Communications and Networking
Initial Activities in a Capital Campaign: Doing Something at Once!
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when contemplating the enormity of undertaking a capital campaign. How to get it established? What to do first? Where to begin? Who to ask for what and when? Do I work on the case or find a leader? Don’t worry, this is normal. Take it one step at a…
Read MoreImprove Your Fundraising Focus
Let’s think about how we might improve our fundraising focus. Our concentration will be on growing the person, shifting the focus, managing the processes, and leading the organization from the heart and head.
Read MoreHow to Communicate Well with Major Donors
Learning to communicate well and at a deeper level with your major donors is important to grow your base of support. Do you know why your major donors and prospects would care about what you do? Consider Donor Motivation When it comes to what motivates your major donors, think about these questions: What relationship do…
Read MoreHow to Reach Your Potential – Delegate!
Are you a Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Advancement, or perhaps a Director of Development and Public Affairs? Are you being asked to help manage and direct other aspects of your institution? Is getting all your work done becoming more and more difficult, or even impossible? The answer may be closer than you think—perhaps…
Read MoreHow to Create a Great Campaign Meeting
Here at CDS Fundraising, we know from decades of experience that fundraising efforts thrive on momentum. A well-run campaign meeting is one of the best tools we have to inspire, motivate, and push our volunteer leaders to achieve their goals and further this momentum. By including the proper components, we can make campaign meetings the…
Read MoreHow to Be an Agent of Change
I was surprised to see in recent weeks that a six-year-old book remains on the New York Times Best Seller List, recently at #3 among nonfiction paperbacks. The book is The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. It seems as though it has become its own best promoter, demonstrating what happens when…
Read MoreHow to Avoid the Savior Syndrome
Many times in the life of an organization, recruiting just the right match of experience, skills, and attitude is a tricky, if not downright “your guess is as good as mine” process. Much concern and anxiety is likely to accompany the decision-making.
Read MoreHiring for the Long Term
Most managers and senior executives would agree the task of hiring is one of the responsibilities with the most room for error in their organization. There are many reasons for this, including:
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