What to do when our non-fundraising colleagues and leadership don't understand fundraising

Most fundraisers aim to build a Culture of Philanthropy within their organizations. This is important because internal support is an key stepping stone to fundraising success – particularly...

This is the last in a three-part series on why fundraisers need grit, grace and gratitude.

I firmly believe we need more gratitude in this world. Not only fundraisers, but everyone. Here are the reasons I believe we fundraisers need gratitude:

Nonprofit work is challenging. We often do more...

This is the second in a three-part series on why fundraisers need grit, grace and gratitude.

This is the first in a three-part series on why fundraisers need grit, grace and gratitude.

I keep this little poster framed in my office, "Grit, Grace & Gratitude," It perfectly sums up what it takes to be a great fundraiser.

The term “grit” isn’t...

In a previous post, I offered some practical tips on  ensuring that your nonprofit events maximize donor, volunteer and prospect relationships and help move them forward (and how to deal with challenges here).

But much of this can start even earlier - at the invitation stage.

What typically...

Recently I've been talking about Working the Room - how to get the most out of donor relationships during event. Then I wrote a post about getting the right people to the event.  The posts outlined practical steps about how fundraisers, board and staff can focus on the donors and not...

I had a colleague who told me, as we prepared to attend a pre-opening donor event at an art museum, that these events were very difficult for her.

"They aren't hard for you, you like talking with people," she said to me. "For me, it is different."

Yes and no. There is no question that I get...

I love being a fundraiser and I always say that, for me, fundraising isn't a job but a calling.

So I was excited listening to Shankar Vedantam's podcast, "How to Build a Better Job," where he interviewed Amy Wrzesniewski, Ph.D., Professor of Organizational Behavior...

Be open to hearing what donors are really saying...

What "No" Means - from your donor

When working with donors to identify prospective donors who may wish to support your charity, an important part of relationship building is what I call "transfer of trust."

Kivi Leroux Miller talks about it in her book The Nonprofit Marketing Guide.

"Few people wake up and decide out of the blue...

Get ready for inspiring your donors for the big ask...

Making a big ask isn't about being fearless, it's about being sure-footed. 
Fearlessness is all about you - it's a solo act. Fundraisers, though, are in business of relationships. You and the donor are climbing together to the mountain...

Storytelling is an important tool for fundraisers: 2 more tools to supercharge your efforts: storyweaving and storylistening. 

Research tells us: 

Using stories signals the brain to pay attention and to store the meaning deeply in the cerebellum. 

Emotions...