"That donor I don't have to worry about..." donors fundraisers major donors major gifts relationships success Aug 08, 2023

One of the great joys I have, being a fundraiser, is meeting donors who are true fans of our mission. 

You may have had donors like that - they're supporters and they give regularly. They may attend events or volunteer. They talk about your work to others. You may not even realize how much...

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Conversational Asking: Building Donor Relationships communications donors fundraisers fundraising major gifts relationships success Jul 17, 2023

"So if you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.” 

This quote from Dale...

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Fundraising: Beyond the Numbers to Meaningful Connections donors fundraisers fundraising major gifts philanthropy success transformational gifts Jul 10, 2023

As a fundraiser, I've come to realize that I'm more than a connector to charitable gifts. I'm a catalyst for change.

As fundraisers, we take the hopes and aspirations of supporters and prospects - their desire for a better world - and connect them to the life-changing missions...

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Better Storytelling with Storyweaving and Storylistening donors fundraisers fundraising relationships storytelling success Oct 12, 2021

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...

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The Magic of Discovery Calls donors fundraisers fundraising success Apr 29, 2021

Discovery calls: some fundraisers love them, some fundraisers loathe them.

The truth is, they are a vital part of our work as relationship fundraisers.

For many fundraisers, the hardest part of the Discovery Call is that it feels as if you're making a cold call. And yet, in our work we need...

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Are You a Treat? donors fundraisers gratitude success teamwork Oct 27, 2020

People who know me well, know Halloween is my favourite holiday!

Here are my four insights to how fundraisers can be more like a treat than trick to donors.

Treat donors like partners for impact

As a fundraiser, you should to treat all donors as special. Whether...

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