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At Donor By Design, we are guided by a series of axioms: core concepts that shape our work and have proven their worth over and over again. In this series, we’re digging into these axioms and clarify how they can help you achieve your development goals. Read Part 1 or Part 2. 

For years, the big fundraising lie has been the donor pyramid. You know what I am talking about: the image of a pyramid that shows we need a large gift at the top, a few more at the next level and so on until you get to the base of the pyramid. Nonprofit leaders have shared this with their boards and donors, but, if you do regression analysis on campaigns, the infamous pyramid looks more like a donor pagoda or, as I like to call it, the donor champagne glass.

It’s beginning to look a lot like… end of season appeal time. Yes, December is the number one month for giving. I received five appeals this week: two from my universities, my daughter’s university (like the five-figure tuition is not enough!), and two others.

Currently at more than $5 million on their original $4.3 million capital goal, Betsy and Kristi aren’t done yet. The Executive Directors at the Itasca County Family YMCA and ElderCircle respectively are building the shared vision that started more than four years ago.

In 2010, the Itasca County Family YMCA, ElderCircle and the City of Grand Rapids began talking about the area’s changing needs. It quickly became clear that the three share a steadfast commitment to a better community, and knew it could be stronger if they worked together.

SENIOR CONSULTANT

J. David Schmidt brings a wealth of experience on strategic thinking, large scale innovation and organization leadership development for nonprofit organizations, foundations and more.

SENIOR CONSULTANT

As a Senior Consultant with Donor By Design Group, Jim brings more than 25 years of non-profit leadership experience to his clients. Jim’s broad background in finance and non-profit management allows him to offer targeted, strategic advice to non-profits, faith-based organizations, schools and colleges, and more.

Recently, while visiting a client with one of my colleagues, we found time to have lunch with a good friend of mine, Larry. We had many laughs as we caught up on each other’s lives, but suddenly, Larry got uncharacteristically serious.

Do you need to be an extravert to raise money? Everybody thinks so, but it that the truth?

At Donor By Design, we are guided by a series of axioms: Core concepts that shape our work and have proven their worth over and over again. In this series, we’re digging into these axioms and clarify how they can help you achieve your development goals. Read Part 1.

At Donor By Design, we are guided by a series of axioms: Core concepts that shape our work and have proven their worth over and over again. In this new series, we’ll dig into these axioms and clarify how they can help you achieve your development goals.

Read the first post in this series.