Consistent, Methodical Work

  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” –  2 Timothy 4:7 Why do some people seem to achieve the greatest heights?  What do they do differently than most people?  Are they more intelligent, physically stronger or more gifted or talented?  I think not.  They are…

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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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12 Ways to Grow Your Pool of Major Donors

Every nonprofit executive would love to have a free-flowing stream of major gifts. Here are some tips to help you grow your pool of major donors. How to Inspire Major Donors  Here are strategies you can employ to create a new pool of major donors and to inspire your current donors to get further involved:…

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Anniversaries and Capital Campaigns: A Winning Combination

Is your organization celebrating a special anniversary in the near future? Are you considering a capital campaign? If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you have the potential to increase awareness of your organization and add or upgrade donors! The celebration of your fifth, tenth, twentieth or another anniversary can attract increased media…

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Thanking Donors – Once Is Never Enough

I came across an old Chinese custom once that said you should thank someone seven times when they give you a gift. As a fundraiser, I thought this was a great standard to which we should hold our efforts. In our business, there are few things more important than recognizing our donors.

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Transparency as a Fundraising Tool

At GuideStar, we believe that transparency is vital to the health of the nonprofit sector. What do we mean by transparency? Borrowing from Webster’s, we mean the state of being “free from pretense or deceit.” For charities, that means being open about programs and finances and readily sharing that information with donors, funders, regulators, and the general…

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