Professional Fundraising
Surefire Ways to Identify Your Major Gift Prospects, Part 1
Going from an innocuous list of people in your database to a select list of top prospects is not difficult, but it does require discipline in an orderly process to distinguish who can be a leader, who has the interest in your cause and who has the wealth to make a difference. In the fundraising…
Read MoreSubmitting New Proposals to Foundations: Letter, Inquiry or Proposal?
We have all heard it before when planning for a major capital fund drive: “We’ll get lots of money from foundations and grants!” Of course, there are varying degrees of truth in that declaration. While they can make some substantial gifts, foundations in general account for less than 10% of all charitable giving in America.…
Read MoreStrategic Planning Puts Business On The Road To Success
With all the emphasis on change these days, why in the world would an organization want to create a five-year strategic plan? Ask most business people and they’ll concede that they can’t predict what will happen in the next quarter, let alone several years from now.
Read MoreStarting an Annual Giving Program
I know that fundraising is my vocation because I can never pass up an opportunity to contribute to an organization’s development efforts. Such was the case with a fledgling not-for-profit group to which I belong. They are a dedicated support group for families of children born with a certain birth defect. Their president is a…
Read MoreYour Non-Profit Organization’s Volunteers—Your Lifeline
Beginning a good relationship with your non-profit organizations’ volunteers doesn’t have to take a lot of effort. When working with a volunteer, a simple smile can be worth a million dollars, and just might be. Volunteers are the heart and soul of your organization. Without them a day would not run as smoothly, the number…
Read MoreYes You Can
My mother carefully explained to me that I could be anything I wanted to be. She would say, “if you are going to achieve anything worthwhile in this world, you must first believe that you can.”
Read MoreSpotlight on Success – Making Your Campaign the Priority
Capital campaigns are extraordinary endeavors. According to Webster’s, extraordinary means “going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary.” That is certainly the sort of approach a not-for-profit organization needs to take when conducting a capital campaign. Your objective is not just to achieve a goal but also to maximize your potential, to know that the…
Read MoreYear-End Letter to Supporters – Do It Now!
Every institution is in a perfect position to communicate with their supporters at this time of year. Despite the heavy schedule of ongoing holiday and year-end activities, people are energetic and enthusiastic at this time of year. They are thoughtful, introspective and open to suggestions. They are happy and grateful and in the best of…
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