Fundraising
Insights
Fundraisers cannot afford to be passive.
This is a message I recently shared with a major gifts team. As major gift fundraisers, we can't wait for donors to come to us; we must actively engage them, showcasing the impact of their contributions to our nonprofit’s work.
While major gift...
People sometimes wonder why I am obsessed with using phone calls as a key tool in major gift fundraising. The answer is simple: it works. And it boosts giving and donor retention.
My mantra: "phone calls are a powerful tool for major gift fundraising."
I've seen firsthand how a simple phone...
I clearly remember walking into the development office, dreading opening up the CRM to start my fundraising week.
Sometimes It was because I'd worked all day Saturday, and worried part of Sunday about the work that was waiting for me on Monday. Other times because there was a...
One of the great joys I have, being a fundraiser, is meeting donors who are true fans of our mission.
You may have had donors like that - they're supporters and they give regularly. They may attend events or volunteer. They talk about your work to others. You may not even realize how much...
"So if you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.”
This quote from Dale...
As a fundraiser, I've come to realize that I'm more than a connector to charitable gifts. I'm a catalyst for change.
As fundraisers, we take the hopes and aspirations of supporters and prospects - their desire for a better world - and connect them to the life-changing missions...
Storytelling is an important tool for fundraisers: 2 more tools to supercharge your efforts: storyweaving and storylistening.
Research tells us:
Using stories signals the brain to pay attention and to store the meaning deeply in the cerebellum.
Emotions...
Discovery calls: some fundraisers love them, some fundraisers loathe them.
The truth is, they are a vital part of our work as relationship fundraisers.
For many fundraisers, the hardest part of the Discovery Call is that it feels as if you're making a cold call. And yet, in our work we need...
People who know me well, know Halloween is my favourite holiday!
Here are my four insights to how fundraisers can be more like a treat than trick to donors.
Treat donors like partners for impact
As a fundraiser, you should to treat all donors as special. Whether...