What happens when Mission Impact + Nonprofit Leadership + the Fundraising Team are not aligned

Recently, while working with a client, she shared exciting news over Zoom. They had received a generous $25,000 gift for their museum. I was overjoyed for them! Initially, the plan was to meet...

People sometimes wonder why I am obsessed with using phone calls as a key tool in major gift fundraising. The answer is simple: it works. And it boosts giving and donor retention. 

My mantra: "phone calls are a powerful tool for major gift fundraising."

I've seen firsthand how a simple phone...

How can you craft a more effective donor tour underpinned with a solid major gift strategy?

I've had several clients ask me how they can improve the donor tours.

I'll use a recent coaching call as an example, with a food bank in the United States.

This food bank had a unique...

I clearly remember walking into the development office, dreading opening up the CRM to start my fundraising week. 

Sometimes It was because I'd worked all day Saturday, and worried part of Sunday about the work that was waiting for me on Monday. Other times because there was a...

I've handled huge portfolios where I felt as though I was playing catch-up all the time on certain donors. They rarely responded when I sent something like an update until they were ready to talk about their gift.

Other times, I worked with donors who I couldn't give enough information, and in...

Ad from Alaska Airlines

I used to smile when I would see this ad from Alaska Airlines. It was witty and exemplified making a quick decision appropriate to the occasion.

As a fundraiser, sometimes you need to be ready for a change of plans - a sudden opportunity to speak to a prospect, a...

I JUST HATE PHONE CALLS

In the last two days I've worked with two separate clients and they both hate making phone calls.

When exploring the discomfort of his phone experiences, I asked Client A if he ever called his mom. "No, I just see her around town. Do you text instead? I...

If you're up on the latest findings from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), you already know that while overall philanthropy giving is dipping, the share of major gifts is growing.

Major and Supersize gifts - representing gifts of $5,000 and more - comprise 76% of total...

 I was honored to be invited to give the opening keynote at Food for the Poor. I had the good fortune to work with Barbara Mari in the past and her new role at Food for the Poor is Senior Director Major & Regional Giving.

One of the questions that was asked afterwards was, "When we call...

Mostly, we get the Asking on lock.

We get around to the Thank at some point (great thanks can really set your nonprofit apart and BOOSTS your fundraising results).

And we Report - sometimes we just lump it in with a newsletter or annual report and call it good - but...

If you know me, you know I prefer using permission-based language with donors and prospects. I listened to a great podcast by Nikki Rausch, "When not to say, 'Thanks for Your Patience'."In it, she talks about the phrase, which I have used before.

"...There's such a difference between ...