Can Strategic Planning Lead to a Major Gift? Yes!
Published March 18, 2019
By Ann J. Shackelford, Senior Consultant, and Steve W. Waiksnoris, Senior Consultant, Arthur Alley. I was recently with a group of board members, staff and other stakeholders of a human services organization. They had contracted our firm to perform a community needs assessment and strategic plan, and this was the day we were going to […]
How to A/B Test in Fundraising Emails
Published March 12, 2019
By Molly Saks, Senior Marketing Associate, Campbell & Company According to the M+R Benchmarks 2018 Study, email accounted for 28% of online revenue in 2017. Email still matters—but it’s increasingly important to craft those messages strategically. The same study reported that response rate to fundraising emails declined by 6% in 2017. So how can you […]
What Differentiates a Nonprofit Executive Search?
Published
By Ron Guisinger, SPHR, Senior Consultant Benefactor Group When a nonprofit hires an independent party to assist with the search and selection of its next leader, it can pursue various options: large, globally branded retained search firms; boutique firms; contingent search firms; individual search professionals—or variations of them. However, anyone recruiting for nonprofit leadership positions […]
Make Every Day a Campaign Day
Published January 30, 2019
By Aly Sterling, founder and president of Aly Sterling Philanthropy Top 10 reasons why a “campaign mentality” will boost your overall fundraising program campaign mentality (kamˈpān menˈtalədē) – noun A constant mindset and approach to fundraising that includes heightened communication, focused goals, intentional donor cultivation, powerful case stories and active board engagement fueled by a […]
3 Major Stewardship Opportunities You May Be Missing
Published
Donors often think of their philanthropy as an investment in the future—and they want to see a meaningful return. Development professionals know how critical it is to show donors the impact of their past contributions. However, one opportunity that is often missed is the chance to provide a personal touch through meaningful stewardship that facilitates […]
5 Ways Small Nonprofits Can Improve Financial Health
Published January 23, 2019
By David H. King, President and CEO, Alexander Haas Nonprofits of all sizes can experience cash shortages, and many do: Around half of U.S. nonprofits have less than one month of operating reserves, according to a recent study. Nearly two-thirds of charities have annual budgets of less than $1 million, which makes them similar to […]
Three Quick Lessons from our Donor Survey on Planned Giving
Published January 17, 2019
By Bill Jacobs, Founder, Analytical Ones Recently, we did a large sample national survey of donors in the United States. We asked a wide variety of questions on planned gifts and their answers were surprising. First, is the untapped resource for planned gifts. In our survey, over one-third of respondents indicated that they currently do […]
Wealth Data: 5 Ways to Learn More About Your Prospect’s Capacity to Give
Published December 18, 2018
By Jill McCarville, VP Marketing, iWave Mo’ money, Mo’ problems major gifts. Some of the most important information you will find on your prospective major gift donors is with regards to their wealth. Follow along with this scenario: your promising new prospect lives in a 7-bedroom house in Texas, has a beach condo in Malibu, […]
Communicate the Transformative Impact with Social Return on Investment
Published December 12, 2018
By Richard Tollefson, Founder and President, & Michal Tyra, Director of Client and Community Engagement, The Phoenix Philanthropy Group For nonprofits, communicating impact and value is crucial. While most businesses answer to a select group of owners, investors and shareholders, nonprofits must justify their existence and performance to a wide range of stakeholders. Donors, program […]
