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?...
David Allen Tag
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...
24 Jun On Term Limits – Take 2
If a board member is not showing signs of getting progressively more involved after the first term, they may not be asked to stay for a second. If they are unavailable or incapable of taking a leadership position with the land trust after six years,...
27 May Just go Cultivate the Donors!
Cultivation is easy to say and easy to understand. But sometimes it’s hard to figure out what to do. Here’s something tangible: board members can help by becoming the conduit through which donors receive information about the land trust. Be the bearer of news. Be...
20 May But Raising Money for Programs is Easier!
Posted at 10:39h
in Board Development, Communication, Donor Cultivation, Featured, Plans and Budgets 1 Comment
Never – ever – turn an unrestricted gift, into a restricted gift. Try simply saying “Thank you” instead....
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”...
06 May Development Committee Makeover
I had a great time in Pennsylvania last weekend presenting at the Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference. One of the sessions I presented was called Secrets of High-Functioning Development Committees. I had originally envisioned this as a Rally session featuring a cast of actors who would play...
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...