19 Ideas to Cultivate Your Donors
If there is one area of “moves management” that has never set well with me it’s the word stewardship. Stewardship is what you are supposed to do with donors after they give you a gift. I don’t like it because it conveys a more passive approach to the relationship with...
How to Collect Good Stories for Major Gifts
One of the most difficult aspects of major gift fundraising is securing stories to share with donors. This is something that most MGOs struggle with every day. There are two types of stories a MGO needs to collect: Needs stories. The most effective way to convey the...What Success Looks Like in Major Gifts
It was budget time, and the manager was asked by finance to provide a major gifts forecast for the coming year. The manager and the CFO discussed how they should arrive at the right number and the CFO said: “Look, just take what they (the MGOs) did last year and add...Familiarity Breeds Contempt?
What’s wrong with this picture? Could it be that the top donor of this large non-profit gave $106,000 less from year 1 to year 2? Maybe. Or that a group of $5,000 givers are just “missing in action” in year two? Yep. All of that could be troubling. But most troubling...You Can’t Thank Fast Enough
It is always interesting to me how some managers approach the timing of a “thank you” when it comes to giving. It’s as if any kind of delay is acceptable. Let’s make this really personal and see how it feels to you. You come into my office and give me a copy of a book...TOP RATED PODCAST
Twice monthly, Richard and Jeff address current topics and classic problems in major gift fundraising.
