Several years ago, at the beginning of a fundraising workshop, I took out a $20 bill and passed it around, asking, “Is this real currency?” Everyone examined the bill and agreed that yes, it was the real thing. Then, to the amazement of the group, I ripped it up. The pieces floated to the floor like confetti. Silence – a long, … [Read more...]
How to Create a Fundraising Plan in a Half-Day Workshop
Do you want the “secret sauce” for raising more money? According to our colleague Heather Yandow at Third Space Studio, it’s not really a secret. She just released the fourth annual Individual Donor Benchmark Report, which you can get here. Heather compiled fundraising data from 87 grassroots organizations across North America, each … [Read more...]
Three Ways to Get Students Talking and One Way to Shut Them Up
Have you ever been afraid to raise your hand and speak up? Perhaps you weren’t afraid exactly, but you wondered if you might look foolish or ask a dumb question. If you’re like me, anxieties like that can keep you from speaking out. A great trainer works in many ways to encourage everyone to participate – both the naturally talkative … [Read more...]
Asking When Everyone Else Isn’t
This is a difficult story to tell, because it’s about one of the hardest days in recent memory: September 11, 2001. And it’s a fundraising story – but one you’ve never heard before. You may remember the chaos and confusion that gripped the nation – not only in New York and Washington, but pretty much everywhere. People glued to their … [Read more...]
Challenge Your Board, Raise More Money
You’re probably familiar with the challenge or matching gift. A generous donor provides a gift or grant on the condition that you raise an equal amount from other sources. These gifts typically require a 1-to-1 match. Each donation you receive is matched dollar for dollar, though other ratios are possible. Challenge gifts are … [Read more...]
The Learning Room: How to Set Up Your Training Space
Here’s a joke I’ve used for years – I train for free, but I get paid to move furniture. Pretty much every time I show up for a workshop, the tables and chairs are arranged badly. So I push them around, trying to create a better learning space. It’s not unusual for me to break a sweat even before the class begins. This is known as … [Read more...]
Icebreakers: Eight Questions to Jumpstart (or Revive) Your Fundraising Workshop
Every trainer knows the moment: Your first minute in front of the room, all eyes on you, everyone waiting expectantly. You want to get off to a good start. You want to grab everyone’s attention. The way you start will set the tone for the rest of the training. Option 1: Have them talk to the person sitting next to them Choose one … [Read more...]
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