November 26, 2018
As we enter the final quarter of 2018, many of us fundraisers are focussed on our year-end fundraising campaign. Rightfully so. With 30% of annual giving occurring in December and 10% of annual giving taking place in the last 3 days of the year, these are some of the best revenue generating opportunities a fundraiser […]
November 14, 2018
Several months ago, I wrote about building a better monthly donor file for your organization. If you missed it, you can check it out here. Since then, a number of questions have come up about the different types of channels and campaigns available for monthly donor acquisition. Monthly donors remain some of the most valuable and sought-after […]
October 29, 2018
Small charities are near and dear to my heart. They tend to be more agile and nimble. The small team of staff and volunteers usually have their hands directly involved in the work. There’s a lot of passion. There are so many strengths, but often smaller charities aren’t as good at using those strengths to […]
September 17, 2018
It can be difficult to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there if you don’t have a map. Without a magic GPS unit for your direct mail projects, you’re going to need a critical path. If you work with an agency for your direct mail program, they should provide this for […]
August 13, 2018
“If only more people knew about us and the great work we do, we could raise so much more money.” As a fundraiser, how many times have you heard this? And be honest, you may have even uttered those words yourself in a moment of weakness. Wanting to raise awareness, educate and share the story […]
August 7, 2018
Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to join over 2,000 fundraisers in Washington, D.C. for the 2018 Bridge Conference. It’s a conference I have wanted to attend for a long time. I’m happy to say it managed to meet my lofty expectations! Coming out of a whirlwind three days, I can honestly say that […]
June 25, 2018
There have been several reports circulating over the last few months looking at charitable giving in Canada. These reports do a deep dive into how donors are feeling about charitable giving, donor motivations, what they want to receive from the charities and causes they choose to support, as well as things like how often they […]
June 18, 2018
We have a small tradition in our family – it’s the annual crafting of our summer “Poo-Butt List.” Now stick with me for a minute. Each summer we pull out a yellow pad of legal paper and gather around the kitchen table. We all toss out the wild things we’d like to do which can […]
June 4, 2018
I love the work I do. I admire and respect my colleagues and clients. Donors inspire me every day. I’m proud to call myself a fundraiser and I’m grateful that I found my way into this profession thirty-some years ago. I’ve watched the profession and the sector grow and change and I’ve learned a few […]
May 22, 2018
This morning, a friend and colleague sent me a sample mailing from a brand-name UK charity that he found interesting. I read it over and sort of sighed under my breath…“here we go again”. Now, this particular letter was from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution – or RNLI as it is commonly known in Britain. […]
