There is a perception that many fundraisers are job-hoppers, never staying in one role or with one organization for long.
There is a perception that many fundraisers are job-hoppers, never staying in one role or with one organization for long.
What’s the most popular food served at conferences? You guessed it. Chicken. What’s the most popular flavor of ice cream? If you said “vanilla,” kudos again. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with chicken or vanilla. Although I do like both, I’m more of a seafood and habanero lover (yes, there’s even a habanero ice cream — it’s pretty good actually). But here’s the thing: Both of those options sum up what’s wrong with the nonprofit world. We’re plain. Boring. In the vanilla zone. And non-confrontational when need be. Our organizations all seem to blend together — only we can see what differentiates ourselves from our peers. Vanilla zone marketing abounds, because they’re afraid to be edgy. And that means to our audience, we all look homogeneous. Bland. Blah. Banal. Dull as dishwater. How do you ever expect to raise any real money that way? Until we make it very clear
Random acts of kindness? Pfui. How about consistent acts of kindness. Same goes for marketing... and that's why many nonprofits fail because a little bit of this and a little bit of that ...
I recently saw a post on LinkedIn mentioning that “it’s all about the relationship, not the ask.” If you want to be in the top 5% in your career, read on ...
Personal preferences can’t interfere with gift acceptance. A while back I wrote an article called “A Gold Strike” about how nonprofits should include “the ask” for gifts of mineral rights on their websites. Shortly afterwards, I received an email from an advancement officer who thought that no “self-respecting non-profit organization should consider a gift of mineral rights, particularly ones involving hydrocarbons.” Her objections stemmed from personal opposition to hydraulic fracturing. But since she represented an academic institution, I welcomed an exchange of information, since that is the goal of education. Over the next couple of days, the advancement officer and I exchanged several emails about different types of non-cash gifts. I asked if she would accept Chevron stock. Her answer: “Of course. We accept appreciated stock.” I reminded her that it is a “back-door” yes to mineral rights. In subsequent conversations, we agreed to read articles from each other’s point
You do not need a Ph.D. All you need is Street Smarts. Look at what John Ready did at Valley Gives Back.
It’s true. Planned gifts really can get complicated. That’s why we have professionals like Meredith Sossman, JD; Camilyn Leone, Esq.; and Scott Janney on our team. And it’s a very good team. But when it comes to effective planned giving marketing, all you really need is street smarts and commitment. Even Camilyn and Meredith above, both lawyers, publicly admit it. However, admitting it is one thing. Putting it into practice at your nonprofit organization is another. Camilyn and Meredith get it, but most fundraisers out there don’t — and they don’t put nearly enough commitment into marketing their planned giving programs. Instead, they focus on learning all the technical details of planned gifts. Seriously — look at all of the fundraisers taking seminars on CRUTs, CRATs and CRAPs. They even take seminars on calculators. As my old saying goes, “If you need to take a course on understanding a planned
Do you know how to tap into a donor’s motivation to give? Have you nailed “the Passion Question?”
You have a planned giving program — that’s great! And you get those occasional gifts, and that's great too. But you're wondering if your donors know that you exist.
I just love Tom Ahern's sarcastic line: “Oh, goody! Look what’s come in the mail, honey. It’s the latest issue of our death brochure. Round up the kids!”
You can’t believe how hard it is for people to be simple, how much they fear being simple. They worry that if they’re simple, people will think they’re simpleminded. In reality, of course, it’s just the reverse. (~ Jack Welch, CEO General Electric.)
Legacy society member brings girlfriend to all organization events. She also attends events without him. She puts off other members by over-imbibing and being more outspoken than Whoopie Goldberg.
What’s the big deal about planned giving anyway? When it comes to things we don’t understand, or may be intimidated by, there’s always a reason to avoid taking a closer …
Nonprofit board members who serve on their investment advisory committees have a dual fiduciary role to perform: 1) They must protect the intent of the donor and the long-term viability of their organization; and 2) They have to manage endowment assets to provide a reasonable amount of income to support the causes that the funds are earmarked for.
The classic cry of the binge fundraiser is "Oops... gifts are slow to come in. I guess I’d better send out a mailing." If you find yourself in the middle of a quiet spell, thinking that a few actions, a couple of phone calls and a mailing here and there will get things moving again, you need to rethink your strategy.
That canned “planned giving newsletter” you’re paying for is viewed by your recipients as a "death brochure" and is going right into the trash. Spend your money wisely. (By Tom Ahern)
The Gala Gambit: How Much Did Your Donor Event Really Cost? It’s no secret that some fundraisers rely on elaborate gimmicks to separate money from donors’ wallets. In a Disney movie, Daddy Warbucks would come to the rescue, expecting nothing in return for his donation but a feeling of peace and goodwill at the end of the day. Reality is very different, though, because most donors want something more than a clear conscience in return for their investment. It’s human nature. Show Me the Money But all too often, fundraisers spend scads of time, money and effort creating flashy, elaborate events that rival a Great Gatsby party to reward donors who, in return, make small or medium-sized gifts of $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000. I can hear the whir of your mental cogs as you do the calculations now: “But Viken, if we get 10 people who give us $10,000
Women hold a large percentage of this nation's wealth, yet most don't have an estate plan. Show those who care about your mission the value of estate planning, and they’ll be encouraged to include a charitable gift to you. Simple ... donor and attorney friendly ... and to the point.
Catholics are uniquely at odds with the accumulation of personal wealth. Perhaps, it is because the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles suggest a vocational lifestyle of communal frugality as the path towards salvation. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter2, verses 44-45 provides a microcosmic glance at the life of the early Church: And all who shared the faith owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and distributed the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed. Contemporary Catholics are not inclined to live a communal life; however, they are as part of the manifestation of the faith encouraged to share their resources with those in the Church that are not as privileged with material possessions and personal wealth. Thus, the dilemma for the modern Christian, to accumulate wealth or to live a life of austerity and frugality. There is indeed a dualism for the
I saw a blog post penned by another planned giving vendor. Its sole purpose: To trash the idea that fundraisers need a planned giving website. Very interesting ...
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