Latest posts
Fundraising’s biggest smokescreen
Warning: this post may offend some readers. When was the last time you read a blog that waxed lyrical about retention and how if you really look after your donors it’ll be the equivalent of Read more…
acquisition
British Fundraising Is in a Crisis – of Courage
As a fundraiser from the UK it has been really upsetting for me to watch how many UK fundraisers have been reacting to the negative press that is focused on charity fundraising. Fundraising consultant Mark Read more…
acquisition
How to Activate Your Community to Become Fundraisers for Your Organization
Fundraising is by no means an easy task! Charities of all sizes constantly strive to increase the amount of annual donations, and raise awareness about their cause. And now, peer-to-peer fundraising is helping nonprofits towards Read more…
101fundraising
Simply the Best: Top 10 blog posts! (Q1 2016)
Dear fundraising friends, the first quarter is gone already. What a first 3 months it has been. We started the year with the very sad news that Tony Elischer passed away. In this fast moving world we Read more…
communication
Is asking the only way to fundraise?
“But we need to ask!” That’s always been the assumption. The golden rule of fundraising. Ask more people, or ask people for more, is how to raise more money. So we need to ask. In Read more…
Latest posts
Don’t let 1,835 Cats KILL Your Fundraising
Every year, my favourite charity saves 1,835 cats in Vancouver. But they don’t talk to me about that. They tell me about one cat at a time. Why? Because they understand what makes a great Read more…
Latest posts
Rebecca’s First 47 Days
This Monday, March 28, I’m reporting to work in my new role as Chief Development Officer for Save the Children Canada. It’s been more than a year since I left my last full-time staff position. Read more…
acquisition
The Pursuit of Stardust Solutions
~Numerous Jedi Masters have translated this post from Yoda’s unique way of speaking to improve reading ease.~ Small spoiler alert, friends, if you have not seen new Star Wars movie. Many watched Star Wars: The Read more…
donor service
Your most awkward fundraising moment ever
Imagine this. You’re in a meeting with a donor. So you’ve done the hardest part already: you got the meeting. This donor really wanted to meet with you and she actually invited you to her Read more…
career
The people who made relationship fundraising work
I’ve stayed out of the current relationship fundraising debate, a little unsure what to say that I haven’t said many times already in the past 20+ years. But I found myself wondering why hasn’t the Read more…
donors
Stop talking about ‘stewardship’ – start doing it
Sad though it is to admit, you do get to a certain point in life where you start to notice certain themes, dynamics, characters and scenarios you’ve come across many times before – sometimes over Read more…
donor service
An example of greatness in donor appreciation and recognition
Last week Jeff Brooks reminded his readers how to write an effective thank you to your excellent donors. In order to “thank your donors so they really feel thanked” you need to know the following Read more…
communication
Bring back the joy of giving – it’s time to make donors smile
Stop for a moment. Forget any fundraising crisis. This might be hard considering recent blogs which have included headlines such as: “When fundraising hurts” “Relationship fundraising: It’s complicated” “Have we reached boiling point?” “The price Read more…
Latest posts
The Joy of Giving
In 1960 a 10 year old boy started a school newspaper, helped by some friends. He and his friends sold it in the playground for a penny a copy. They sold 100, and went on Read more…
acquisition
Donor centricity is easy, but it’s not
It’s really unfair. Like any fundraiser, you’ll eventually discover the concept of donor centricity, just like any marketeer discovers customer experience optimisation. You’ll love the concept, because your gut tells you it’s the Truth. You’ll Read more…
Latest posts
The data that re-defines ‘good’ fundraising
Do you know who your best new donors are? Do you know who your best fundraisers are? My guess is, if you’re honest with yourself, your answer to the first question is no, but to Read more…
high value donors
What does major gift excellence require?
I don’t mean what you need to get the job or even how to keep it. Too many nonprofits are willing to settle for less than the best. There are more available positions than there Read more…
communication
Exceeding Supporter Expectations with a WOW!
I once had a rather nice Italian linen suit. Back in the day when a rather baggy disheveled look was cool. Or so I thought at the time. One day when I went to collect Read more…
acquisition
Why Digital Skills are Important to Fundraisers
The social-profit sector needs fundraisers to dive in to a digital way of living and thinking more than ever. And in 2016 if you aren’t, you’re going to get left behind. Here’s 3 reasons why Read more…
101fundraising
5 years of fantastic fundraising!
It’s exactly 5 years ago that Jeroen and I launched 101fundraising. Hip hip hooray! Yes, we are super proud, because 101 has exceeded everyone’s wildest imagination. Superb fundraising insights from almost 101 international bloggers have Read more…
career
When Fundraising Hurts: Vicarious Trauma, Burnout, and Compassion Fatigue
You mean there’s a name for this? Said by me, exactly one year ago. I’d just guest-lectured at Humber College on the topic of crisis communications in war zones and natural disasters. The professor, Ken Read more…
Latest posts
It is what it is. What are you going to do about it?
Steven Covey in his habits of highly successful people talked about spheres of influence. To paraphrase, his point was, to focus your energy on the things you can change in your sphere of influence and Read more…
Latest posts
Re-Thinking the Crisis in Fundraising
To mark the third anniversary of the publication of Underdeveloped: A National Study of the Challenges Facing Fundraising, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services has announced that it will soon release an Action Guide for nonprofit’s seeking to Read more…
donors
I can’t get no (remuneration based on donor) satisfaction
My previous blog on 101fundraising earlier this week outlined some of the key theories from social psychology that Rogare’s project to review relationship fundraising had suggested might be usefully applied to the discipline. I now Read more…
donors
Choose relationship fundraising. Or not.
You’d be hard pushed to overstate how important the concept of ‘relationship fundraising’ is to many fundraisers. You only need to do a quick search on 101Fundraising to realise that. But despite it being one Read more…