Posts by David Phillips
Major Gift Fundraising with Fraternity Alumni
What really motivates donors? The Omega chapter of Alpha Beta Theta is clearly worthy of support, but brothers won’t give simply because the Fraternity is worthy, they will give because of their own needs. For every donor, there are personal rewards associated with making a gift. Your job is to help the potential donor explore…
Read MoreHands on Means Hands Down (Victory, That Is!)
It has become increasingly clear to me with each capital campaign I am involved with, that the single most important determining factor in the magnitude of success is the level and intensity of involvement by principals of the organization—both professional staff and volunteers. That is, I find a direct correlation between the level of success…
Read MoreA New Age for Grant Writing
In recent years, the feverish pitch in the search for funds has created a dangerous behavior called “grant getting.” Finding monies through grants has led many a fund seeker to shortcut the proposal process by “cutting and pasting” words and phrases on a grant application without regard to where the information came from. The focus…
Read MoreGolf Tournament as a Fund Raising Special Event
Often this question is the most important one to answer. Should we do a fund raising golf benefit tournament, and if so, why? The only good reason is to make money for the charity. There are ancillary reasons, such as “friend-raising” or the identification of new prospects, and the esprit de corps that is created…
Read MoreGo for the Gold: Ask for What You Want
The old adage “go for the gold” is particularly appropriate now, as the world gears up for the next Olympics. Athletes from all over the world are training for their opportunity to go for the gold and show that they are the best. For many of them, it will be their only Olympiad; their only…
Read More“Giving Them What They Want”—from Broadway to Social Media
In the musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” two con-artists, Lawrence and Andre, sing this ironic song about how they can get what they want simply by giving the people they want it from, exactly what THEY want (check out a clip from this song at http://goo.gl/pe908F ). We’re not trying to encourage you to steal from…
Read MoreEffective Fundraising Techniques
1. Be Kind. 2. Be Courteous and Compassionate. 3. Listen to the Donor! When asking people for large amounts of money, it’s crucial to follow proper fundraising etiquette. As development professionals, we must have a great deal of poise, polish, and tact. We have very personal discussions with prospects about very significant investments in our…
Read MoreUpgrade Your Campaign Executive Committee Meetings
Your campaign executive committee is the heart and soul of your capital campaign. Keeping these volunteers informed, inspired, motivated, and enthusiastic can make or break your campaign effort. Read on to learn how you can ensure that your campaign meetings are interesting, informative, productive, and positive. How to Improve Your Campaign Executive Committee Meetings At…
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