Nearly every big ask in my career as a staffer and consultant – whether it be an ask for a lead gift or a key leadership position – started with a no.
For example:
Would you and your family consider a lead gift of $____ for this campaign? No.
Would you consider serving as a chair for this campaign? No.
It wasn’t fun to hear, but it didn’t mean the end of the relationship, just a change in strategy. What is the next step after the no? Do you move on? Or do you re-approach in a new way?
Topics: Fundraising, How To Ask, Annual Fundraising, Fear, Giving, Making The Ask
I get asked this question at least once a week: what’s the single most important thing for successful campaigns? Most who ask this question suspect my answer will be something about wealth screening, stewardship, powerful cases, endorsements from community leaders, etc.
The simple answer is … leadership. And that leadership has to come from all levels of the organization.
Leadership takes the form of a graphic designer who spends the extra hours to make materials simple, elegant and powerful.
Topics: Leadership, Nonprofit Management, Campaign Leadership, Nonprofit Leadership
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Plans are important, but it's the action that makes the plan a reality. This month, the DBD team will be sharing ways for you to jump-start your work in 2023. |
Topics: Stewardship, Fundraising
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Topics: Capital Campaign, Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising
Topics: Fundraising, Camp Fundraising, Annual Fundraising, Fundraising Management, Planning, Church Fundraising, Fundraising Campaign, Capital Leadership, Asking For Help, Nonprofit, financial management
Topics: Leadership, Collaborations, Global Leadership Summit, Volunteer Leadership, Volunteer Management, Mentoring, Resolutions, Big L Leaders, Nonprofit Leadership, Leadership Transition, Communication, Capital Leadership, Church Leadership, Leadership Coaching, CEO Coaching
Plans are important, but they’ll never work unless you take action.
This month, the DBD team will be sharing ways for you to jump start your work in 2022.
Topics: Donation, Goal Setting, Goals, Nonprofit Leadership, Volunteers, Case Statement, Planning, Fundraising Campaign, Communication, Donor, Nonprofit
As we enter Fall 2021, all of us had hoped the pandemic would have been in the rearview mirror. Instead, COVID-19 continues to have an impact on our organizations, staff and donors. As you gear up for another season of service and fundraising, here are some things to consider adjusting in your fundraising plan.
Topics: Donation, Goal Setting, Fundraising Campaign, Nonprofit
Throughout the past few months, conversations with clients from around the country have centered on one basic question:
Topics: Philanthropy, Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Leadership, Financial Development, Fundraising Campaign, Nonprofit, Resource Development, finance, financial management
By Bruce Berglund and Jan Brogdon
Too often, major gift efforts are confined to the framework of a campaign. We ask for these gifts when we have a goal, but we really don’t work to cultivate those major gift donors between and before campaigns. In a time where capital campaigns were slowed or even stopped, some organizations used 2020 to grow a deeper connection with major gift donors. How can the learnings from their experiences, and yours, shape the way you move forward from here?
Any of you that have worked with us know that we believe Case, Leadership, Prospects and a Plan are the key elements of successful fundraising. Consider how you can use this structure as you analyze your own situation.
Topics: Leadership, Learning, Donation, Major Gifts, Case For Support, Asking, Goals, Nonprofit Leadership, Case Statement, Fundraising Campaign, Gift Of Giving, Covid