We spend a lot of time thinking about how to raise more money. We labor over the appeal: the language, the images, the right ask. And then, too often, we treat the thank you as an afterthought. It’s really not that hard to write a good, emotional thank you letter. No harder than it is […]
How to inspire your donors with an emotional annual report
Is it time to think about your annual report? Start with this question: is your annual report a humble necessity or an inspiration? Inspirational is there… you just have to be ready to jump over some common obstacles to reach it. We don’t have the money to create something good You don’t need a fancy […]
Dear fundraiser: are you making these big mistakes?
∗This post was originally published several years ago. I’ve updated it to include some helpful comments from colleagues. I hope you enjoy it! Dear Fundraiser, Some things you do really bug me. As your colleague, I’m cheering for your success. So in a helpful spirit, I offer you my list below. I wish you wouldn’t: […]
How you can make a culture of philanthropy work
By now, you’ve probably heard about a culture of philanthropy. You’ve read about how important it is that you have one. You understand that this culture of philanthropy is a reflection of the key role fundraising plays, not just in income, but in the health of an organization. And you know that treating donors as […]
Straight talk about donor love
Is the idea of donor love just fluff? The answer depends on you. But first, let’s clear a few things up. Maybe it will make you more comfortable. Here’s what donor love isn’t: Donor love isn’t romantic Donor love isn’t exclusive Donor love isn’t extraneous This is love in the sense of philanthropy. That is, […]