Posts Tagged ‘General Articles’
Friends Soliciting Friends – Is Close Ever too Close?
When it comes to soliciting friends or family for gifts, is close ever too close? It is a regretful, but well established observation that we tend to underestimate those people to whom we are the closest. We are more keenly aware of their strengths (publicly exhibited) and their weakness (often hidden). We know more of…
Read MoreFostering Workplace Philanthropy
Surveys show that nonprofit organizations that are successful at fundraising fully embrace the value of philanthropy. They include it as part of their organizational culture. They understand it to mean more than simply “raising money.” They consider their volunteers to be part of the mechanism needed to fundraise, and they also view their employees in…
Read MoreHow to Balance Nonprofit Needs and Resources
Nonprofit organizations invariably suffer from limited resources and a small staff trying to do the work of many. The resulting workload, as well as the personal connection many executives feel toward the group’s mission, can cause staff members to focus their attention within distinct boundaries. True objectivity can be clouded by fierce loyalty and passion…
Read MoreAn Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
I work with many of non-profit organizations, and one thing I cannot help but fret is the lack of proper training and understanding in how to use computers and technology. Since so many non-profit organizations are terribly small, they usually have very tightly limited budgets. Unfortunately, this causes them to be “penny wise and pound…
Read MoreGuide to Creating a Major Donor Rating Chart, Part 2
Last month, we advocated in the Fundraising Free Press that organizations cull their databases and speak with board members about people who could be major donors. To get very practical, we offer in this article a sample spreadsheet with commentary to – hopefully – make clear how to do the science of rating and then how…
Read MoreThe Big Gift — The Impossible Dream, or Is It?
Non-profit organizations spend most of their time responding to immediate pressures and crises, focusing a great deal on the short term. It seems as though time spent dreaming about huge contributions is a luxury many development professionals cannot afford. Nonetheless, focusing on the day-to-day needs of the organization should not prevent you from planning for…
Read MoreThe 5.4 Percent Solution
How much should foundations have to give to charity? More than they do.
Read MoreThanking 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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