Over and over I hear board and staff members complain that they don’t know any “rich” people and my reaction is always the same: it’s more important to meet people with big hearts than big wallets. Remember, the actual number of “rich” people in this country (or even in the world) is extremely small. Therefore the chances that one of them … [Read more...]
4 Great Tips to Make Fundraising 10 Times Easier
In my most recent newsletter (join my list at right and you'll get my eBook too), I asked about your biggest challenge with regards to fundraising. Thank you to everyone who responded, and I hope some of the answers below will help with your challenges. I got a wide range of answers, but I think it boils down to the fact that fundraising can … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Make Sure Board Members Aren’t Bored
Ever wonder why your board members aren’t “out there” fundraising for your organization? Want to keep your board members enthusiastic about your organization and it's mission? Here are 5 surefire ways to keep the members of your board members from being bored. 1. Add Excitement to Your Board Meetings Unfortunately most board meetings are … [Read more...]
How to Organize Your Development Shop to be Donor-Focused
How organized is your development shop? More importantly, are you donor-focused? How Does Your Organization Compare? Last week I facilitated a process improvement meeting for development department directors at a local hospital foundation. Each department at the hospital foundation (annual fund, major gifts, stewardship, planned giving) … [Read more...]
Is Your Organization Changing the World?
If you follow me on Twitter @AmyEisenstein, you already know that I was at the most amazing AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) conference this week in Chicago. One of the sessions I attended was called “From Bonsai to Redwood – Cutting Edge Thinking from the Frontiers of Philanthropy.” The speaker was Jon Duschinsky. I wish you … [Read more...]
Japan Reminds Us: Nonprofits Need Cash, So Just Ask
Yesterday I heard a report on the radio that made me frustrated and angry. The reporter had recently completed an in-depth survey of all the emergency response agencies to the crisis in Japan. What was their conclusion? If you really want to help, send cash! Is this rocket science? Did we really in need a study to tell us this? Maybe we … [Read more...]
How to Identify Potential Donors for Your Cause
Do you wish you raised more money from individuals? If so, what’s stopping you? I often hear from my clients that they don’t know where to start. If you’re stuck because you don’t know where to start, the first step is to identify potential donors or prospects. Some Simple Ways to Identify Potential Donors There are a handful of … [Read more...]
How To Cultivate Prospects and Build Lasting Relationships
Cultivation is the process of building relationships, which is what fundraising is all about! Cultivation is NOT: A monologue about how great your program is. A single meeting. A tour of your facility, highlighting the shiny new (or dirty old) equipment, classrooms, facilities, conference rooms, etc. Cultivation IS: A dialogue … [Read more...]
The Smartest Way to Raise More Money in 2011
Another year is almost over. Was your 2010 fundraising as successful as it could’ve been? You probably didn’t raise as much money as you should’ve because you aren’t asking as often as you could’ve. And, it’s not because you didn’t want to. It’s because you may not know exactly how, and because you’re overwhelmed with day-to-day … [Read more...]
8 Questions to Answer Before Year-End Giving
Are you prepared to receive your share of the millions (billions) of dollars that will be donated to charities in the next few weeks? The countdown to New Year’s Eve and the end of the 2010 giving season is on. What have you done this year to prepare for your share of the pot? 1. Did you build relationships this year? Fundraising is about … [Read more...]