Pam first taught me about creating donors that fundraise. She worked at a performing arts center on Florida’s East Coast. One day a major gift donor called, “I found a couple who will be perfect for us.” Would Pam make sure they got seats together at the next performance? Also, during intermission, would Pam stop[…]
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Fundraising is for everyone. Who is everyone? Development staff, of course, but also the board, CEO and other leaders, staff, volunteers, and even donors. We start with your board, the leaders of the gang. What Can Board Members Do? Getting Very Practical Research tells us that we each spend up to one day per week[…]
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Traditional government funding mechanisms can do more harm than good. Their stop-start nature means that nonprofits must forever start and discard programs and gear up and down as funding opportunities appear. I hear this from nonprofit leaders all the time. One recently echoed: “When the grant ended, we had to stop a great service saving[…]
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Did you hear the story about the million-dollar gift from the father of a nonprofit’s vendor? Or, the staff member who turned a $7,000 gift into $70,000 by connecting a donor to the development team? Tales abound about development directors, staff members, boards, and others who successfully snag significant donations for beloved nonprofits. What[…]
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Which quick fix fundraising trend has caught the attention of your board? Peer-to-peer fundraising? Ice bucket challenge? Dinner out? Give days? Mobile giving? March Madness? The nonprofit world swirls with fads, trends, and quick-fix promises. While any one of the ideas might be just your ticket, pursuing all of them means trouble. If we’re not[…]
Read MoreGrand news! Your event succeeded. You earned money. People had a blast. You generated new donors. You stewarded current ones. The results were everything you hoped for and more. Logically, you want to repeat your success. So, you add another event. And another. And another until your staff, board, and volunteers involuntarily cringe when[…]
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In July, I led a sponsor panel for the St. Petersburg Regional Art Summit. Panelist included staff from Bank of America; the power company, Duke Energy; and AARP. Each panelist shared the ins and outs of their programs. As we wrapped up, Ann Shaler, Senior Vice President at Bank of America, commented how much the[…]
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In my years of consulting I’ve noticed a pattern that parallels the urban legend involving a frog, pot, and boiling water. The tale postulates that a frog placed in hot water immediately jumps out. In contrast, a frog placed in cool water stays even if you ignite a burner it. Likewise, organizations that experience abrupt[…]
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As a videographer runs the camera, a donor explains why she included a bequest to Selby Gardens in her estate plans. Her gift will buy potting soil and supplies. As a volunteer, she experienced first-hand the Gardens’ practical needs. So, she remembered Selby in her will. Nonprofits generate great opportunities. Some of these include the[…]
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The Challenge: A new CEO or development director begins work and wants to connect with donors who loved the previous staff member. How can you renew and move these relationships forward? 1. Mindset Recognize grief as healthy. Early in my career, I was introduced to the booklet, Running Through the Thistles. Although focused on[…]
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