You start the meeting and your donor immediately says they are making a gift much lower than you know they can give. How you respond can make the difference between receiving a gift that's 90% below your plan and a gift that either meets your plan or gets much closer.
Read MoreI love jokes! During the pandemic, they’ve been wonderfully stress-reducing. But what does joke telling or story telling have to do with fundraising? Story telling? A LOT!
Read MoreMost gifts come from donors who've already given, not new donors. This article is about how we treat these valuable people, helping them give more, now and in the future.
Read MoreIn Part 2, I gave you some options for approaching a foundation when you have no history with them and don’t know anyone there. This article is about building the relationship between your organization and the foundation once you have made contact and told your story. Make it a beautiful friendship!
Read MoreIf your group has too few foundation grants coming in for the investment you are making in staff, it may be a result of not enough research, too few inquiries, or an approach that lacks the human touch. Foundation staff and board members are people, too, and establishing a person-to-person relationship - while it might be difficult to get started - pays dividends in the long run. This article is about how to get started.
Read MoreRemember this: Foundations are in the business of investing in nonprofits that perform work leading to goals and outcomes desired by their leadership. If your group can help enable them to come closer to those goals and outcomes, they need you. You are doing something they cannot do themselves.
Read MoreUsed too often and without thought, “generous” and “generosity” lose their power. Do we cheapen these words by calling every donor “generous”?
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