When it comes to fundraising, nothing beats one person talking with another … preferably in person. As a general rule, people will pledge five to ten times more during a scheduled, face-to-face conversation than they will donate by mail or contribute online. Back in the pre-COVID era, we had these conversations in living rooms, coffee … [Read more...]
Mastering virtual meetings
How many online meetings have you attended recently? How many were engaging, satisfying, and effectively facilitated? As I write this in mid-March 2020, we are just beginning to feel the impacts of the coronavirus across North America. As you gather less often with colleagues, more of your work life is probably moving … [Read more...]
How to market your micro-business
This year, I celebrate my 25th anniversary of working for myself. After all these years, it’s a still a one-person business – by design. Yes, I use contractors for various tasks, like managing my websites. For bigger jobs, I team up with other consultants, which is productive, educational, and fun. Most of the time, however, it’s … [Read more...]
How to build a gift chart: A fundraising exercise
What’s my favorite fundraising tool? That’s easy: show me a gift chart. If you’re like me, you need to understand how many donations, at what amounts, are needed to reach your goal. If the information is presented in a visual, easy-to-understand way, that’s even better. A gift chart can be used to: Test the feasibility of … [Read more...]
Not all money is created equal
What’s the best mix of income for your nonprofit? How can you build sustainable revenue streams that make you resilient and self-sufficient? You’ve got lots of options – that’s the good news – but not every option is relevant to every organization. Consider the following facts and principles. Where money comes from Broadly … [Read more...]
Hospice care for nonprofits, part 2: The board’s role
Because not every group is designed to last forever, I recently shared a post about end-of-life care for nonprofit organizations. Regardless of your role – staff, volunteer, consultant, or supporter – it’s helpful to understand organizational life cycles. Board members have a unique responsibility for life-and-death decisions. To my … [Read more...]
Hospice care for nonprofits: Diagnosis and treatment
How healthy is your organization? What’s your trajectory? Are you growing, shrinking, or treading water? What’s the energy level among staff and board? Is your mission still relevant and inspiring? More than a decade ago, I participated in volunteer training at our local hospice agency. As the Great Recession rolled through the … [Read more...]
More money together: Shared fundraising strategies
In my work as a fundraising consultant and trainer, I'm faced with two persistent myths: Scarcity: There’s not enough resources to go around, which leads to... Competition among groups to gather those scarce resources. To address these myths, let’s begin with a few numbers. Nonprofits across the U.S. receive more than $1.5 … [Read more...]
Donor personas – the key to powerful fundraising appeals
Note: This guest post is from April Weppler, an organizational development consultant based in Ontario, Canada – and a graduate of the Training, Facilitation, and Consulting Certificate Program. Thanks April! Are you working on your spring donor appeal? Are you writing your next member renewal letter or “e-blast ask?” Perhaps … [Read more...]
Treasurer confidential
About a year ago, I became the treasurer of a well-established but tiny nonprofit. With an annual budget of less than $100,000 and limited staff, our organization is as grassroots and community-based as it gets. I’ve served on several boards. I train boards for a living. I write books about how to be an effective board member, … [Read more...]