On many days, working at a nonprofit in general (and then more specifically, being a fundraiser) will just break your heart. Over and over and over. Why do we continue to bloody our heads on that massive wall called the third sector? Here are four reasons why.
My parents taught me to give of my time. That led me to a nonprofit career and, as soon as I could, to become as generous of a donor as possible. If I had more, I would give more. But the sad truth is, I have tried to give more and failed repeatedly. Here’s why.
No one likes to be fooled, especially where money is concerned. But if you’re a novice to the fundraising world, it’s easy to get distracted by all the fads that clog your inbox. Here are 6 of the top myths that I hear new fundraisers repeat. Let’s do some myth-busting with the latest research on these topics.
Humans say they want grammatically perfect prose. But the truth is that they crave short, chatty copy that makes them feel something special. And for most of us, that’s incredibly hard to do well. To help, our team created this Storytelling Treasure Map.
Stories invite a deeper relationship with your donors. But if you fail to tell great stories – consistently throughout the year – your fundraising revenue will likely suffer. That’s why I want to teach nonprofits how to spin gold, using the 7 basic story plots.
Do you tell your fundraiser you love them enough? In most nonprofits, the answer is no. That’s why Abeja Solutions created these fun valentines to share with that special fundraiser in your life.
I didn’t set out to fall in love with a fundraiser. In fact, as a communications director I was convinced that all of them were crazy. But The One treated me differently. In her eyes, I was someone with which she could plan and build a lasting fundraising program.
There comes a point when you will know more than the people who are commenting on your work. And they rarely make comments to learn about the field of fundraising and its quirks. Listening to them will make work less effective — and that’s something fundraisers literally can’t afford to do.
Often we’re so eager to start executing on a marketing campaign that we forget or rush through the other two parts: strategy and evaluation. But when you rush to execution, I can practically guarantee campaign failure. Or if luck is on your side, partial results. Here’s how to do it right.
Great writing helps to develop strong relationships with donors. It snags grants and helps your community to understand and care about the complex need that your programs solve. Master these 5 tips and your boss, donors and other readers will thank you.
A well-managed story bank prevents those “oh crap” moments when you need to tell the perfect story with the perfect photo – and it just doesn’t exist.
Quality content matters because it’s the very fuel of effective fundraising. But many small-to-medium nonprofits struggle to create and distribute consistent communications. Who’s to blame? The god of perfection.
Nonprofits often want a bigger slice of the fundraising pie. But many are uncertain about which fundraising strategies to use and how to properly balance them. And some are not preparing for both their short-term and long-term needs.
My dear nonprofit companions: You are overwhelmed, overburdened, likely underpaid, underappreciated and at this point in the year, very tired. You know what I do when I feel like that? Seek inspiration from the one and only Kermit the Frog.
I sing the praises of the small donor. Those generous folks that give when they can to a mailing, or online, or even to your very specific appeal on social media. Why? Because they’re the ones doing the heavy lifting in nonprofitland.
We recently met a pair of nonprofit leaders who are losing sleep over their fundraising programs. All they want to do is run away from the nightmare of not making payroll or not keeping the lights on. But without understanding who really gives and how to balance growth with stability, they risk coming face-to-face with the monster they fear the most.
If your charity mail can convey the feeling of getting a letter from friends or family, even a tiny bit, I’d argue it leans more toward the kind of mail we need (and save!) rather than the kind of mail that’s headed straight into the recycle bin.
Smart string strategy could mean the difference between a donation to your organization, or a mailing that goes straight to the recycling bin.
Choosing what postage to use for your donor mail can be tricky. You want your mailing to get to donors quickly. And you want them to know how important you are to them, but alas, you have a budget. Terri Shoemaker helps you sort out the options.
Nonprofits are concerned that a decision by Congress to increase the standard federal tax deduction will cost them donors. We sat down with Abeja Solutions founder Terri Shoemaker to find out how savvy nonprofits can turn this new challenge into an opportunity.
