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...]
How to create a strategic plan – a facilitator’s guide
Regardless of where you land on the preparation continuum – some of us prefer improvisation to planning – you’ll be more successful with a thoughtful, well-designed plan. You can create a strategic plan yourself or hire a consultant to help. Note to consultants: If you’re building a business, the world is filled with potential … [Read more...]
Is Your Board a Cost Center – or a Profit Center?
What does it cost you to have a board of directors? Is the cost worth the effort? Provocative questions, right? Let’s start by acknowledging the basics. If you're a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the U.S., you are legally required to have a board. There’s a thoughtful reason for this: the board is the legal owner of your … [Read more...]
PowerPoint For Good:
4 Tips For Trainers
Note: This guest post is from Laura Rhodes of Third Sector Consulting and author of the LetsTalkNonprofit.blog. Thanks, Laura! Ask nonprofit staff or board members why they attend conferences, and you’ll get a variety of responses. To be with like-minded people. To network with others in the field. And, invariably, to … [Read more...]