3 min read
Who Thanks Your Donors? If You’re Not Sure, That’s a Problem
Let me ask you something. A gift comes in today—maybe a $25,000 check from a longtime donor. Do you know, right now, exactly who’s reaching out to thank them—and when?
3 min read
Let me ask you something. A gift comes in today—maybe a $25,000 check from a longtime donor. Do you know, right now, exactly who’s reaching out to thank them—and when?
3 min read
You finally get the gift. The relationship has been building for months, maybe years. The conversation was right. The timing worked. The donor said yes. Hooray! That moment can feel like the finish...
1 min read
I woke up feeling kind of depressed the other day. It was raining outside, I didn’t work out, and I was just in a funk. Then, I remembered something I read that said when you feel down or depressed,...
2 min read
As many of us in the U.S. prepare to pull up a chair at the Thanksgiving table—and even if you’re reading this from somewhere far beyond our borders—I want to take a moment to pause with you. This...
2 min read
Many of us in the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this week. But gratitude is a year-long practice, not an annual feast. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude...
3 min read
At Veritus, we talk a lot about transformation—transforming how you engage with your donors, how you manage your caseload, and how you show up in this work every day. But one of the simplest, most...
2 min read
I remember sitting at my desk 36 years ago, opening reply envelopes from a mailing I sent out weeks prior. I was right out of college, and this was my first job… working as a fundraiser for a small...
1 min read
My wife and I went to see It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks, who plays Fred Rogers. It was a wonderful film, and I urge you to see it. There was one scene that will stick...
3 min read
You know that when a donor gives a gift, your first job is to say thank you, as quickly as possible. Amazingly, colleagues in our industry (including Richard and myself) have written, conferenced,...
2 min read
One thing that’s difficult for me to do is to focus on the positive things people do. Jeff and my wife both tell me regularly that I am too problem-oriented. There is good and bad news to this...
4 min read
This is Part 1 of a series on building trust: “No Trust, No Relationship, No Money.” Trust is the core building block of all relationships. Yet many donors do not trust the organizations they give to...
1 min read
One thing is certain… the year-end push is exhausting. You’ve been busy preparing donor offers, meeting with donors, writing thank-you notes, making follow-up calls… and by this point in the year,...
Twice monthly, Jeff addresses current topics and classic problems in major gift fundraising.