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...]
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...]
Top 6 Reasons for Your Nonprofit to Have a Board Retreat this Year
Does your organization hold an annual retreat for board members? And, if you do have an annual retreat, is fundraising on the agenda? Why Should Your Nonprofit Have a Board Retreat? Board retreats serve many purposes: Team building Strategic planning Deep thinking Training opportunities (particularly fundraising) Generating … [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...]
How to Hire a Great Consultant for Your Nonprofit
As a fundraising consultant, I often sit across from nonprofit leaders, staff, and board members, who are struggling to determine whether to hire Capital Campaign Pro (my capital campaign consulting firm), another consultant, or no one (i.e., do it themselves). Luckily, sitting on a nonprofit board enables me to get a sneak peek at the … [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...]
Raising Major Gifts Takes Accountability: 3 Ways to Stay on Track
Major gift fundraising can be hard for a variety of reasons. One reason is that it’s intimidating to ask for money. And human nature dictates that we delay things we fear. For that reason, major gift fundraising often gets relegated to the bottom of your to do list. Unfortunately, there are no natural deadlines when it comes to raising … [Read more...]
Assess Yourself and Your Fundraising: 5 Profound Questions
As we head into the fall fundraising season, I thought it might be interesting to do a personal and professional assessment of where you are and where you'd like to go. There’s no reason to wait until January for New Year’s resolutions -- you can make changes right now. Personal and professional improvement should be ongoing. The good news … [Read more...]
Major Gift Readiness Assessment: 10 Questions to Ask and Answer
What would it mean to your organization if you could raise 5, 6, or even 7 figure gifts? If you’re not currently soliciting gifts in-person for specific amounts, it could be a game-changer for your organization. With just a small handful of gifts, you could raise an additional $50K, $100K or even $500K. That’s what makes major gift … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Improve Your Fundraising Mindset this Summer
Summer is the perfect time to rejuvenate and refocus. As a fundraiser, and especially as a woman in the nonprofit sector, it’s essential to take proactive steps to enhance your mindset. 10 Summertime Tips to Improve Your Fundraising Mindset Over the course of this summer, I invite you to take advantage these ten tips. These suggestions … [Read more...]
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