Effective 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…

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Upgrade 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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Major Gift Calls: Get What You Came For

What should you do when someone gives you $250,000? Well, that depends on who it is, how much was asked of them, and why they gave it to you! The answer to this question varies with the circumstances surrounding this major gift call. Obviously, no matter what the circumstances, you want to thank this person…

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7 Essentials for Fundraising Success

With all of the people, problems, and politics that clamor for our time and mental energy, each day can be hectic. In the midst of the hubbub of daily life in the fundraising world, it’s important to take an occasional step back. Remember to look at how you can be strategic in shaping your organization…

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Finding Major Gift Prospects

Everyone knows someone who is capable of making a major gift. I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard trustees and volunteers tell me they don’t know anyone capable of a gift of $25,000 or more. Images are conjured up of mansions, exotic sports cars, and lavish lifestyles. “I don’t run in those circles,” they…

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Find and Reach Your Target Market

In order for a non-profit organization to be effective, it needs to know its niche: who constitutes its target market and how it is served. This is true whether it’s a new group or one bursting at the seams with too many clients.

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Financial Goal Setting for Your Campaign

When setting a financial goal for your organization’s campaign, you want to choose a minimum goal that is both challenging and attainable. Nothing is more discouraging than running a great campaign and coming up a few thousand dollars short of the minimum goal.

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Fielding Solicitors for a Campaign Team

Introduction Just as sports teams are built around the players’ abilities and strengths, so too are campaign teams. And when a team needs a particular skill or asset, the coaches can either try to develop it among their current players or, more likely, recruit or draft for that ability. The four fundamentals of a campaign…

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