There I was. In my kitchen, minding my own business. And the envelope appeared. Oh, I’d seen its like before. Always brought me heartache. So if I knew what was good for me, I would have put that newsletter down and walked away. Guess I was looking for trouble. And there it was. See, […]
12 ways you can thank your donors
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 […]