO conference (North American YMCA Development Officers). (Let me know if you’ll be there in the post comments below -- I’d love to say hello.) In preparing for the talk, I’ve been thinking a lot about what … [Read more...]
How to Raise More Money Through Your Annual Fund
Have you ever been confused when people mention their annual fund, campaign, or appeal? What exactly are they talking about? Your annual fund (or annual campaign) is your 12 month long, multi-pronged effort to raise funds for your annual programmatic and operational needs. Annual campaigns often include traditional appeal letters (close to … [Read more...]
Learn to Raise Major Gifts: A Better Way (That Actually Works)
You’ve probably attended conferences and webinars, and maybe you’ve even read some books on how to raise major gifts. You understand the concepts but implementing them is hard. You’re still nervous about meeting with donors and asking for advice -- and for gifts. And you’re not having much luck getting meetings anyway. If that sounds … [Read more...]
The Future of Fundraising: Should You Be Concerned or Optimistic?
An upcoming speaking engagement has gotten me thinking about the future of fundraising. I’m guessing you’re thinking about it too. If you're paying attention to statistics on giving trends, you’re probably discouraged. The number of donors, dollars, and donor retention rates have trended down every year for nearly a decade. Reasons to … [Read more...]
AFP International Conference 2024: Campaign Takeaways
Were you in Toronto last week for the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference? If not, don’t worry. As in years past, you can buy the recording to every session through the AFP website. As has been the case for over a decade, I had the good fortune to present this past week -- this time, my focus was on preparing … [Read more...]
A Surefire Way to Raise More Than You Ever Imagined
There’s one surefire way to raise more money than you ever imagined for your organization. It’s not simple or quick or easy, but it’s practically guaranteed. The surefire way to raise more than you ever imagined is through the power of a capital campaign. Capital campaigns are magical because they require nonprofit leaders to implement … [Read more...]
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