Development for Conservation |

26 Jan Write to People You Know

Posted at 04:34h in Board Development, Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

Write your newsletter articles, appeal letters, thank you letters, event invitations, and e-News (and even blog posts!), to that specific person who represents the audience you're trying to reach, or at least with that specific person in mind. If you do so authentically, you should...

12 Jan Strategic Planning and Haircuts

Posted at 05:02h in Board Development, Communication, Development Audit, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Foundations, Membership, Plans and Budgets, Staff Development, Uncategorized 1 Comment

Regardless of how your organization approaches Strategic Planning – DO IT. It takes time away from seemingly more-important-in-the-moment activities and can be expensive. But the added costs return to the organization in increased productivity, cost efficiencies, and even improved funding opportunities with donors. I learned...

05 Jan Everything starts with Strategic Planning

Posted at 05:51h in Communication, Development Audit, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Foundations, Membership, Plans and Budgets, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

If you’re like some non-profit fundraising leaders, you are busy building 2016 goals from 2015 results. We raised this much from our special event, so let’s do that again. We got this much from our membership renewals, and we’ve been increasing about 5% every year,...

29 Dec Lapsed Member Letters (and a few random thoughts for the end of the year)

Posted at 05:44h in Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

First, the early returns are in from the A/B test I conducted (See A Few Thoughts on A/B Testing) using a 4-page letter and a 1-page letter...

23 Dec Filing/Data Entry (and a few inspiring thoughts from others)

Posted at 05:12h in Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

I’m finding that there isn’t much to say that I haven’t already said many times in many ways. So here are two things, beautifully said by others, that will help make and keep your spirit bright....

15 Dec Planning for Year-End

Posted at 04:59h in Board Development, Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Plans and Budgets, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

This year, New Years is on a Friday. That means someone (you?) needs to be in the office Monday through Thursday, picking up the mail and answering the phone. Here are several other things you might plan for that week:...

08 Dec Good News

Posted at 05:08h in Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

From your solicitations to your newsletters, to your updates and thank you letters, the importance of communicating warmth, openness, and a sense of momentum is magnified during this important season of giving....

01 Dec Fall Appeal 2nd Drop (And a Few Thoughts on A/B Testing)

Posted at 05:34h in Communication, Development Audit, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

One client, who reacted skeptically to my suggestion that he consider trusting the science and mailing a four-page appeal letter, is organizing a classic A/B test. He will write a letter that fits on a single page. I will write a letter that carries on...

24 Nov Giving Thanks

Posted at 04:18h in Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Staff Development, Uncategorized 1 Comment

If you’ve managed your work well this year, you should get to spend a great deal of time between Thanksgiving and the Superbowl party writing Thank You letters. As a refresher, here’s what I suggested way back in February: Remember that your thank you...

20 Oct Fall Appeal First Drop – (And Some Thoughts About Acknowledging In-Kind Contributions)

Posted at 05:45h in Communication, Development Audit, Featured, Plans and Budgets, Staff Development, Uncategorized 0 Comments

OK, so as a practical matter, this is the last week you can drop the first letter of your Fall Appeal if you intend to drop three letters. (I actually prefer that the first letter get dropped in early October.) Mailing this early means that...

Communication