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Want better fundraising results? Rethink your team

Fundraising results depend on the whole organization You might know that I spent a good number of years working for regional theaters. It’s where my nonprofit career began. And theater is still close to my heart. But over the years – whether in my first theater, where I managed the box office, or in subsequent […]

Filed Under: Arts Fundraising, Blog, Fundraising staff Tagged With: donor relationships, Fundraising

You CAN write a great thank you

Does writing a thank you letter make you feel sort of squeamish? Do you put it off, because… all those feelings? Or maybe just because you don’t know where to start? I got you. Read on… Your opening paragraph As you would with any letter, keep the first paragraph short. And make it all about […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Thanks Tagged With: donor communications, donor relationships, thank you letters

Do you want to keep last year’s donors this year?

How to keep those donors Oh, hello 2024. Yes, your year-end fundraising efforts are over. Take a deep breath. Relax. OK. Enough of that. Time for 2024 fundraising! And here’s what I want you to think most about: retention. I hope you welcomed new donors last year. And maybe even welcomed back some others. But […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog, Planning Tagged With: donor communications, donor relationships

How are your conversation skills?

Conversation?! Don’t worry. You don’t have to be a great talker to have this conversation. Today I heard from an excited client about an email. (I love getting celebration emails like this!) My client is a new theater here in Connecticut. And theater is where I started my nonprofit career… so I’m having fun. We’ve […]

Filed Under: Arts Fundraising, Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor communications, donor relationships, donor retention

People are people… even donors

Let’s talk about donors. We fundraisers seem to have complex feelings about donors. Are they your boss? Do you need to worry about a “savior complex”? Or are they a source from which you extract money? Are they friend or foe? People are people… and donors are people, too. To borrow from Depeche Mode, donors […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor care, donor communications, donor relationships, donor retention

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Recent Posts

  • How to Follow Up with Your Donors About Matching Gifts
  • Unlocking Beautiful Donor Relationships Through the Power of Data
  • 4 Tips for Crafting Emails That Boost Donor Retention
  • Why you should exercise your imagination
  • How to write a thank-you letter that builds relationships

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