Donor Cultivation Strategies

May 18, 2010

In talking about cultivating your donors, we’re going to assume that you’ve already done your prospecting research.  You’ve narrowed down the possibilities and have your prospect profiles complete, including each person’s history and background, history of giving to other organizations, relevant news items about him or her, and financial status.  Once the prospecting step is [...]

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Let’s start planning that Special Event!

May 10, 2010

What?  Our special event won’t be a big fund raising coup?  Then why should we bother having it? On the surface, it may seem like a fruitless effort to expend all the time and energy it takes to put on a special event if your coffers don’t end up substantially increased at the end.  However, [...]

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Volunteerism is alive and well!

May 4, 2010

Since man began living in communities with one another, people have volunteered to help each other through difficult times and situations.  Eventually, volunteering became a more “structured” commodity, with some very well known organizations forming as far back as the 1700’s. Benjamin Franklin created the first volunteer firehouse (the model for those still in existence [...]

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Donations of “Stuff” vs Cash

April 27, 2010

We’ve discussed in past blogs the challenge it can be for your average donor to contribute to your not- for-profit organization in the current economy.  Although it may be challenging, that doesn’t mean that donors have lost their desire to be of help in some way.  We live in an extremely generous country, and people [...]

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Boosting Staff Morale

April 14, 2010

As a not-for-profit, you may not have the financial resources at your disposal for compensating your dedicated staff members with hefty raises each year.  However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other meaningful ways to keep those staff members happy and motivated. There are other morale boosters that you can practice that can be easy, fun, [...]

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Make a Plan for Planned Giving

April 5, 2010

In the fundraising world, as you well know, contributions come in all sizes and from many different sources.  Many of them are given spontaneously as a result of appeals your not-for-profit makes throughout the year and some are given as a part of a donor’s regular yearly contribution plan. There is, however, another kind of [...]

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History of Philanthropy in the United States

March 30, 2010

We’ve mentioned before how Americans are extremely generous and philanthropic when disasters occur or when they see a need that moves them.  Have you ever wondered how it came about that we became such a country full of givers?  How did it all begin here in the land of the free? It sort of all [...]

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Fund Raising After Major Disasters

March 22, 2010

September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami of 2004, the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile…all are major disasters that have rocked our country and the world during this last decade.  In times of need, such as these, the world responds with help monetarily, with volunteers, and with needed supplies.  At the top of the [...]

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Sarbanes-Oxley: What Does It Really Say to Non-Profits, Pt 2

March 18, 2010

As discussed in last week’s blog, although not specifically targeted at not-for-profit agencies and organizations, Sarbanes-Oxley (American Competitiveness and Corporate Accountability Act) does address ten “principles” that can be applicable in their operations.  Last week we covered the first five: Role of the Board Importance of Independent Directors Audit Committee Governance and Nominating Committee Compensation [...]

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Sarbanes-Oxley: What Does It Really Say to Non-Profits?

March 9, 2010

It’s been several years now since the passing of the American Competitiveness and Corporate Accountability Act was passed (also known as Sarbanes-Oxley).  Although not specifically written for non-profit corporations and organizations, there has been much discussion and much written about how parts of this legislation affect these entities. A recent commentary from the American Bar [...]

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