We don’t always plan for emergencies. Of course, that’s what an emergency is – something important, but not normal. So how can you plan for emergency fundraising? If your organization finds itself struggling with the impact of coronavirus – whether in increased expenses and/or increased need for your services – you need to be able […]
After the ask: why donor engagement matters
Donor engagement is critical. How are you doing? You’ve probably seen donor retention numbers over the last several years. Over the last five years, donor retention rates have been between 44% and 46%. That’s not good. And acquiring new donors has only gotten harder and more expensive. (But don’t stop trying!) So, what are you […]
Fundraising in a time of pandemic
Chances are, you’re reading this at home. With the coronavirus raging through the world, the best defense we have is social distancing. It’s hard. For some, it’s dangerously hard. But it’s what we have. That means a great number of people find themselves at home – without a job, or unsure of their job. So […]
How well do you know your donors?
Or, more to the point, do they feel as if you know them? I think of a story about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After he died, his body was transported by train through America. At one station, a reporter asked a man who was in tears if he knew President Roosevelt. And the grieving man […]
Is our world moving too fast for empathy?
If part of your work is communicating with donors, your job might be getting harder. Is our world moving too fast for empathy? We’ve heard that human attention spans are now shorter than those of goldfish. We know more people are reading online, and fewer are reading on paper. We have also known that there […]