If you’re like most nonprofit leaders I know, you’ve probably thought, “I don’t have enough time” more than once this week. If so, you’re not alone. Time is the one resource we can’t get more of, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. The truth is, you’ll always have more to do than you can possibly get done. Not only that, but most people waste a … [Read more...]
5 Important Steps to Leading an Effective Meeting at Your Nonprofit
Bad meetings are the worst. You've probably experienced a few yourself. I know I have! Those meetings where you didn’t really need to be there, where one person dominates the discussion and you're left wishing you had stayed home, and spent quality time with your family instead. The kind where if you could summarize the meeting in a short … [Read more...]
You Have Everything You Need to Raise Major Gifts — Tap It!
Almost 10 years ago, I challenged development directors to get “rich and famous” in a blog post that has over 350 comments on it. (For comparison, my average post gets maybe two comments.) Rich in terms of donations to their organizations. Famous, as in a “rock star” among their board members and colleagues. In other words, the best, … [Read more...]
Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Technology: 3 Keys to Future Fundraising Success
Recently, I gave a keynote called “The Future of Fundraising: Top Trends Impacting Nonprofit Leaders, Today and Tomorrow.” (If you know of an upcoming conference, I’d love to be considered for the keynote.) You might assume I focused on technology. Of course, technology is an important piece of the future of fundraising, but probably not in … [Read more...]
The Power of One Hour for Fundraisers and Nonprofit Leaders
Recently I spent one hour with my speaking coach. A power-hour. I'm working on some new speaking topics and keynote talks scheduled for later this spring and summer, and I want to make sure I am as prepared as possible. I hadn’t done my homework in advance of our meeting, so I nearly canceled. And that would have been a HUGE mistake. We … [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...]
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...]
7 Things You Learned in Kindergarten that Apply to Fundraising
Robert Fulghum’s bestselling book, All I really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, is close to 40 years old and is still as relevant as it was when it was written. Many of the credos below, which I’ve taken directly from Fulghum’s book, can be applied to fundraising. As the fall fundraising season gears into full swing, I thought it … [Read more...]
How to Create a Development Plan that Catapults Your Fundraising
I often remind people of the definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. What are you going to do differently down the road to try to raise more money for your cause? You must have a development plan for your nonprofit. And if you already have one, you should take the time to reevaluate and … [Read more...]
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