Tag: donor cultivation

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donations

Has Donor Trust in Charities Changed?

In this age of “fake news”, “alternative facts” “hyper partisanship” and what seems to be a general erosion of trust, why should we even care?  And if we care what can we fundraisers do about it?

Of course, every fundraiser should care because trust is the lynchpin of a solid and sustainable relationship with a donor.  And because there are ways to measure trust, taking steps to increase the level of trust, and by doing so increase donor value and an organization’s net revenue.

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Fundraiser Retention

How To Improve Fundraiser Retention

That disturbingly high turnover rates and low morale plague fundraising professionals is nothing new. Research going back almost two decades shows this to be true.

One study in particular found that the “average fundraiser stays on a job only 16 months.”

In fact, just last year, author Rob Webb called on us to act on fundraising turnover right here in NonProfit Pro.

The past research on turnover was best summarized by our colleague Penelope Burke as follows:

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The Secret to Why Donors Give

There are many reasons we in the fundraising industry tell one another about why donors give.  They are moved by your mission, they know a board or staff member, they’ve given for years, to name a few.  I doubt that all of them are true, and I especially doubt that they are all true at the same point in the giving calculus for each donor.

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phrases-that-encourage-estate-giving

Three Phrases That Encourage Estate Giving

Since August is “Make-A-Will” month, I’ve been writing about estate and legacy (planned) giving and wills, and plan to continue doing so for the next few weeks. Please let me know if the content helps you decide your course of action. Would You Make A “Gift” In Your Will? Did you know that it’s much more effective to ask your donors to make “Gifts in your will” rather than “Bequest Gifts?” Here’s why: Russell James, JD, PhD, CFP, a philanthropy researcher based at Texas Tech University, reports that, according to the latest donor surveys, asking people to consider “Gifts in your will”

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Attention CEOs: Your Thought Leadership Can Boost Your Fundraising

By Peter Panepento As the CEO, you write blogs, deliver speeches, and give media interviews because you believe it will help raise more revenue for your nonprofit. This is a worthy goal. Thought leadership content can be incredibly valuable in connecting with potential donors. I’d like to share with you my observations from my years in the field about creating thought leadership content that actually inspires individuals to take action. Mainly I encourage you to be less overt in your attempts to connect your thought leadership with your fundraising. Instead of making your message about yourself and your nonprofit, truly

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5 Ways to Get More Donor Meetings

5 Ways to Get More Donor Meetings

By: Michael Taylor, CFRE, CEO Is getting a meeting with a donor more difficult for you than securing the gift? If so, that’s my experience too. The fact is that, if you get the meeting, your chances of securing the gift are relatively certain. Why is it so Difficult? There are many answers to this question. We’ve become more dependent on technology and because of it, our donor relationships are more distant. It’s easier to zoom in for a video call than to leave your office and meet in person. Another reason is that the increase in income disparity has

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5 Ways to Get Repeat Gifts

5 Ways to Get Repeat Gifts

By: Michael Taylor, CFRE, CEO When you ask a donor to renew his or her support, you’re offering a unique opportunity to make something significant happen in the world, something they deeply want, but cannot affect by themselves. You (the fundraiser) have to be clear about that opportunity and what would happen if it did not exist. This is what engages donors. A unique feature of really engaged donors is their desire to build the future with you. For this reason, fundraisers almost always ask donors to give their support over three or five years. Truly transformative gifts are often made

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The Do's & Don'ts of Site Visits

The Do’s & Don’ts of Site Visits

By: Michael Taylor, CFRE, CEO Site visits are not inspections.  Inspections occur in the military, and if you’ve never served, you have no idea of the horrors inflicted by the very thought of them.  Barracks have to be turned upside-down and inside-out to shake out the tiniest grains of soot, and everything from floors to boots to belt buckles have to gleam like the dawn. Site visits are more like first dates.  The boots only have to be on the right feet, and the buckles need only be fastened.  Funders don’t usually request site meetings unless they’re interested in the

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Six Ways To Get Your Share Of Donor Advised Funds

Six Ways To Get Your Share Of Donor Advised Funds

By: Michael Taylor, CFRE, CEO Are you baffled about Donor Advised Funds, or at least about how to cultivate and solicit them? If so, I will explain here six ways you can promote donor-advised fund giving. My name is NPI , and I’m the author of The Nonprofit Fundraising Solution and Chairman of NPI Strategies. So what is a donor advised fund? The primary benefit of a donor-advised fund (DAF) is that it allows someone to donate assets for charity today – and receive a tax deduction now – even though the actual funds may not be granted to your

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