Are you a dictatorial boss or a dynamic nonprofit leader?
I think too many nonprofit leaders don’t really know how to lead. Instead they just boss people around. Having a title means you have authority…. Read More
Login
Your Role
Challenges You Face
results
Learn
Resources
Company
Smartideas
Helping you qualify, cultivate and prioritize major donors and legacy supporters so you can have fun closing more gifts more efficiently.
Sep
23
2020
Aug
31
2020
Product Updates: August 2020
Here’s a roundup of some major updates we’ve made to your MarketSmart Dashboard thanks to your feedback. Be sure to refresh your Dashboard once you’ve… Read More
Aug
31
2020
Why you should use nostalgia to promote more giving
I recently stumbled upon a neat paper titled Nostalgia: The Gift That Keeps Giving. Here’s a summary: Overview 1. Nostalgia is a very personal, social emotion that… Read More
Aug
28
2020
Here’s What Supporters “Buy” When They Donate to Charity
I think buying and donating are the same. Here’s why. When I give money to a charity, I am buying: A chance to be moved by… Read More
Aug
26
2020
Top 3 reasons why major gift or legacy gift officers don’t have enough face-to-face meetings with donors
I hear a lot of people complaining about gift officers not meeting with enough donors. Usually, these complaints come from people who don’t really do… Read More
Aug
24
2020
Too much major and legacy gift fundraising is focused on HOW when it should be focused on WHY.
What the heck am I talking about? Major gift fundraising communications (especially legacy gift marketing) tend to focus too much on showing supporters how they… Read More
Aug
21
2020
How to understand your donor’s consideration process so you generate more major gifts
First things first. Too often fundraisers, board members, and nonprofit leaders spend way too much time thinking and talking about their organization’s or their employee’s… Read More
Aug
19
2020
7 Data Points That Prove ‘Fundraising Climate Change’ Is Real And Happening Now
What’s in a name? In my book (titled Engagement Fundraising) I briefly described the changes affecting nonprofits and their fundraising staff. The label I applied… Read More
Aug
17
2020
Why major and legacy donors think your fundraising communications stink!
First, it is not all your fault. Well then, can we blame it on leadership? Leadership should share the burden of blame because fundraisers tend… Read More
Aug
10
2020
Top 10 Reasons Why Fundraisers Might Be Uncomfortable ‘Making The Ask’
Let me know what you think about my top 10 reasons why some fundraisers might be uncomfortable making the ask: 10. They are in the wrong job and… Read More
Aug
07
2020
How to ask for a gift: Do you really have to ask?
When it comes to ‘how to ask for a gift,’ you’ll see there’s a parallel between how we conduct sales here at MarketSmart and how… Read More
Aug
06
2020
3 Reasons You Should Be Thinking about QCDs (Backed By Data + A Free Guide)
How many decisions do you make each day? A quick google search yields our answer: somewhere near 35,000. That number may seem intimidating, “How can… Read More
Aug
04
2020
3 simple steps to break your transactional, spray-and-pray fundraising addiction
Nonprofits tend to get addicted to transactions they generate mostly by aiming marketing toward potential supporters with low-capacity. I call it ‘spray and pray’ marketing… Read More
Jul
13
2020
My Simplest Explanation of How Engagement Fundraising Works
Engagement fundraising (a phrase I coined many years ago) is powerful. I’ve been talking about this for about 10 years (ever since I revamped my… Read More
Jun
22
2020
9 hard truths your fundraising operation needs to face in the post-pandemic era.
1. Competition is fierce and everywhere. Nonprofits don’t only compete with other nonprofits. They also compete with private sector businesses and Uncle Sam (the tax… Read More
Jun
01
2020
7 big ideas for raising ‘major gifts of assets’ right now from Dr. Russell James
A couple of weeks ago, my longtime friend Dr. Russell James presented his top recommendations for fundraisers to consider especially during the coronavirus era. If… Read More
May
20
2020
Product Updates: Stewardship Series Effort and Online Will Tool Add-on
Stewardship Series Effort When it comes to legacy gifts, many organizations spend a large chunk of their time focused on uncovering hidden gifts or closing… Read More
May
12
2020
Top 10 Free Resources Thanks To Dr. Russell James
Nearly ten years ago I made a new friend. It started out with an error. I wrote a blog post about the link between childlessness… Read More
May
04
2020
7 Major Gift Fundraising Benchmarks You Really Need To Know
Before we begin. The 2020 Major Gift Benchmark Study asked people working in nonprofit organizations (n=580) what they consider to be a major gift, how… Read More
Apr
01
2020
THE WAY FORWARD: PART 3 OF 3 FOR MARKETING MAJOR AND LEGACY GIFTS IN THE CORONAVIRUS ERA
This is part 3 of 3 in a series. For the first post, go here and for the second post, go here. 5. Engage and offer,… Read More
Mar
31
2020
THE WAY FORWARD: PART 2 OF 3 FOR MARKETING MAJOR AND LEGACY GIFTS IN THE CORONAVIRUS ERA
This is part 2 of 3 in a series. For the previous post, go here. 3. Kill self-doubt Some in your organization might be saying… Read More
Mar
31
2020
The Way Forward: Part 1 of 3 for Marketing Major and Legacy Gifts in the Coronavirus Era
1. Don’t Panic It’s the first rule of crisis management. When we panic we make bad decisions. Many of us have been facing closures, lockdowns… Read More
Mar
29
2020
A pep talk for fundraisers like you!
We are going to get through this, and history proves it. For many of us, this is not the first economic downturn we have seen… Read More
Mar
04
2020
3 Simple Fundraising Metrics for Nonprofits (and How to Calculate Them)
Google search “fundraising metrics” and you’ll find plenty of blog posts and articles. In fact, you’ll come across too many. It can be overwhelming to figure out… Read More
Get the book!
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.
Get smarter with the SmartIdeas blog
Subscribe to our blog today and get actionable fundraising ideas delivered straight to your inbox!