Tag Archives: fundraising

2 Tips to Get Year-End Gifts that Keep on Giving

It’s December! What’s on your nonprofit’s holiday wish list? 

How about a gift that keeps on giving… 

An endowment. 

An endowment is to a nonprofit as an IRA is to a senior citizen. People spend decades saving for a comfortable retirement. An endowment is your goose that lays golden eggs. It can ensure your nonprofit’s future by engaging your most loyal donors.  

BUT! Endowments aren’t for everyone. If you’re an established nonprofit with earned revenue and a strong donor base, it can be the perfect wish list item. If you’re a start-up nonprofit without a database… not so much. 

Your endowment secures your nonprofit’s future. Donors can fund it in the form of cash, appreciated stock, IRA rollovers, bequests, etc. (There are lots of ways to give to an endowment fund – check out my recent webinar for more examples!) The proceeds of these funds provide operating funds in perpetuity – a gift that gives year after year. 

Want to find the donors who will make your endowment wishes come true? Here are two tips you can use NOW: 

Continue reading 2 Tips to Get Year-End Gifts that Keep on Giving →

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Q & A Vlog Series: What Makes an Effective Leader?

Q: What is Val Jones’ definition of an effective leader? Do you have any real-world examples?

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C-19 Blog #4 – Social Media Fundraising-When You Have No Time

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLE

CREATE ONE C-19 CAMPAIGN AND ADAPT EXISTING MATERIALS TO SUPPORT IT. THE THEMED CAMPAIGN IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MANY DISCONNECTED POSTS AND WILL SAVE YOU TIME.

STEP ONE: DEVELOP YOUR CAMPAIGN

Continue reading C-19 Blog #4 – Social Media Fundraising-When You Have No Time →

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C-19 Blog #3 – Individual Donor Fundraising-Start Easy Checklist

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES

Speed, volume, simplicity and urgency matter.

The sooner you ask donors, the more they can give. Philanthropic capacity and responsiveness tend to decline as a crisis wears on https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/what-happens-to-charitable-giving-when-the-economy-falters/

People are getting swamped with C-19 communications. Your open rates may be down 20% to 30% and require more frequent contact to reach your donors. Their patience may be limited, so keep your message simple. Don’t mess around. Get to the point. Urgency matters. If you can’t answer the questions, Why give to you? Why now? others can.

Retention. If you represent a nonprofit that’s not on the frontline fight against COVID-19, such as arts, cultural and environmental causes, donor retention is particularly important. Keep the donors you have. Thank them, engage them and then ask for their support.

STEP ONE: THANK INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Continue reading C-19 Blog #3 – Individual Donor Fundraising-Start Easy Checklist →

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C-19 Blog #2 – Activate Your Board-Deeper Dive

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLE: ESTABLISH “NEW NORMAL”.

Example: Board governance and engagement plan for next 3-9 months.

Here’s some steps to getting your board back in motion.

Continue reading C-19 Blog #2 – Activate Your Board-Deeper Dive →

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C-19 Blog #1- Activate everyone! Board, Staff and Volunteers

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLE: KEEP YOUR LEADERS ENGAGED

If you ever needed your board, you need them now. Keep them engaged virtually.

STEP ONE: HAVE A ONE–PAGE PLAN

Continue reading C-19 Blog #1- Activate everyone! Board, Staff and Volunteers →

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How Do You Read a Room?

Take-away: Verbal and non-verbal cues will help you gauge donors and get bigger gifts. 

Don’t forget to book your Nonprofit Hero talk and training!

You’ll find more fundraising tips and techniques in Nonprofit Hero, Five Easy Steps to Successful Board Fundraising, available on Amazon, or for free from your local library. And via my blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Schedule a game-changing board retreat that’ll turn your volunteers into Nonprofit Fundraising Heroes, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required. 

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Faulty Fundraising in 30 Seconds

 

 

Take-Away: The worst way to fundraise is to not fundraise at all.

 

Don’t forget to book your Nonprofit Hero talk and training!

You’ll find more fundraising tips and techniques in Nonprofit Hero, Five Easy Steps to Successful Board Fundraising, available on Amazon, or for free from your local library. And via my blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Schedule a game-changing board retreat that’ll turn your volunteers into Nonprofit Fundraising Heroes, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required.   

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Q&A with Valerie Jones, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC

Do you want to become your nonprofit’s fundraising hero? Follow the link below to access Val Jones’ Q&A with Bower & Co. Consulting LLC for quick tips on board fundraising.

http://gailbower.com/blog/2019/11/6/qa-with-val-jones.html

Don’t forget to book your Nonprofit Hero talk and training!

You’ll find more fundraising tips and techniques in Nonprofit Hero, Five Easy Steps to Successful Board Fundraising, available on Amazon, or for free from your local library. And via my blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Schedule a game-changing board retreat that’ll turn your volunteers into Nonprofit Fundraising Heroes, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required.

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Teaching your Board to Ask; Don’t Put your Toddler on a Harley

Take-away: For practice and confidence, ask donors for gifts before asking prospects.

 

Asking a new board member to solicit non-donors is like teaching a kid to ride a bike by putting her on a Harley. Not a good idea. Yet that’s just about what we do in fundraising. We tell new board members, “You don’t have to ask our donors; they’re already giving! We need you to bring in fresh blood, new donors.”
Subtext: “Get strangers to give us money.”

You’re afraid it will be awkward, because your friends and associates don’t yet know/care about your nonprofit. Or that it will be uncomfortable, because they may feel you’re using them. Worse, even if they do give when you ask them this time, unless you get them involved in the interim, they probably won’t give next year. So you’ll be back where you started. Except you may feel tongue-tied with some friends, family and colleagues.

Are you squirming yet?

The Golden Ask method of fundraising does just the opposite.

Continue reading Teaching your Board to Ask; Don’t Put your Toddler on a Harley →

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