15 Mar Capital Campaigns – Part 2
Successful capital campaigns will have five key elements: Clear Vision; Great Leadership; Qualified Donors (sufficient to fill out the pyramid); Compelling Case for support; and Strong Planning....
Successful capital campaigns will have five key elements: Clear Vision; Great Leadership; Qualified Donors (sufficient to fill out the pyramid); Compelling Case for support; and Strong Planning....
We’ve gotten so paranoid about spending too much on fundraising that we are not budgeting enough, and even then, we’re second-guessing every expenditure. We’re holding the fundraising staff accountable for the return, but we’re neglecting the investment....
I am launching a feasibility project to test whether several different organizations with similar missions (land trusts, for example) and separate service territories can work together to increase membership for all. In other words, can they collaboratively negotiate list rental, design, and even mailhouse services...
In any discussion of metrics, how they will be used is an important question to ask right up front. 1) You want people to give you money every year as part of their personal philanthropy. Therefore the metrics you choose should be the same or...
Sometimes board members fold, stuff, and stamp appeal letters, too. That doesn’t make appeal folding, stuffing, and stamping part of a board member’s job description. For convenience sake, I call all of these activities “staff” work. So what is “board” work? In fact, board work...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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....