Dream Big with Your Capital Campaign

Our Custom Development Solutions (CDS) staff are constantly talking with many nonprofit organizations across the US and Canada. We provide our clients with feedback on how they can best conduct their fundraising and capital campaign operations. That professional objectivity is a luxury for us and a resource for our partner organizations. Why Should You Dream…

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Seize the Moment

When is the best time for an organization to begin a capital campaign? The truth is, it’s best to seize the moment and begin now! Read on to learn why, and be sure to check out Your Capital Campaign Timeline for even more on this topic. When Will You Be Ready? Most of our work…

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6 Parts of an Effective Fundraising Offer

In his video from 2015, Jeff Brooks from TrueSense Marketing explores the 40/40/20 rule of direct marketing and its role in fundraising. The 40/40/20 rule suggests that 40% of the success of a direct marketing campaign comes from the quality of your list, 40% from your request, and 20% from the creative. The video touches…

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Fundraising During a Pandemic?!

5 things you can do to raise more money in the 4th quarter of 2020 “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.” – General George Patton Nonprofits are three quarters into calendar year 2020, which is a logical time for reflection, and recalibration as you enter the best four fundraising months of the year.  The…

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Connecting with People

In the fundraising consulting business, we deal with people every day. If we are to work with them effectively and successfully, we have to be able to make personal connections. Connecting with people allows us to create the conditions for our own success and the success of the organizations we strive to represent. Connecting with…

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Communicating the Ask

All charitable organizations need generous contributions to meet their obligations and reach their potential. People with discretionary resources want to make a difference in the world through their charitable contributions. How do you connect those in need with those who want to make a difference? Properly communicating the ask. This sounds easy, and there is…

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Building a Strong Solicitation Team

Details are important in every industry, but especially so in fundraising. Every conceivable aspect of how to raise money has been placed in the balance and weighed against the alternatives. This is most evident in the manner in which solicitations are performed. One of the first rules of fundraising is that people give to people.…

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Choosing a Stellar Campaign Leader

Dedicated volunteers are worth their weight in gold to your charitable organization. These high-level volunteers, including your campaign leader, provide credibility and undertake the essential relationship-building that helps attract friends, supporters, and financial resources to your organization. In a successful capital campaign, the importance of committed, high-performing volunteer leaders simply cannot be overstated. In fact,…

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