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Who is your annual report working for, anyway?

Who is your report working for?

Even in smaller organizations, an annual report has a way of taking up a lot of space. (Or time, but they’re the same thing, I’m told.) Day to day work halts. Reports are requested from all departments. Designers and writers are hired. An annual report is often seen as the one marketing piece worth investing […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor communications, donor relations, gratitude 2 Comments

Is your annual report a waste of a great opportunity?

Why not ask your annual report to delight donors?

It’s a serious question: what purpose does your annual report serve? What outcomes are you looking for? Too many organizations see an annual report as part requirement and part brochure. But if yours is meant to be a sales piece, is it selling? How do you know? And if reporting is a legal requirement, couldn’t […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: annual report, donor relationships, gratitude 3 Comments

26 ways to show your donors they matter

You can thank you donors in so many ways

How many different ways can you engage and thank your donors? One great thing about this time of year is that we are thinking about gratitude. Donors aren’t like mushrooms – if you ignore them, they WILL go away. There is no end to the ways you can create great experiences for your donors. Here […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor stewardship, gratitude, thank you 4 Comments

How to write a thank you letter when you feel stuck

Crumpled paper

  September’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival gave you links to great articles on thanking your donors. Here’s my quick how-to. First, a confession: I used to write rote, boring, perfunctory thank you letters. And I didn’t much like writing them. What do you say? Plus, with an appeal, you feel like you have a goal. Thanks […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor-focused, gratitude, thank you letters 1 Comment

Why you want to welcome strangers

Welcome is what we do

What does it mean to welcome the stranger? The tradition of welcome is strong in many cultures and religions around the world. My own family is largely Irish. If I want to get all misty-eyed about my heritage I could point to the importance hospitality held among the ancient Celts. But it’s the same with […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: gratitude, Thanksgiving, welcoming strangers 3 Comments

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Copyright © 2019 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · P.O. Box 183 · Plantsville, CT 06479