The Mercifully Brief, Real-world Guide To-- Raising $1,000 Gifts by Mail


Book Description

Whoever heard of raising $1,000 gifts (not to mention $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000 gifts) by mail? That's the realm of face-to-face fundraising, right?Not exclusively, says Mal Warwick, in his book, The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to Raising $1,000 Gifts by Mail.And Warwick should know. He's spent the last decade perfecting the art of high dollar direct mail.Take just one mailing Warwick cites (he has scores of them to draw from). Nearly $150,000 was raised from just 2,400 people, many of whom had never given more than $100 to the cause.Just as remarkable, the final fundraising cost for this effort was eight cents! per dollar raised.How do you do this? Must you tap a professional firm or be a prizewinning writer?Absolutely not. Warwick touts self-reliance. He shows you - with carefully selected examples and illustrations - how to succeed on your own, walking you step by step through the process of identifying your prospects, crafting the right letter, the right brochure, the right response device, and the right envelope. In this admirably slim book, Warwick convinces even the most doubting Thomas. Commit to the strategies he outlines, and you'll be startled, if not astounded, by the results.




The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email


Book Description

Perhaps you're skeptical.After reading the title of this book, you?re saying: ?Sure, Red Cross and Salvation Army can raise tons of money with email, but my agency isn?t a brand name. You?re telling me I can do the same!?? Well, no. Author Madeline Stanionis isn?t claiming that. She?s President of Donordigital, not Pollyanna. What she is saying is that you can raise a healthy amount - thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars - if you approach email fundraising with a measure of intelligence and creativity.And you?ve got to hand it to Stanionis. Any consultant who would give away the store as she does in this book has something grander in mind than her own self interest.And give away the store is what the author does. Generously dispensing advice, insider tips, and recommendations she usually commands tidy sums for, Stanionis reveals precisely what you need to do, step by step, to raise substantial money with email.And while it?s not as simple as sending hastily written emails every week or month, neither is it unduly complicated or time-consuming.At heart, raising thousands of dollars with email is all about building your list, using timing to your advantage, crafting a series of coherent messages, presenting your email in a visually appealing way, and carefully observing your returns for clues that can guide your future efforts.That?s it really. And any organization following Stanionis? trenchant advice will see immediate results.Further, there?s plenty of material in the book to customize and adapt, as Stanionis offers a wealth of sample emails from diverse organizations.And taking it a step further, in the Resources section of the book, the author shows you how to identify just the help you might need (a "messaging vendor" who can send your emails, for example).Other books talk about ?Internet fundraising," which usually encompasses e-commerce strategies such as online shopping malls and auctions. That?s all well and good, but many of us want to know one simple thing - how can we raise more money with email? And do it now? Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email puts that question to rest.




The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide To-- Attracting the Attention Your Cause Deserves


Book Description

To attract attention to your cause, you could:o Paint your building Day-Glo orangeo Blare hip hop music from the rooftopo Have staff members sport Mohawk haircutsBut if you're a bit less bombastic, and searching for innovative (and more palatable) ways to attract ongoing attention, you'll fare much better with Joseph Barbato's Attracting the Attention Your Cause Deserves.First, let's make clear what this book is NOT.It is not a guide for writing press releases.It is not a manual for creating a speaker's bureau.It is not a treatise offering PR palaver.All of those hairs have been split many times over.Attracting the Attention Your Cause Deserves is something far more useful and invigorating to those wanting to advance the good work of their organization.Think of it as a "Trade Secrets Revealed" book, one allowing you to accomplish three critical objectives for your cause:1) Greater visibility2) A broader constituency3) More money raisedWith more than a million nonprofit organizations in existence, there's a lot of noise out there. Shouting won't get you noticed everybody's doing that. And everybody's tuning it out. What will attract attention is following Joseph Barbato's field-tested advice. Take his insider wisdom to heart. It spills over every single page of this book.Then, even if you whisper, rest assured you'll still be heard.




Raising More Money with Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible


Book Description

Today, many organizations are raising more money with their newsletter than with traditional mail appeals.And after reading Tom Ahern's riveting book, Raising More Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible, it's easy to understand why.Great newsletters, as distinguished from the mundane ones many of us receive, have so much more going for them.For starters, they deliver real news (not tired features such as "From the Director's Desk'' and "Introducing Our New Staff"). They make the donor feel important. They use emotional triggers to spur action. They're designed in a way to attract both browsers and readers. And they don't depend on dry statistics to make the organization's case.The essence of Raising Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible centers around seven fatal flaws, as Ahern calls them. And along the way to discussing ? and dissecting ? these flaws, the reader is treated to such chapters as:o Making news out of thin airo What a front page is foro Lower the grade level of your writingo Anecdotes versus statso How should it look? A proven formulaTransforming your newsletter into a substantial money raiser isn't all that difficult. As Ahern himself says, "You don?t need a degree in journalism to publish a newsletter that will keep your donors inspired (and generous). You just need a few skills and insights."Read this book. Pick up those skills. And be assured that the ratio of time spent versus gains realized might well be the most cost-effective of your entire career.




Big-Time Fundraising for Today's Schools


Book Description

Covering the entire fundraising process, this comprehensive text offers a wealth of practical strategies for pursuing "big time" grants and gifts for America's public schools.




Fundraising When Money Is Tight


Book Description

A NONPROFIT SURVIVAL KIT for HARD TIMES "This is a must-read for all of us in fundraising. Mal Warwick includes practical approaches for difficult economic times, from zero-based thinking about our programs to strategies for relating to our donors and making certain our fundraising programs are prepared to succeed not only now but when the economy recovers." —Eugene R. Tempel, president, Indiana University Foundation "Brilliant! No nonprofit organization can afford to ignore the insightful advice Mal Warwick offers in this concise and eminently readable book. It's practical, down-to-earth, and addresses the complex, real-world challenges of raising money in tough times." —Ben Jealous, president, NAACP "Fundraising When Money Is Tight is an important book in a difficult time for all. This is the right book for anyone who is committed to advancing the public good." —Jane Wales, founder, Global Philanthropy Forum, and vice president, Aspen Institute "This is a must-read book by any fundraising manager. It's timely, it's a good read, and the moment I put it down I made sure my managers got focused, got real, and got with the project today." —Mark Astarita, director of fundraising, British Red Cross




Nonprofit Fundraising 101


Book Description

Raise more money for your cause! Based on expert advice and insights from a variety of respected industry experts, Nonprofit Fundraising 101 is an essential text for nonprofit professionals, volunteers, activists, and social entrepreneurs who want to leverage best practices to promote their cause. Built upon the success of the best-selling Nonprofit Management 101, this easy to digest book provides practical, comprehensive guidance for nonprofit fundraising around the globe. With tips and tools, expert advice, and real-world insights from almost fifty industry leaders, this robust resource addresses the entire spectrum of fundraising for nonprofits, including: Planning, hiring, and tracking progress Individual donors, major gifts, events, and direct mail Board and volunteer engagement Foundation and government grants Corporate partnerships Online and email fundraising Social media and mobile crowdfunding Earned income and social enterprise Written by and for front line practitioners and geared towards a global audience of emerging and established leaders, this field guide offers step-by-step formulas for success. Nonprofit Fundraising 101 features a foreword by fundraising guru and Soul of Money author Lynne Twist, insights from notable non-profit professionals such as CNN's Van Jones, and an afterword by Kiva.org Co-Founder & President Premal Shah. This book also provides indispensible ideas and diverse case studies ranging from grassroots efforts to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and advice for organizations of all sizes and focus. Chapters are brief and easily digestible, featuring extensive resources for additional learning, concrete best practices, and pitfalls to avoid. Enjoy this must-read manual to learn tried and true ways to raise more money for your cause, nonprofit, or charity.




Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes


Book Description

Why should I give you my hard-earned money? Effective fundraisers answer this essential question every time they ask for a gift. What's their secret to success? They have a winning case for support. As Tom Ahern, America's premier fundraising writer, makes clear, a case isn't some fancy argument you only develop for capital campaigns, when you're chasing millions. Successful donor newsletters, websites, annual reports, donor acquisition programs, email, direct mail, advertising, planned giving programs, and, yes, capital campaigns, too all have one thing in common: behind each stands a well-reasoned, emotionally satisfying case for support. Donors are sure to have questions. Your case gives you great answers. Complements Ahern's acclaimed book, How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money.--Amazon.com.




Fundraising for Social Change


Book Description

Since it was first published in 1988, Fundraising for Social Change has become one of the most widely used books on fundraising in the United States. Fundraising practitioners and activists rely on it for hands-on, specific, and accessible fundraising techniques, and it has become a required text in dozens of college courses around the country. This fifth edition offers the information that has made the book a classic: proven know-how on asking for money, planning and conducting major gifts campaigns, using direct mail effectively, and much more. The book has been significantly changed to include new technology—e-mail, online giving, and blogs—and contains expanded chapters on capital and endowment campaigns, how to feel comfortable asking for money, how to recruit a team of people to help with fundraising, and how to build meaningful relationships with donors. In addition, this essential resource contains new information on such timely topics as ethics, working across cultural lines, and how to create opportunities for fundraising more systematically and strategically.




Financial Resource Development and Management


Book Description

A characteristic of all sustainable museums is long-term financial stability. In this book, we explore how to transparently and accurately account for the financial resources you have and then provide a template for fundraising more dollars to sustain your small museum. We address grant applications and legal issues as they pertain to financial management, human resources, and other topics in the Toolkit.