Learn More about the Fired-Up Fundraising Insiders Club
Don't Miss Gail on the North Carolina People with William Friday show on UNC-TV
Gail’s February Guidestar Webinar:

“Fire Up Your Board for Fundraising: Turn Their Passion into Action”

Fundraising isn’t about money, it’s about changing the world!

I help catapult your fundraising strategies and your board to a whole new level. Let’s turn their passion into action – and dollars – for your cause.

  • Consulting – strategic fundraising planning and implementation, major gifts, capital campaigns, feasibility studies, development office audits
  • Training - board education in friendmaking, fundraising, roles and responsibilities
  • Speaking – workshops, seminars, keynotes, presentations

How to Have a Vastly More Profitable Auction

May 18, 2012 Fundraising Events

How’s your fundraising auction doing? Is it painful or fun? Is it profitable or only so-so? Auctions can bring in tons of money. Especially if you try out some of the new technology that’s coming along for auctions. Some of these “gadgets” can really, really ramp up the profitability of your auction. I bet I…

Read the full article →

Avoid 5 Key Mistakes That Will Undermine Your Next Auction

May 11, 2012 Fundraising Events

How’s your auction doing?  Bet it could do better, for sure! When it comes to auctions: you gotta love ‘em and work with them because they are here to stay. And they can raise good, important, unrestricted money – IF you are smart and strategic with them. Now, here’s a caveat: I’m not a wild…

Read the full article →

8 Tips for Getting High Dollar Sponsorships for your Big Event

May 4, 2012 Fundraising Events

May is Party Month here at Fired-Up Fundraising. This month we are tackling fundraising events. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are a fact of life for most nonprofits. In the month of May we are going to drill down into HOW to maximize your dollar return from special events. I’m doing a series of…

Read the full article →

An Easier Way to Ask For A Gift

April 27, 2012 Asking for Donations

Asking for a gift is the moment of truth in fundraising. Here is a simple, painless strategy that can take tons of pressure off the situation, pave the way for a positive response, and make it easier for everybody involved. And it’s such a very simple strategy: The easier way: send a letter outlining WHY…

Read the full article →

How to Overcome the Intimidation Factor

April 19, 2012 Asking for Donations

Let’s face it. Asking someone for a contribution can be scary. You are going out on a limb, putting yourself out there. Whew.  Sometimes I can just feel my stomach start to tighten just thinking about it. But asking doesn’t always have to be scary! Here are 5 tips that will help you get over yourself,…

Read the full article →

Don’t Be a Fundraising Dinosaur: 5 Big Ideas to Adopt Right Now

April 13, 2012 Asking for Donations

Here are more provocative nuggets from the recent AFP International Conference in Vancouver. I just couldn’t resist sharing these “status-quo” challenges! Here’s my challenge: Take this list to your next board meeting. Ask your board members: “What are your impressions of these ideas?” Big Idea #1.  Stop talking about yourself. I’m hearing this over and…

Read the full article →

7 Provocative Ideas Guaranteed to Shake Up Your Fundraising Results

April 6, 2012 Asking for Donations

I’m just back from three incredible days at the AFP International Conference in Vancouver. And my mind is still blown from the provocative ideas that flew about in the workshops, big sessions and stimulating conversations with my peers. Just like I did last year, I’m sharing my favorite BIG ideas from the AFP International Conference….

Read the full article →

10 Easy Things You Can Do To Improve Your Fundraising by Next Week

March 30, 2012 Annual Giving

1.  Organize a thankathon for your donors. Your number one effort needs to be focused on your CURRENT donors. Don’t let them drop away! Go all out to make them feel special and valued. You’ve got to focus on current donors and love them alot. Here’s how to hold a thankathon for your donors. It’s…

Read the full article →

Why Friendraising Works Better Than Fundraising

March 23, 2012 Board Development

Ok, I’m presenting a revolutionary concept today. And this idea just might have gotten me thrown out of fundraising ten years ago. But now, I really do think that the fundraising profession may be more open to this idea. We’re coming around. Here’s my revolutionary proposal to you: I’d rather have Friends to my organization…

Read the full article →

“We Don’t Want Your Money:” Anatomy of a Transformational Gift

March 16, 2012 Asking for Donations

Here’s a story about a transformational corporate gift – $27.1 million from a company that was in bankruptcy, no less. Can you imagine going into a HUGE potential donor and saying, “We don’t want your money; we want you to come see what we do.” This is what the United Way of Detroit said back…

Read the full article →

Two Ridiculously Simple Strategies To Develop Your Prospect’s Interest in Your Cause

March 8, 2012 Donor cultivation

How do you get in front of people and develop their interest in your cause? How do you create a relationship where there once was none? How do you create “relatedness” between your donor and your cause? Here are two ridiculously simple strategies: Strategy #1: DON’T DO ALL THE TALKING. LISTEN INSTEAD. Why? Because if…

Read the full article →