How to Get Your Board Members To Help Identify Major Gift Prospects

Have you tried asking for board members for prospect names lately? Bet I can tell you what happened! They dodged the subject. They avoided the discussion. They fled the room! Here’s why: Identifying prospects can be difficult for many board members. That’s because they are often uncomfortable sharing the names of people they know. They…

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The Komen Fiasco: 5 Lessons Your Board Can Learn

February 10, 2012

I’m sure you’re familiar with the Susan B. Komen fiasco. Unfortunately, Komen fell into a public relations minefield, and hasn’t recovered yet. What can your board learn from this debacle? Your board needs to discuss – right now – what they would do in a crisis situation. Who would speak? What would be their plan?…

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How A Donor Communications Program Keeps Donors Giving and Giving

February 2, 2012

Are you over-soliciting and under-communicating? The problem is – we solicit our donors often, probably way too often. But what happens with our donors in between solicitations? It’s called “communications,” says my friend Kivi Leroux Miller, the nonprofitmarketingguide.com guru. And there’s the rub. We study, study, study how to ask. But do we study as…

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What Keeps My Clients Up at Night and Why Boards are The Biggest Pain Point of All

January 27, 2012

Here’s an interview I did recently for the nonprofitmarketing360 blog. I thought you’d enjoy it! What are the issues that are keeping your clients awake at night? GAIL: I think the economy is just a huge issue. People are worried about whether they can raise the money they need or not. But I’m also seeing…

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3 Key Major Gifts Strategies for 2012

January 20, 2012

We all want more of those major gifts. And we know that major gifts can make or break our organization’s financial future. But major gift donors are changing, just like fundraising is changing. This month my “Fundraising Insiders” members (join us!) are focusing on Trends for 2012. I’m interviewing Margaret Battistelli, editor of Fundraising Success…

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Want to Change the World? Do This First!

January 12, 2012

I bet you made some new year’s resolutions, didn’t you? That’s great! I have an additional resolution to offer you: Take a stand. Just take a stand for what you believe in. Just like that. Draw a line in the sand and say to yourself, “I want to make a difference.” And then say “I…

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2012 New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members

January 6, 2012

It’s that time again – for turning over a new leaf, for reexamining our work and life, for refocusing on what we really want, and for refreshing our commitment to good works. I created a list of  New Year’s resolutions for nonprofit board members last year. It was a wildly popular post – with both…

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How to Throw a Party Everyone Wants to Attend

December 23, 2011

One of my favorite holiday traditions is a really big family party. I mean a big one. Last night I had about 150 people at my house, (can you imagine!) and it was a blast. Somehow over the years, this party has become an institution. My friends tell me that they actually schedule their holiday…

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How to Craft a Killer Thank You Letter

December 16, 2011

You wrote a dynamite year-end appeal. You’re now receiving those badly needed year-end gifts. Now it’s time to write a drop-dead thank you letter. One that will: Assure your nervous donor that she made a wise investment. Make your donor SO VERY HAPPY that she gave to your cause. Make your donor feel like she…

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Mastering the “Soft Skills” of Fundraising

December 9, 2011

Social skills matter. Appearance matters. Graciousness matters. How much do they matter to a master fundraiser? Tons! I gave a brand new presentation on “Mastering the Soft Skills of A Fundraiser: What They Don’t Teach You in Fundraising 101″ last week at the AFP Toronto Fundraising Congress. And it was quite a hit.  Fundraisers, both…

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Top 10 Things Donors Want From Your Web Site in 2011

December 1, 2011

Year-end is coming!  And online gifts will spike up in December. (We hope!) Especially the last two days of the year. Is your web site ready to handle all this attention? And, did you know that most donors check out your web site before they make a gift? And they do this whether they are…

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9 Things I’m Thankful For (YOU’RE on my List!)

November 25, 2011

It’s Thanksgiving here in the US.  It’s a time when we celebrate family, friends, and all the blessings of our world. I rarely talk about myself and my own life here in my blog, but today I’m telling a bit of my personal story. Here’s my list of the blessings that I am so, so…

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Top 10 Ways to Screw Up Your 2011 Year-End Fundraising Campaign

November 18, 2011

There’s nothing more important this fall than your year-end fundraising effort. The next six weeks is the time when many nonprofits receive most of their contributions. And there is so much at stake right now. This year, more than ever, you’ve got to engage donors in your opportunity and ask them to join you –…

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Bad News and Good News about This Year’s Fundraising

November 11, 2011

The latest data on fundraising trends are showing some scary figures – and some optimistic ones too. Did you know that the overall numbers of donors is plummeting? A recent study showed that donor populations have dropped by 21% in the past 5 years. Check out the study by Target Analytics  here. Target says even…

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14 Easy Ways Board Members Can Raise Money

April 7, 2011

Board members can be enthusiastic fundraisers if you make it easy for them. Here are 14 examples of very specific natural, comfortable formats for asking. It’s so helpful to board members when we can show them easy ways to make the ask. Offer your board members these options: 1. Ask your business contacts to sponsor…

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Manifesto for a Fundraising Board

July 15, 2011
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Is your board ready to assume real leadership for your organization’s future? If your board is ready to move from “managing” to “leading,” here’s a Manifesto for them to embrace. Wikipedia defines “manifesto” as “a public declaration of principles and intentions.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your board members had an open discussion about their…

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5 Fundraising Mistakes We Make With Our Boards

April 29, 2011

Do your nonprofit board members avoid fundraising? If your board members back off when they should be pitching in, this may be why! Don’t make these mistakes that hurt, rather than help, our cause. Mistake #1: Thinking that fundraising is all about “asking for money.” Many board members are mistaken about fundraising. They think it…

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4 Steps to a Transformational Gift

March 6, 2011

Transformational gifts are the most amazing gifts of all. They are largest and most significant gift an individual will ever make. Isn’t securing a transformational gift your ultimate dream? These gifts bring funding that can completely transform your organization. They bring funding that can catapult your cause to a whole new level – expand your…

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One Thing Today’s Donors Want Most

March 11, 2011

What do donors want right now? We know that donors in 2011 have cut back their giving and are focusing on fewer organizations than ever. And they are looking for one thing more than anything else. Donors are looking for IMPACT. The big question they are asking is: “What are you doing with my money?”…

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26 Practices of High Performing Boards

March 18, 2011

So many nonprofit boards are stuck in one way or another. Whether the nonprofit is large or small, I see so many of the same challenges with board governance. I’m thinking a lot about boards this week, as I prepare for a big workshop on boards.   (I’m presenting Sunday am here in Chicago at…

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16 Provocative Ideas That Will Raise More Money

March 25, 2011

I am just back from an intense 4 days at the AFP International Fundraising Conference. And I listened to some of fundraising’s most brilliant – and provocative -  leaders.  Here’s what’s on the mind of some of our smartest thinkers. Do consider these ideas NOW. They may go against your typical practices. But I promise,…

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Checklist for a Top-Level Board Governance Committee

April 1, 2011

Who is looking out for the care and feeding of your board? You really, really need a Governance Committee to do this important work. In fact, I can’t think of anything MORE important. Because if you want to have a high-performing board, you’ve got to make it happen. It certainly won’t happen by itself. The…

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Why Did Doris Buffet Personally Answer This Fundraising Letter?

April 14, 2011

You won’t believe it but my friend Jacqueline wrote a “cold” letter appealing to Doris Buffett – and Ms. Buffett actually responded with a PERSONAL phone call. And, ultimately she made a gift. When Jacqueline told me about this, I didn’t believe it could ever happen. Until I read the letter. Then I understood. I’m…

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Why Your Board Needs Term Limits

April 22, 2011

Is your board reluctant to enforce term limits? If so, the board is in danger of becoming stale and set in its ways. And when that happens, your entire organization may be at risk – sooner than you think. This is a very, very dangerous place for any nonprofit in today’s wildly shifting environment. Five…

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8 Important New Fundraising Trends for 2011: What Today’s Donors Want

May 9, 2011
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This week everybody’s talking about Penelope Burk’s latest survey of donors. She issued her 2011 Cygnus Donor Survey this week – a moment many of us “trend-spotters” have been eagerly anticipating!  And it reveals some major trends we all need to watch. 22,000 donors from all over North America responded to her survey (17,605 from…

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4 Questions To Rev Up Your Board’s Energy and Enthusiasm

May 13, 2011

Do you want to get the most out of your warm-hearted, wonderful volunteers? Do you wish you could generate more enthusiasm among your board members? In my work with boards around the country, I’ve found some magic questions that can awaken their enthusiasm and energy. In fact, I am constantly amazed at how easy it…

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Why You Should Ditch Your Next Event

May 20, 2011

Fundraising events are a foundation for many nonprofit fundraising programs. But they are the most inefficient way of raising money. Here’s a well-known chart of “cost per dollar raised” for various fundraising strategies: (Data comes from James Greenfield.) And what does it show you? To raise one dollar in a fundraising event, it will cost…

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My Secrets to a FABULOUS Party!

May 27, 2011

Lots of fundraising is built around socializing, isn’t it? Whether it’s a formal fundraising event or not, we are often organizing large or small groups of people in social situations. So it’s really important to know your social skills and be able to throw a fabulous party. For years, I’ve entertained audiences with my secrets…

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Add Surprise and Delight to Your Appeals. Like This One.

June 12, 2011

I want to share with you my very favorite fundraising appeal that I’ve seen in a long time. It’s charming, readable, and unusual. (click here to read the entire appeal letter.) Next time you are stuck for creative ideas, consider heading out of the box with something totally innovative – and whimsical. This is an…

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How to Unleash Your Board Members’ Energy for Fundraising

July 8, 2011

I had the pleasure of talking to the very smart and wonderful Michael Chatman yesterday on his popular live radio “Giving Show.” We were talking about my favorite subject – how to get board members fired up and active in fundraising. You can listen here to the 25 minute tape of the show. I was…

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Powerful Elevator Speech Exercise for Your Board Members

July 22, 2011

Do your board members know what to say when they have a lucky moment? I bet many of them are unsure of themselves when they get a chance to have a conversation about your wonderful organization. Once a board member asked me, “What do I SAY about our organization?” Here’s what I told her: “Talk…

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The Fundraiser’s Kiss of Death: Talking Too Much

August 5, 2011

What’s the kiss of death for every fundraiser? What can you do to absolutely ensure that you’ve turned your donor off? To be sure the donor never wants to hear from you again? It’s being boring. And you are boring when you talk too much. Talking too much is guaranteed to make your donor’s eyes…

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A Fundraiser’s Secret Weapon: Your Radar

August 12, 2011

Last week’s post on the “Fundraiser’s Kiss of Death – Talking Too Much” generated lots of interesting comments. My readers all enjoyed the story of the donor visit that went sour. But here’s the funny thing: Why was I consistently able to develop terrific relationships with my major prospects – even when others failed? There…

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How to Stop Meddling Board Members

August 19, 2011

Last week I heard two people suggest that many Executive Directors don’t really want their board members engaged. Why? Because they are afraid their board members will “meddle.” What do I mean by meddling? It’s when a well-meaning board member pushes a personal idea or agenda that is not an organizational or staff priority. The…

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Create a “Friendmaking” Committee of Board Members

August 26, 2011

Do you want to get your board members actively making friends for your organization? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could form a “Friendmaking Committee” of board members who’d be out there making new friends and bringing current donors closer to your cause? I’m particularly big on putting board members to work on current donors….

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The Missing Ingredient In Your Major Gifts Effort

September 2, 2011

Do you ever feel like you are stuck in the office? The problem is – you’re not going to raise any money there. You’ve got to get out in front of donors. Many of my colleagues complain that they just aren’t out making the calls on donors they need to make. They know it’s the…

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How to Make Your Next Ask Practically Irresistible

September 9, 2011
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The moment of truth in fundraising is the ASK. How do you know what to say and how to frame your ask? Finesse is everything in this dance with your donor. Here are some key pointers that can make the difference between your donor saying “yes” or “no” in your next solicitation. 1. Plan your…

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Top 10 Things to Look For in New Board Members

September 16, 2011

How do you determine who to ask to join the board of your wonderful cause? If you really want to enlist a Dream Team Board, look for folks with these qualities. And if you’d like a recruitment guide – you can use my 24-page Recruit Your Dream Team Board Workbook (it’s free to my subscribers.)…

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Step-by-Step Cultivation Moves for Your Major Gift Prospect

September 23, 2011
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So you’ve managed to make your first visit with an important major gift prospect. What next? How do you manage to grow her interest in your cause? What’s your excuse for visiting with her again? I’m working with some wonderful clients creating a step-by-step process to help them followup on their major gift prospects. I…

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How the Food Bank Tripled its Fundraising in Three Years

September 30, 2011
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Yes, it really happened at the Knoxville Food Bank. This is Sandy Rees’ story of what happened when this organization embarked on a “think big with no excuses” mindset. This is the kind of approach that can change worlds. And it’s an approach that Sandy brings with her whenever she speaks or coaches. BTW, Sandy…

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How to Secure the Face-to-Face Visit-My Magic Key to Open the Door

October 7, 2011

Has this happened to you lately? Here you are, sitting at your desk with your major prospect list in hand. You’ve allocated time this morning to get on the phone and set up some appointments with some of your key supporters. You want to visit with them in person.  And you want to use the…

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Top 10 Tactics to Raise More Money This Year-End

October 21, 2011
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I hope at this point, you are in the middle of an intense year-end fundraising campaign. The fundraising outlook is uncertain, just like the economy. But the stakes have never been higher. You need the community’s help now more than EVER before  and you need to tell everyone so. Where to find the donors this…

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The Role of Quirky, Surprise and Delight in Fundraising Appeals

October 28, 2011

What is it going to take to open the hearts and wallets of today’s recession-weary donors? If you are like me, you are watching the trends on donor behavior carefully, looking for that golden key to their hearts. I’m summarizing all the trends in next week’s FREE webinar: “Where To Find The Donors This Fall….

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Here’s A Real, Live “Donor-Centered” Appeal Letter

November 4, 2011

You’ve probably heard all the talk about making all your appeals in a “donor-centered” fashion. But what does “donor-centered” really mean? What does it look like in action? We all know what we are supposed to do. We’re supposed to make it all about the donor and not about our organization. It’s easy to pay…

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