Thoughts on Nonprofit Leadership

How to Hire a Good Fundraising Consultant for executive directors work relationships

Most nonprofits hire an outside fundraising consultant at one point or another in their life cycles. Some consultants assess situations and provide solutions, some facilitate trainings, and some perform specialized tasks. And, like everything, some are better than others. At least for your...

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5 Fundraising Principles We Can Learn from Martin Luther King, Jr. for executive directors fundraising marketing and communications

     Martin Luther King, Jr. is best known as a prominent civil rights leader of the 1950’s and 60’s. In 1964 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent activism. He is probably most famous for his moving speeches, most notably his I Have a Dream speech.

 ...

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How to Get Ready for Annual Reporting evaluation time management

     It’s the second week of the new year. It’s time to start gathering the data you need to report on last year’s results. Perhaps you are preparing for a financial audit. Maybe you are putting together an annual report. Or you are possibly getting ready to...

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How to Increase Revenues Without Increasing Costs evaluation

What are your plans to increase revenues in 2022? Execute more fundraising activities? Get more participation in current efforts? Go after completely new donors? You can only do three things to realize higher net income: get more people to give, get current people to give more, and cut costs....

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Your Year End Checklist development planning

If you’re like me, you like to go into the office during the quiet times when you can get a lot of uninterrupted work done. As the new year approaches and many of your coworkers are out of the office, take time to do the following four things.

  1.  Personally Thank Every Donor

Make...

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How to Nurture New Donors to Give Again building community support individual giving relationship building

Congratulations! You just received a donation from a new donor! How do you retain and cultivate that donor so they make a second gift?

The first thing you do is acknowledge and thank them. Then, to solidify the relationship, send them an automated series of welcome emails. A good welcome sequence...

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How to Raise More Money Through Your Holiday Appeal fundraising individual giving

How do you conduct your holiday appeal? I have worked at several nonprofits that have each done it differently.

They all sent out direct mail appeals, physical letters. For some, the only thing left to do was receive and record donations and send thank you letters. For some, the letter was...

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Individual Donor Giving Differences fundraising individual giving

Different fundraising causes, vehicles, and ways to research nonprofits appeal to different generational cohorts. Using the information about each donor group to customize your fundraising program will drastically increase the response to your appeal and improve your fundraising results. The U.S....

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Why Donors Give corporate giving foundation giving fundraising individual giving

Why do donors give? Different types of donors, that is individuals, foundations, and businesses, are motivated to give for different reasons.

Individuals

People are driven by values, feelings and beliefs. Know your donors’ values, needs and motivations and meet them where they are. Appeal...

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