Are you missing this key fundraising “system?”

January 22, 2020

Close your eyes for a moment… What’s the one thing that your organization can do to truly connect with your donors on a deeper level, lead to greater bequest giving, and grow your sustainable income — all at the same time? If you guessed monthly giving, you’re right! But in the survey that I conducted […]

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Lessons From Motivate Monday | Why postage increases should have you worried…and how to respond

January 21, 2020

Just this Monday, Roger Craver, Editor of top daily fundraising resource The Agitator, posted an important announcement, along with an urgent call-to-action for nonprofits. The news concerns the US Postal System and The Postal Rate Commission’s proposed drastic price increases, which the PRC is confident will pass. Such changes would harm nonprofit organizations and their […]

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What’s In My Inbox | An apology email that’s transparent, personal, and genuine

January 15, 2020

Trebbe Johnson, author of Radical Joy in Hard Times: Finding Meaning and Making Beauty in Earth’s Broken Places, writes books that explore the relationships between humans, nature, and myth. She’s also founded nonprofit Radical Joy for Hard Times, which is an organization, practice, and community. This nonprofit seeks to find the light within dark places. […]

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Power of Storytelling | Panera communicates with — and gives power to — their people

January 15, 2020

Who would have thought that Panera Bread would be the one to provide an example of storytelling worth celebrating? This chain of fast-casual bakery-cafe restaurants began in St. Louis as the Saint Louis Bread Company. It’s still known as such within the Greater St. Louis area. But to most of the United States, it’s fondly […]

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What’s in my Inbox | This stellar enewsletter starts the new year off right!

January 8, 2020

I received a batch of emails from various nonprofit organizations kicking off the new year. Smart nonprofits know that a new year marks a prime time to reach out to donors. The beginning of 2020 presents a welcome opportunity to start things off on the right foot. Burlington, Vermont-based nonprofit Intervale Center is one of […]

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11 Ways to Make 2020 Your Most Successful Fundraising Year Ever

January 5, 2020

1) Focus on the basics (Create Your Systems) W. Edwards Deming said, “Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your product and service, and that bring friends with them.” Develop your rinse-and-repeat systems for growing individual giving. How are you transforming first-time donors into regular donors, as well as mid-level donors into […]

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How Will You Create Your Gratitude Practice in 2020?

December 29, 2019

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. -Marcus Tullius Cicero   For seven years, I worked for a private family foundation. During that period, I learned a lot about the inner workings of grant-making as we established our first areas of programming and grant application guidelines. But […]

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Fundraising Friday | December 20, 2019

December 20, 2019

Fundraising Emergency Year-End Fundraising 2019. Here’s what you can still do to surpass your goal (Tip Sheet added). How will you “inspire and delight” in 2020? Maybe a subscription box is in your organization’s future. A marvelous holiday gift from Mark Phillips: Why Do People Give? The Podcast with Ken Burnett. You’re in for a […]

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What’s In My Inbox | It’s the most wonderful time…for OneJustice’s matching gift campaign!

December 19, 2019

OneJustice is yet another nonprofit whose people are well-aware that it’s the most wonderful time of the year…to bump up email communications. The primary goal of this San Francisco-based organization and Simple Development Systems Alum is to make legal services accessible to those who need them most. To that end, OneJustice operates as an “innovation […]

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What’s In My Mailbox | A winning example of an EOY reminder postcard done right

December 18, 2019

If you’ve got the budget, there’s still time for a reminder mailing to those donors who gave last year but not yet this year. This recent post includes a few tips and tricks to help you make that happen in just the nick of time…  Despite limited time, there are still so many directions you […]

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How will you inspire and delight in 2020?

December 18, 2019

Confession: I’m a sucker for a subscription box. You’re probably familiar with subscription boxes. For a monthly (sometimes quarterly payment), you get a box filled with full and sample-sized products. A $24.99 subscription box may well contain products valued at over $100. There are all kinds of categories for boxes. Beauty boxes. Meal boxes. Sock […]

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What’s In My Inbox | It’s the most wonderful time…to bump up your email!

December 17, 2019

When there are only 16 days left until the end of the year, every day needs to count. You have the power to make it so. There’s still plenty to be done and so many little things you can do during these critical last days. Make your donor calls. Add a lightbox to your home […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Desiree Tims shows us why personal should be the starting point

December 11, 2019

Desiree Tims is running for Congress. She is seeking election for Ohio’s 10th Congressional District. I’m not within her jurisdiction, but she caught my attention ever since I found her on Twitter and signed up to get her emails. Desiree’s site reveals that she was “Inspired by her grandfather’s journey from sharecropping in the Deep South […]

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Last-Minute End-of-Year Fundraising Tactics

December 11, 2019

Are the changes in our tax law wreaking havoc on our sector? Word on the street is that year-end giving is down. It’s December 12 already and maybe your EOY campaign isn’t going as well as you’d planned. While I’m not going to advise you to relax and count on the last few days of […]

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Power of Storytelling | RAINN, with one of our most powerful storytelling examples to date

December 5, 2019

Chances are, you’ve heard of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) before. Founded in the mid-90s, this nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization is the largest in the United States. They’re dedicated to preventing sexual assault and providing resources to help victims. In addition to operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline and The Department of Defense […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Elizabeth Warren keeps her messages real, warm, and…furry?!

December 4, 2019

You may already have an idea of how Elizabeth Warren communicates with her supporters. We’ve posted about it in this space before. Whether she’s taking time out of her busy schedule to call donors who’ve given “just $5,” or showing off pictures of her pup, Bailey, Elizabeth consistently keeps it real, and we love her […]

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Building trust for your nonprofit

December 3, 2019

Just as it seems that every institution we’ve held dear over the years is crumbling, The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that, according to a survey by the Better Business Bureau, Declining trust in the nonprofit sector has been a trend for a while. In a post from last year, The Agitator’s Roger Craver noted […]

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Biscuits and Multichannel

November 21, 2019

Has it happened to you, too? You’ve been looking forward to something for ages. Maybe a special night out, or a vacation, or seeing that show you got tickets for last year. And then the actual moment arrives and… It’s disappointing. It doesn’t match up with your anticipation. Or, worse, it doesn’t happen at all. […]

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What’s In My Mailbox | The Post-it Note…Revisited

November 20, 2019

Many moons ago, I wrote a blog post about the possibilities of the humble Post-It note. Also known as Post-its and sticky notes, chances are, you’ve seen this small piece of paper with an adhesive strip on the back many a time. Created especially for attaching notes to documents and other surfaces, their little adhesive […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Oxfam’s matching gift campaign for World Toilet Day is serious business

November 20, 2019

Happy World Toilet Day! November 19th marks this little known holiday, which is an official United Nations international observance day. On its face, the idea of World Toilet Day sounds strange. Why are toilets worth celebrating? Well, you might not think of toilets as serious business, but they are. Especially to those who live in […]

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