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THINK LIKE A DONOR

One of my favorite DBD axioms is “Listen the gift.” We use this as we coach our clients through a major or transformational gift ask. Listening to our prospect is an important piece of the puzzle in creating a meaningful outcome for the donor and the organization.

After the disruption of the past four years, it seems a great time to pause and think differently – not just about the organization, changing demographics, AI, or the shifts in technology that are all affecting our fundraising, but about our donors. They are the heart of it all. 

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Financial Development, Annual Fundraising, Donor Engagement, Donor Relations, Fund Development, Development

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE DAF

Posted by Mary Ramirez

Many nonprofits wonder how to identify people who have DAFs and how to get their cause in front of them. It can be a little complicated but with some investigation into how the DAF is administered, you can find the person behind the DAF and start to share your mission and impact with them. Let’s explore...

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Topics: Fundraising, Financial Development, Annual Fundraising, Donor Engagement, Foundation, Donor Relations, Fund Development, Development, Donor Advised Funds

DIRECT RESPONSE AND NONPROFITS

Posted by DBD Team

The last 18 months have both challenged some of our long-held beliefs about fundraising and reinforced many of the lessons we know to be true. 

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Topics: Annual Fundraising, Development, Nonprofit, Direct Mail, direct response

NONPROFIT ECOSYSTEMS PART 2

Posted by Kellie Wardman

This is the second of a two-part series. Read the first part here. 

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Topics: Development, Nonprofit, Collaboration, partnership

NONPROFIT ECOSYSTEMS PART 1

Posted by Kellie Wardman

In a recent strategic planning meeting, a former hospital president suggested to the committee, “We must collaborate, or we won’t survive.”

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Topics: Development, Nonprofit, Collaboration, partnership

DIRECT MAIL IS NOT DEAD

Posted by Jan Brogdon

For years I coached my non-profit employees and volunteers about how to improve their success in securing gifts for non-profits. And for years, I lifted up the benefits of face-to-face interactions and downplayed direct response as an acceptable means of solicitation. 

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Topics: Development, Nonprofit, Direct Mail, direct response

NEEDY VS WORTHY

Posted by Bruce Berglund

I have the wonderful opportunity to learn from our clients and their volunteers across the country. The wonderful balance of staff and volunteer engagement makes this work rich and rewarding.

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Topics: Volunteer Leadership, Board Leadership, Development, Making The Ask, Donor, Nonprofit

A GREAT WORKFORCE

Posted by Danny Maier

How much time do you spend on employee issues? Hiring, orienting, training, mentoring…cumulatively, I bet it is a lot. Sitting in a CEO’s office recently, he recounted all his challenges with development staff: “We recruit, orient, train and then BOOM! They’re gone!”

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Topics: Appreciation, Development, Staff

SIX WORD STORY

Posted by Bruce Berglund

There’s a popular meme on Twitter, challenging people to write a six word story. Recently, we challenged a group of development officers to write their own six word stories about the state of fundraising in their organizations.

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Topics: Fundraising, Development

ROOM FOR HOPE: A CASE STUDY

Posted by DBD Team

Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services Inc. (Oshkosh, WI) provides a variety of services to help the victims of domestic violence and to prevent violence before it starts. As the demand for their shelter services grew, they knew they needed to expand and remodel the 1908 Victorian mansion that is a home and haven to those who seek shelter there.

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Topics: Capital Campaign, Fundraising, Endowment, Development, Domestic Abuse

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