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NO ONE WILL SAY YES TO A VISIT… I’VE TRIED EVERYTHING! Really? Frequently I’ll talk to someone who is just getting serious about scheduling visits… Read More
There are two languages in fundraising – donorese, and organizationish. And, as often happens when people speak two different languages, miscommunication happens, and it obstructs… Read More
Many nonprofits use RFM as a means to fill their fundraising caseloads with supposedly qualified prospects – people who have a good chance of becoming… Read More
One of the most overlooked secrets to getting wealthy people to commit to a major gift is to simply get them talking about their wealth…. Read More
What is the ideal caseload size for gift officers? A quick internet search serves up a classic example of the term ‘conventional wisdom.’ Nearly every… Read More
So many nonprofits seeking major gifts keep doing what they’ve been told by the so-called experts, consultants, and traditionalists. Ask, ask, ask. Keep your metrics… Read More
Sure, asking for money is hard. But asking for an estate gift? Even experienced fundraisers can get squeamish. As Anne Melvin puts it, “For many… Read More
DO THIS ONE THING TO BOOK MORE VISITS: The next time someone tells you they don’t want to visit… in other words, they slap you… Read More
Fundraiser turnover is an epidemic. And that’s not just our opinion or an attempt to be dramatic. Actual researchers used that label to describe the… Read More
Disaster! We put in the work. We put in the planning. We carefully execute each step in the cultivation process. We thoughtfully craft and stage… Read More
I wasn’t interested in many Olympic sports until someone came up with the clever idea of preceding them with insightful and inspiring stories about the… Read More
I think colleges and universities should STOP worrying so much about DONOR PARTICIPATION RATES and become much more concerned about QUALIFICATION RATES. Just think about… Read More
Making the ask can be the scariest part of fundraising. Setting up social events is great fun. Being friendly with others is enjoyable. Talking about… Read More
Getting started in Major Gifts… better learn to golf! ❌FALSE❌ Of course, if you like to play golf and it works for you, party on…. Read More
If you’re a major gift officer, brace yourself, because this article might rile you up a bit. We’re going to expose some of the reasons… Read More
Before the ask, one step remains. Asking for permission to ask. The request is to present a challenge. This is the proposal for support.[1] Getting… Read More
Which stereotype do fundraisers play to? The one that perpetuates false expectations, that makes the best work seem insignificant, and causes honest feedback from fundraisers… Read More
Major gifts fundraising faces many challenges. That’s not news, and those challenges come in many forms, from many directions. But donor related fundraising challenges often… Read More
Let’s talk about wealth We want the donor to talk about assets. Why? Because 1. It creates a setting of wealth sharing. 2. It uncovers… Read More
Major gifts fundraising is about relationships. You know this, and it’s an easy truth to recite in a job interview. But actually developing positive two-way… Read More
Donors give because giving enhances some aspect of their identity. They give for many other reasons too, but their final critical decisions regarding which organizations… Read More
The “one big thing” in fundraising is always the same: Advance the donor’s hero story. That’s the right story. But for major gifts, we need… Read More
Pay fundraisers well, but NEVER pay a commission. I became the highest-paid employee besides the CEO at my organization when I worked in major gifts…. Read More
Your competition is not other nonprofits. Yes, perhaps there are a few others similar enough to your mission to cause a handful of donors to… Read More
Feeling like your job is getting harder because donor expectations have changed and competition for the charitable dollar is growing?
Finding that the old orthodoxies and conventions espoused by so-called experts in online echo-chambers and at conferences don’t work anymore?
Want to help more people make impact by facilitating their acts of philanthropy but feel like too many obstacles keep getting in your way?
Then this book is for you.
Engagement Fundraising was developed from the perspective of a donor who discovered firsthand that the impersonal, spray-and-pray approaches of his beloved charity were not only offensive but also wasteful and ineffective. So he took action. And now, you can too.
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