Effective Frontline Fundraising


Book Description

Today, nearly every charitable nonprofit, advocacy group, professional group, and politician relies on the philanthropy of others. Whether it's a private college, a hospital or museum, a lobbying group, or a local, low-budget food shelf, operational and marketing costs and capital investments are often largely underwritten through the generous support of donors. Nonprofits need some people to write $25 checks on a regular basis, and they need others to make six-figure pledges. The bad news: Since the economic collapse of 2008, getting people to part with precious dollars has become ever more difficult. The good news is that people are still inclined to be generous to organizations, causes, and candidates they believe in. Effective Frontline Fundraising provides the information you'll need to set up and manage an effective development team capable of consistently raising gifts, both large and small. Effective Frontline Fundraising will not only teach those skills for getting the gift you want in the short run, but it will also show how to build a meaningful, long-lasting relationship between your organization and your donor base. This book: Shows how to keep that organizational lifeblood—cash—running through your vital operations Explains how to create a firm foundation from which to solicit funds Provides examples of successful and unsuccessful fundraising messages and plans Teaches you how to ask confidently for gifts from $25 to $1,000,000 ... or more!




Effective Frontline Fundraising


Book Description

Today, nearly every charitable nonprofit, advocacy group, professional group, and politician relies on the philanthropy of others. Whether it's a private college, a hospital or museum, a lobbying group, or a local, low-budget food shelf, operational and marketing costs and capital investments are often largely underwritten through the generous support of donors. Nonprofits need some people to write $25 checks on a regular basis, and they need others to make six-figure pledges. The bad news: Since the economic collapse of 2008, getting people to part with precious dollars has become ever more difficult. The good news is that people are still inclined to be generous to organizations, causes, and candidates they believe in. Effective Frontline Fundraising provides the information you'll need to set up and manage an effective development team capable of consistently raising gifts, both large and small. Effective Frontline Fundraising will not only teach those skills for getting the gift you want in the short run, but it will also show how to build a meaningful, long-lasting relationship between your organization and your donor base. This book: Shows how to keep that organizational lifeblood—cash—running through your vital operations Explains how to create a firm foundation from which to solicit funds Provides examples of successful and unsuccessful fundraising messages and plans Teaches you how to ask confidently for gifts from $25 to $1,000,000 ... or more!




Productive Conversations with Donors


Book Description

Kathy Drucquer Duff discusses probing questions comprehensively in her book Productive Conversations with Donors: A Handbook for Frontline Fundraisers. This book provides fundraisers with new approaches for being inquisitive and persistent in an authentic manner. Learn how to use probing questions to: Thank a consistent donor Engage new prospects or "never donors" Engage young alumni Re-engage lapsed donors Re-educate donors Discover what motivates the "sometimes donor" Expand your network of connections Included are specific strategies for guiding donor conversations to inspire major gifts, planned gifts, and gifts from parents. The Second Edition includes new chapters and new examples and strategies throughout the book.




Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership


Book Description

Nonprofit leadership is messy Nonprofits leaders are optimistic by nature. They believe with time, energy, smarts, strategy and sheer will, they can change the world. But as staff or board leader, you know nonprofits present unique challenges. Too many cooks, not enough money, an abundance of passion. It’s enough to make you feel overwhelmed and alone. The people you help need you to be successful. But there are so many obstacles: a micromanaging board that doesn’t understand its true role; insufficient fundraising and donors who make unreasonable demands; unclear and inconsistent messaging and marketing; a leader who’s a star in her sector but a difficult boss… And yet, many nonprofits do thrive. Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership will show you how to do just that. Funny, honest, intensely actionable, and based on her decades of experience, this is the book Joan Garry wishes she had when she led GLAAD out of a financial crisis in 1997. Joan will teach you how to: Build a powerhouse board Create an impressive and sustainable fundraising program Become seen as a ‘workplace of choice’ Be a compelling public face of your nonprofit This book will renew your passion for your mission and organization, and help you make a bigger difference in the world.




The Chief Development Officer


Book Description

The Chief Development Officer: Beyond Fundraising is a guide not only to those preparing for or serving in the role of CDO but also to those charged with selecting, appointing, and supporting CDOs. It includes ten chapters, each presenting a role beyond frontline fundraising and fundraising program management in which today’s top CDOs excel: Relationship Builder in Chief; Shaper of a Culture that Embraces Philanthropic Partnership; Visible Leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Strategist and Planner; Trusted Advisor on Board Matters; Thought Partner; Visionary and Confident Sight Raiser; Resilient Optimist; Talent Magnet; and Mentor, Sponsor, and Ally to Future CDOs. Each chapter includes a description of the elements of the role, illustrations of how CDOs excel, and advice on preparing for the role. The book encourages anyone with an interest in the CDO position to take steps to prepare well ahead of stepping into the position. It also encourages mentors, supervisors, and other industry leaders to identify those with potential for success in the CDO role, provide resources such as this book, and create opportunities for them to gain experience and skill that they will need when they step into this complex, challenging, yet extremely important and deeply rewarding role.




BeneFactors


Book Description

Overcome contemporary fundraising challenges and equip your non-profit or charity to meet the digital age head-on Contemporary fundraisers and development professionals are meeting a new and challenging set of obstacles as they go out into the world and attempt to raise money for their causes and organizations. In BeneFactors: Why Some Fundraising Professionals Always Succeed, a team of veteran philanthropy strategists and consultants delivers an exciting and practical playbook for modern fundraising that can be deployed in a variety of charitable and non-profit organizations and settings. You'll explore the eight factors you must master to exceed your fundraising goals in the modern era. In the book, you'll discover: Strategies for navigating the digital fundraising transformation and how to guide your digital donors through the giving process How to use data science and predictive analytics to inform your decision-making process and find better results Ways to banish excessive risk aversion and uncover a boldness you didn’t know you had in you An extraordinary and insightful handbook to fundraising in the digital age, BeneFactors: Why Some Fundraising Professionals Always Succeed is sure to find its way onto the bookshelves of board members, development professionals, and other leaders of fundraising teams and organizations.




Writing Meaningful Contact Reports


Book Description

Effective contact reports help build the future of a donor's relationship with your institution. But gift officers are rarely trained to write reports that contain the information advancement leaders need to succeed. How do you improve the reporting skills needed to write detailed and useful reports? In Writing Meaningful Contact Reports: A Handbook for Fundraisers, Jason McNeal of Gonser Gerber, LLP guides you through these challenges by: 1. Defining which interactions require contact reports2. Demonstrating how contact reports can play a vital part in strengthening your institution's culture of philanthropy3. Providing examples of high- and low-quality contact reports4. Outlining key elements of contact reports5. Addressing ways to make writing reports easier6. Providing worksheets and templates to assist you in writing and using reports more effectively Make your reports more effective, and build the foundation for lifelong relationships for your donors. REVIEWS ..". Those new to advancement work will find that the fun-loving case studies wonderfully illustrate the nuances of effective reporting while the 'primer' on prospect management provides a clear, concise overview of moves management shepherding-thus, further highlighting the importance writing meaningful contact reports plays as we document our activities with prospects and donors alike." - Bud Christman, Vice President for Advancement, Mars Hill University ..".This book has inspired me to re-evaluate the importance of documenting contact reports and the important role I play in enhancing the culture of philanthropy at my institution." - J. Steven Barnes, Senior Director of Development, Vanderbilt University Medical Center ..". I would recommend this be the first book you ask a new development officer coming on your team to read, regardless of their years of experience....Dr. McNeal provides extremely useful examples of contact reports that can easily be implemented while removing the intimidation and hesitancy of getting them done on a timely basis." - Alan Medders, Vice President for Advancement, Columbus State University ..".McNeal demonstrates that completion of contact reports does not have to be a big time-eater....Jason McNeal is putting forth a concise and precise standard for the fundraising arena; this handbook will be a solid reference manual for any fundraiser's personal library." - Jeff Lorber, EdD, Vice Chancellor for Advancement, University of Illinois Springfield & Senior Vice President, University of Illinois Foundation




Prospect Research for Fundraisers


Book Description

Essential tools for implementing right-sized prospect research techniques that help nonprofit organizations reach their fundraising goals Written especially for front-line fundraisers, Prospect Research for Fundraisers presents a practical understanding of prospect research, prospect management, and fundraising analytics, demonstrating how research can be used to raise more money. Filled with examples, case studies, interviews, and stories, this unique book is structured around the fundraising cycle and illustrates the myriad of current and ever-changing prospect research tools and techniques available to boost an organization's fundraising effectiveness. From essential overviews to how-to-search skills, this practical book gives development officers the tools to understand how to use prospect research in ways that best fit their goals for each stage of the fundraising cycle. Provides practical insight to understand the best use of each prospect research tool and technique Features a companion website with a variety of online tools to help readers implement key concepts Part of the AFP Fund Development Series Prospect Research for Fundraisers provides fundraisers with an understanding of what prospect research is and which resources are available to small organizations that have limited internal capacity, medium-sized organizations building capacity, and large organizations wanting to maximize their strengths. It offers a practical understanding of the relevant tools at the disposal of development officers and managers responsible for hiring, outsourcing, purchasing, managing, and implementing prospect research within their organizations.




Fundraising Mistakes that Bedevil All Boards (and Staff Too)


Book Description

Fundraising mistakes are a thing of the past.Or, rather, there's no excuse now for making any serious mistake.And that goes for board members, staff, novice, or veteran.If you blunder from this day forward, it's simply evidence you haven't read Kay Sprinkel Grace's new book, Fundraising Mistakes that Bedevil All Boards, in which she exposes all of the errors. Well, not every conceivable one, but at least the top ones that thwart us time and again.This is an ingenious book, and it's a wonder it wasn't written years ago.Sure, if you've attended a fundraising seminar, or read a Jerry Panas book, or perused one of the field's journals, you're familiar with a dozen or so mistakes to avoid. But the appeal of this book ? and it will become a classic ? is that in one place it gathers and discusses ALL of the biggest errors.Some, like the following, will be second nature if you've been in the field for long:o "Tax deductibility is a powerful incentive." It isn't, as you know.o "People will give just because yours is a good cause." They won't.o "Wealth is mostly what determines a person's willingness to give." Not so. Other factors are equally important.Other mistakes aren't as apparent. For example: "You need a powerful board to have a successful campaign." Truth be told, many are convinced that without a powerful board they can't succeed. Grace shows otherwise.Then, too, there are more nuanced mistakes:o "We can't raise big money - we don't know any rich people." Don't believe it. You can raise substantial dollars.o "Most people don't like to give." To the contrary, many find joy in it.o "Without a track record in annual giving, you can't have a successful capital campaign." In fact you can, but your tactics will be different.And that touches on only seven of the 40 mistakes Grace explores (and explodes).Just as anyone involved in journalism should own a copy of Strunk and White's, The Elements of Style, anyone involved in fundraising ? board member, staff, volunteer ? should have Fundraising Mistakes that Bedevil All Boards by their side.When Grace makes it so easy to avoid costly errors, it is imprudent to risk repeating them.




The Generosity Network


Book Description

The Generosity Network is the essential guide to the art of activating resources of every kind behind any worthy cause. Philanthropist Jeff Walker and fund-raising expert Jennifer McCrea offer a fresh new perspective that can make the toughest challenges of nonprofit management and development less stressful, more rewarding—and even fun. Walker and McCrea show how traditional pre-scripted, money-centered, goal-oriented fund-raising techniques lead to anxiety and failure, while open-spirited, curiosity-driven, person-to-person connections lead to discovery, growth—and often amazing results. Through engrossing personal stories, a wealth of innovative suggestions, and inspiring examples, they show nonprofit leaders how to build a community of engaged partners who share a common passion and are eager to provide the resources needed to change the world—not just money, but also time, talents, personal networks, creative thinking, public support, and all the other forms of social capital that often seem scanty yet are really abundant, waiting to be uncovered and mobilized. Highly practical, motivating, and thought provoking, The Generosity Network is designed to energize and empower nonprofit leaders, managers, donors, board members, and other supporters. Whether you help run a multimillion-dollar global nonprofit or raise funds for a local scout troop, PTA, or other community organization, you’ll learn new approaches that will make your work more successful and enjoyable than ever.