08 Jul A Surprisingly Easy Place to Find GREAT Board Members
Why do we ask people who do not support the organization to assume leadership positions and serve on the board?...
Membership
01 Jul Pocket Change
Posted at 06:42h
in Board Development, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership, Plans and Budgets 0 Comments
I don’t necessarily expect every board member to give $1,000, but it’s not unfair to ask. The world expects nonprofit board leaders to be among the most committed and ardent supporters of their organizations. Let’s stop settling for the ways people say “No,” and...
13 May Because: That’s Where the Money Is!
Posted at 08:30h
in Board Development, Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership 0 Comments
In the end, fundraising is about personal relationships. Done well, the relationship is between the donor and the organization, but every relationship begins between two individuals. And 90 percent of fundraising comes down to how well you’re doing at building those relationships. Maybe instead of “fundraiser”...
31 Mar Anonymity isn’t Necessarily Friendly
A land trust was recently confronted with a peculiar problem. A major donor with a keen and personal interest in protecting a specific piece of property offered an enabling gift equal to, and restricted to, the entire purchase price of the property. The gift amount...
03 Dec December is for Saying “Thank You”
Posted at 17:42h
in Board Development, Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Membership 1 Comment
Are you as engaged in fundraising as you should be? If not, December is a great month to change that – by saying thank you. Making calls to donors and members carries the twin benefits of increasing their connection to the organization and increasing...
17 Jul Thinking (or Rethinking) Membership Systems
Most organizations, including land trusts, tend to default to a monthly membership cycle. However, managing such a system for organizations with fewer than 2,000 members or so is inefficient for staff whose positions are not solely dedicated to it. There are alternative systems that can...
26 Mar Use Your Spring Appeal to Recruit Volunteers
The debate got me thinking: Why don’t we do a direct mail appeal asking for volunteers?...
16 Oct On Donor Clubs – Take 3 (of 3): Questions
There is a more subtle point here. Donor clubs are not recognition strategies; they are solicitation strategies, employed to encourage members to make larger and larger annual investments in the organization. In that context, donor club decisions and decisions about recognizing long-term donors should be...
21 Aug On Donor Clubs – Take 2 (of 3): Branding
The most important branding element for your donor club is the list itself. Like a social register, people like to find their own name and look for those of their friends. Make sure you spell everyone’s name correctly! ...
24 Jul On Donor Clubs – Take 1 (of 3)
You can raise more money from your members just by systematically asking for more money. Donor clubs can help, and a significant side benefit is that the annual solicitations provide a useful way for board members to get more involved in fundraising....