Direct response fundraising, whether in traditional direct mail or digital media, is a combination of art and science. People who do it well have an appreciation for good writing and design, as well as the ability to gain insight from statistical analysis and manage budgets and people. People who do it very well share a number of common characteristics that transcend the tactical. You can…

Mine every nugget of data from donor lists and portfolios, reconnect with lapsed donors, and start building a pool of potential and next-generation givers to reenergize fundraising goals. But first, make sure the donor data is organized, not a chaotic collection of addresses, contact numbers and ambiguous connections to your nonprofit, advised panelists who presented “Fundraising Program Jumpstart” during the annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing…

Fundraising might seem simple but even shampoo bottles have instructions. While fundraising is a little different than lather, rinse, repeat, there are some foundational steps to follow.  Valerie M. Jones, CFRE, of Media, Pa.-based Valerie M. Jones Associates, offers ideas for fundraising in her new book, “Nonprofit Hero: Five Easy Steps to Successful Board Fundraising.” The five steps are: Thank. Be creative and thank in…

By Tiffany Neill, CFRE Walking through one of those home stores where the reigning decorating theme is “small wooden signs for your wall,” this one might sound familiar …“Being an adult means constantly saying ‘things will calm down when…’”  A lot of fundraisers have been saying that lately. Heck, you probably have said it yourself. “Things will calm down when the supply chain normalizes ……

By Jackie Biancolli Libby “The new normal.” By now, we’ve invoked the phrase often enough that it almost loses meaning. In fact, the whole idea feels slippery. Each time we try to pin the future down, it changes on us, again. There is no crystal ball.  At the same time, fundraisers must be future-oriented: devising strategy, budgeting, and implementing campaigns well before deadlines. Assessing and…

The Reimagining Fundraising Global Innovation Challenge, a competition among all members of the nonprofit fundraising community, is seeking creative thinking on behalf of a baker’s dozen global nonprofits. The challenge is open to academics, agencies, companies, individuals, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and startups – in short, anyone with an interest in the nonprofit fundraising community. Submissions can include projects, solutions or technology. Entrants pick from one…

Fundraisers need an “authentic relationship” with donors and you get there by having conversations. Fundraisers must know how to show donors the impact of their support and stay attuned to new areas of concern around the globe or risk “appearing tone deaf.” When meeting a potential donor for the first time, bring curiosity and open-ended questions and ditch pre-conceived notions and attempts at interrogation and…

An anonymous bidder paid a record-breaking $19,000,100 — nearly quadruple the 2019 record bid of $4.57 million — to enjoy a final power lunch with business magnate Warren Buffett and support the GLIDE Foundation in San Francisco, Calif. The nicknamed “Oracle of Omaha,” Buffett turns 92 in August. He had announced this year as the grand finale of 21 years of his “Power of One”…

Chances are that your staff spends a tremendous amount of energy compiling and manipulating donor and volunteer information for outcomes and annual reports — information that affects public perception and internal decision-making across all areas of your nonprofit. Some larger organizations might have as many as 10 people whose sole job is to manually analyze, merge and categorize data to meet accountability and funding requirements. …

Look for boozing, hooking and shanking aplenty in Parkersburg, W.V. this July: The United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley will partner with the Parkersburg Rotary Club in sponsoring the 51st Annual Sour Mash Golf Tournament. The event kicks off with a performance from golf trick shot artist Josh Kelly, whose combination of acrobatics and tee skills will have participants wondering what, exactly, was in…

Fundraising approaches are not gender-blind. Research examining reactions to a series of hypothetical solicitation letters from a nonprofit makes a case for testing direct mail copy on the basis of which gender will be receiving the pitch.  Researchers observed differences in both positive response and fundraising levels to pitches that incorporated two distinct approaches. But an actual fundraising letter, which was used as a control,…