Is annual giving something you take down from the attic once a year? Somewhere along the line, annual giving – the support an organization needs each year to operate – turned into “the one time a year we expect donors to give”. So organizations get to October, look at the holes in the operating budget […]
Why gratitude should be your daily practice
What if gratitude wasn’t something to check off your to-do list? What if gratitude made you and your donors feel great? What if gratitude made it much more likely your donors would remain your donors? Smart fundraisers understand that giving is personal and emotional. They understand that there is much more to raising money than […]
Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your Year End Campaign
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… In theory. Would your donor feel that way? John Lepp (of Agents of Good fame) and I sat down to give you a tried and tested YEAR END checklist you can use as you sit down to craft the most meaningful appeal of the year. Some context […]
What does donor love really mean?
Is donor love just a tactical means to an end? Is it a recognition that fundraising should be about relationships, not transactions? It can mean a lot of things. But today, I want to say it’s about recognition, respect and shared values. Recognition Not everyone is your potential donor. The people who do choose your […]
Five ways to steward potential donors before their first gift
By Carrie Rice, Project Donor Love #Donorlove is frequently focused on what happens after someone makes a donation, such as thanking donors and encouraging donor retention. In fact, everyone who interacts with your organization is a potential donor. Applying a few stewardship best practices with each person with whom you interact begins the relationship-building before […]