Hands-On Fundraising

Donor Communications

  • About
  • Hands-On Fundraising Blog
  • Services
  • Contact

Your donor retention how-to

First, why does donor retention matter? Ah, donor retention. We talk about it often. But why does it matter? Acquiring new donors is hard and often expensive. (You still need to do it.) So not doing all you can to keep the donors you have is like tossing money out the window. Prioritize retention! Also… […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors, Planning Tagged With: donor relationships, donor retention

Don’t invoice me when you want a gift

Playing cute tricks with donors isn’t the win you think it is I’ve been stewing about a certain kind of gift solicitation. I’ve hesitated to write about it. But I get more annoyed the more I think about the damage these things can do. Want some examples? This is an email I got. (Good organization; […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeals, donor care, donor choice

How to unearth the stories you need

I’m convinced we’re made of stories And if that sounds a little goofy, then I’m guilty. But I’m sticking to it. The stories we tell ourselves about our lives and loves. The stories we hear from other people that shed light on who they are. And the stories that we read… whether in a great […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications, stories

What sloppy data means to donors

What sloppy data means to donors Are you ignoring crossed wires? If tending to your donor database is a job passed off on the intern or an occasional volunteer, you’re playing with fire. Why? Because that’s not just “computer stuff”. That information is where your donors live. Those relationships you know you should be building? […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog Tagged With: data entry, donor management systems, donor preferences

Becoming a fundraiser

Have I ever told you how I became a fundraiser? I’m hesitant to share because I don’t often find myself interesting enough… But I think in this case, there were a few reasons why my first fundraising job became a career lasting decades. And I hope that’s useful to you. My first nonprofit job was […]

Filed Under: Arts Fundraising, Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: donor communications, Fundraising, learning

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • …
  • 110
  • Next Page »

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • Arts Fundraising: Engage and Inspire Your Donors
  • How you can use the Benjamin Franklin effect
  • 13 Quick tips for your next fundraising appeal
  • Can’t afford to raise money?
  • You can stop listening to excuses and raise more money

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising Strategy

Copyright © 2026 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · 847 S. Main Street · #183 · Plantsville, CT 06479