Saying thank you is a critical part of fundraising. Sometimes, we can focus most attention on getting a gift. But great thanks are key to getting the next gift. Here are 12 ideas of how to thank your donors. 1. A prompt, personal, sincere thank you letter This is the least you should do, of […]
Is our donor-focus hurting or helping our nonprofits?
Or, why that word might not mean what you think it means. Vu Le of Nonprofit AF recently wrote a long, very thoughtful piece about donor-centrism. He hoped it would generate conversation – and I hope so, too. Vu is an amazing dynamo who is making change happen, not just in his organization, but […]
How this thank you is the winning move for loyal donors
You call it demanding, I call it discerning. OK, I will admit it: I can be the El Exigente of donor communications. Picky, picky, picky. If a family member happens to be standing nearby as I open the mail, I drive them nuts. “This is a thank you letter? It’s all about them!” “My annual […]
Why your smaller-dollar donors should matter
Why should you care? The Agitator ran an article about changes in giving that ought to concern us all. While overall giving was up last year, more of the money came from wealthy donors. Smaller dollar gifts declined. Do read the article, and the study, Gilded Giving, it references. In the article, Roger Craver points […]
Feeling stuck? How to write a thank you that works
(Originally published last year) It’s the end of the year. You’ve done everything to make the most of these last few weeks. Now you have lots of thank you letters to write. But you’re feeling stuck. Where do you start? Here’s my quick how-to. First, a confession: I used to write rote, boring, perfunctory thank you […]