Rethinking The Donor Fatigue Myth
Donor fatigue. It’s a myth. Donors don’t get tired of giving. In recent years, we’ve seen incredible shows of generosity both to nonprofits and through other channels like GoFundMe and other mutual aid. What donors do get tired of are transactional asks, lazy fundraising, and impersonal communications. After years of support, donors who […]
5 Valuable Tips to Leverage Donor Surveys More Effectively
Donor engagement is essential to maintain a sustainable fundraising pipeline, but nonprofits face several retention challenges. According to Giving USA 2023, individual giving continues to drive the bulk of nonprofit funding, but the number of individual donors is shrinking. To respond to this trend, we recommend taking your donor stewardship approach back to the basics […]
How Saying Thank You Inspires Donor Loyalty
You finally did it. After long, hard work to cultivate potential donors, you’ve managed to move the needle and received a gift. And while you should savor your sweet moment of success, you should also already be thinking about what comes next. That’s where acknowledgements come into play. Acknowledgements, otherwise known as thank-you’s, are […]
In Times of Crisis, There’s a Seat at the Table for Everyone
As philanthropists, we are no strangers to crises – sometimes, it even feels like we’re like old friends. The last two years have shown us how across our many different sectors – from international aid, to healthcare, to education – we are all united in an understanding of what it’s like to be close to […]
Is Your Nonprofit Starving or Dream-Brokering?
Why does the nonprofit sector feel like it’s in starvation mode? Giving USA reported new record contributions of $400 billion in 2017. That’s more than the budgets of HHS, HUD, the EPA, and the Departments of Education, State, and Interior combined. We know people want to make a difference and see giving as a way […]
2019 Fundraising Trends – And How to Take Advantage of Them
How was your January, fundraiser friend? I view January as a test run of sorts, before we really embark on a new year and new resolutions. This may feel especially true as we’re still figuring out what happened in 2018. Last year we saw lower year-end fundraising results. We saw a decline in the number […]
Goals, Excuses, & Negative Splits in the End-of-Year Sprint
I started 2018 by setting a number of resolutions around key areas of personal and professional growth. One I set for myself was increasing the frequency of my runs. I’ve written before about running, and the truth is that life and work often get in the way of my training goals. But this goal was […]
Two Secrets to Donor Happiness
Recently I led a training that covered a wide range of fundraising fundamentals. Afterward, I asked participants what they learned. Overwhelmingly – and, honestly, to my surprise – most said they now understood the importance of thanking and reporting back to donors. Why did this catch me by surprise? Often fundraisers just want to learn […]
Why Mr. Rogers Made Me Cry: How To Inspire Donors To Be The Helpers In This World
I recently saw the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? about the creation of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and the role it played in establishing PBS’ television presence. I recall watching the show as a child, so was intrigued to learn more about this iconic program now, through the eyes of a parent. I was […]