Lessons From Motivate Monday | Social media as an email list-builder? Julia shows you how!

February 4, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, I published a post listing ten ways to rock your fundraising in 2019. If you haven’t read it yet, go on over and take a look. It’s now February, and that means you have plenty of time to put these ideas into action. You have time to figure out how […]

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Fundraising Friday | February 1, 2019

February 1, 2019

Could a disability actually make you better at your job? This week’s Power of Storytelling features an inspirational video you won’t want to miss. Set aside 13 minutes and be sure to stay until the very end… “We did this great thing. And, in 2018, we did this wonderful thing. We are so great!” Yes (yawn), but […]

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Lighting the Donor’s Journey: Utilizing the Persona Priority Matrix | By Tim Sarrantonio

January 31, 2019

One of the best parts of my week is Saturday morning. This is for some of the usual reasons – relaxed morning breakfast with my wife and three young girls, the excitement of planning a family outing, and being able to sip my morning coffee without having to feel a rush for the door. Yet […]

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What’s In My Inbox | The Southern Poverty Law Center slays…with the help of their donors!

January 30, 2019

With your help, we’ve just filed an incredibly important lawsuit. How would you feel if you received an email that began this way? This sentence serves as both the subject header and the first line of my most recent correspondence from Southern Poverty Law Center. SPLC is a very important organization, and right now, they […]

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The Power of Storytelling | Meet Chris: husband, father, rower, and blind architect!

January 30, 2019

News magazine TV program 60 Minutes aired its first episode during the fall of 1968 and instantly resonated with audiences. Now, over fifty years and many awards later, the program continues to capture the collective attention of viewers everywhere. Those who watch 60 Minutes count on the show to deliver consistently compelling storytelling content. A […]

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What’s In My Mailbox | What does a culture of gratitude look like? A couple examples…

January 23, 2019

Have you thought about what it means to develop a culture of gratitude at your organization? The word “culture” can often evoke big, expansive things. Things that could also seem daunting and complicated. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, think of your culture as something that’s always in flux. Culture is dynamic. […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Gilead House kicks off 2019 right — with donor gratitude!

January 22, 2019

Gilead House, located in Novato, California, has been helping homeless families in the community for two decades. Initially, the organization rented homes to house multiple families until, thanks to donor support, they had the resources to build a six-family home in 2011. A few years later, they purchased a 12-unit apartment facility. The donor communications […]

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The Power of Storytelling | Katelyn Ohashi’s story, behind the scenes…

January 20, 2019

If you haven’t yet, meet Katelyn Ohashi. She’s had a great week. The vibrant, bubbly 21 year-old UCLA gymnast took the internet by storm after her floor routine, which earned her a perfect 10, went viral. The clip rapidly gained over 60 million views after it was uploaded to the internet. From start to finish, […]

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Fundraising Friday | January 18, 2019

January 18, 2019

How will you make 2019 your organization’s most successful fundraising year ever? In a word, Systems. Download your free Fundraising & Marketing Calendar and get started implementing your systems. Could anything be quite so painful to a parent as the fear that they’ll miss their child growing up? This week’s Power of Storytelling. Foundation grant […]

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The Power of Storytelling | “I’m terrified of missing you growing up.”

January 15, 2019

StoryCorps is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit founded by radio producer David Isay in 2003. This organization is dedicated to sharing stories from people of “all backgrounds and beliefs.” Since its inception, StoryCorps has become a platform for showcasing great stories. Similar to Humans of New York (HONY), StoryCorps functions as a story curation space. You could […]

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10 Ways to Make 2019 Your Most Successful Fundraising Year Ever

January 11, 2019

Is your organization’s fundraising ready for for 2019? For the past several years, we’ve been advising smart fundraisers to zero in on their individual giving program with a laser-like intensity. And despite the current political and fundraising climate — or perhaps especially because of the current climate — that’s still sound advice. How will you […]

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Fundraising Friday | January 11, 2019

January 11, 2019

How are you letting your supporters know they matter? This week’s What’s in My Inbox features Vermont’s Intervale Center with an inspiring email you can emulate. How did your organization’s end-of-year campaign fare? Fundraisers are reporting mixed results on their year-end digital fundraising campaigns.  In Key Drivers of Giving – Do You Know What They […]

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What’s In My Mailbox | An 84% increase in year-end funding?! See how…

January 9, 2019

It pays to understand the power of donor segmentation.  In Our Best Year End Fundraising: The System 2018 webinar series, we included a jam-packed two-hour presentation from renowned international fundraising consultant Denisa Casement, CFRE that left participants begging for more. Casement is part of the powerhouse team that grew a small Irish charity from €250,000 to €3 […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Intervale Center sends me a warm, green thank you

January 8, 2019

I’ve spotlighted donor communications from Intervale Center in the past, both direct mail and email. They’re a Basics & More *and* Simple Development Systems Alum.  This Burlington-based nonprofit is dedicated to “strengthening community food systems,” and they’ve carried out this mission in ways that are innovative and sustainable for the past three decades. Since it’s […]

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What’s In My Inbox | Last minute ask mastery from Monterey Bay Aquarium…

January 2, 2019

For the 2018 End-of-Year fundraising season, it seemed like my inbox was weighed down with more emails from nonprofits than ever before. And the sad fact was that most of them were so bad they made me depressed. Just before the close of 2018, Monterey Bay Aquarium reached out with a short, friendly email encouraging […]

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What’s In My Mailbox | Who knew scratch ‘n sniff could be so compelling?

December 12, 2018

The Monell Chemical Senses Center is a nonprofit scientific research institute located in Philadelphia, PA, celebrating their 50th year. Monell conducts and publishes research primarily focused on taste and smell, as well as how these things are connected to human health and disease. Monell is the only research institute of its kind, and the work they […]

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Power of Storytelling | Sandy Hook Promise generates impact, educates, and brings awareness

December 10, 2018

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings nearly six years ago, family members who’d lost loved ones in the horrific tragedy joined forces to found Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting gun violence at its roots. Since its inception, SHP has grown into a national movement that has brought parents, schools, and […]

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Lessons From Motivate Monday | How are you keeping your #GivingTuesday donors?

December 3, 2018

The 92nd Street Y and United Nations Foundation launched #GivingTuesday, a day of international charitable giving, on November 27, 2012. The idea was in response to the rampant consumerism and commercialism of the holiday season. Since its inception, #GivingTuesday has expanded into a movement-driven effort, a rallying cry against the worst kind of capitalism. #GivingTuesday […]

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What’s In My Inbox | National Toilet Day…a time for celebration, and matching gifts!

November 28, 2018

We’ve talked about this before: there are some strange “holidays” out there. We’re not talking about the nationally (or even globally) recognized and celebrated standards, like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Those less-known designated calendar days that are quirky, silly, and sometimes even yummy can a lot of fun, too. Did you know today is National […]

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It’s #Giving Tuesday. How are you standing out?

November 27, 2018

It’s only 11 am on Tuesday morning, November 27, 2018. #GivingTuesday. And already I’m feeling like I’m being bombarded. Or, as The Whiny Donor so eloquently notes: This is a mere sampling of what’s already landed in my inbox: Tracy Malloy Curtis noted “One day can’t make up for a failure to engage, cultivate, and […]

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