Halloween was this past weekend and we turned deep into the dark side.  Goulies and ghosties walked the streets in my neighborhood.
So let’s turn to the dark side of your year-end fundraising campaign – and shine a light on mistakes many organizations make.
Here’s my Top 10 list of ways to sabotage your year-end fundraising [...]

Recently Don Griesmann posted a story on his blog that I believe is worth a read.  The organization profiled in the story, Kid Care, began as a labor of love, but ended abruptly after 18 years of service.
Its founders were not professionally trained in nonprofit management prior to starting their work.  They simply saw a [...]

I sent out a special email on Monday to those who are signed up for the Step by Step Fundraising newsletter.  It included some of the tips that I also posted here:  Annual Fund Drive, End-of-year Fundraising Success Strategies.
I got an email back from Tony with some great comments that maybe you can relate to.

Hi [...]

I’m kicking off this week with a Resource Roundup with simple success strategies for your year-end fundraising campaign. Many nonprofits see a great increase in donations toward the end of the year.  Don’t miss out on year end donations from your supporters just because you didn’t ASK!
Here’s the three step plan to focus your year-end [...]

Continually learning is important for most jobs and fundraising is no exception.  Personally I love going to conferences, seminars and even taking online classes.  (In fact this weekend I’m missing a really great internet conference.)
Sometimes seminars just give you general information that might be helpful “someday,” while other times you are looking for something specific [...]

Following up on Lori Rice’s article, Customize Communications to Increase Donor Loyalty, I’d like to explore three practical ways that you can personalize your fundraising letters.
In other words, the logistics of how to get away from “Dear Friend” and other impersonal elements that take away from the power of direct mail.
Steve Maggio of DaVinci Direct, [...]

The largest fire in LA County so far has burned 220 square miles and devastated hundreds of families. There’s a centralized volunteer response team organized by L.A. Works, in partnership with the Volunteer Center of Los Angeles. Find out more at the L.A. Works website.
Whether you are currently job hunting or not, volunteering can [...]