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CHALLENGING AND ACHIEVABLE GOALS LOOK FORWARD - NOT BACK

Posted by Gary Laermer

When setting fundraising goals—whether for annual contributed revenue or a multi-year campaign—many organizations default to looking at past performance. But here’s the thing: basing your goals only on what’s been done before can be limiting.

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Topics: Capital Campaign, Donor Stewardship, Donation, Fundraising, Goal Setting, Campaign Leadership, Goals, Financial Development, Fundraising Management, Capital Fundraising, Fund Development, Communication, Development, Campaign Planning, Making The Case, Making The Ask, Donor, Online Giving, Donor Advised Funds, CelebratingOurClients

SEVEN STEPS TO SECURE GIFTS FROM DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS

If you’ve been putting off implementing a strategy to secure gifts from donor-advised funds, let this be the year that changes that. Why? The numbers are too big to ignore.

  • Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) contributions represent 8% of all donations in the USA.
  • Total Assets in DAFs in 2023 was $251.52B
  • Total Value of Grants made by DAF fundholders in 2023 was $54.77B
  • Total Value of Contributions made to DAFs in 2023 was $59.43B
  • Average DAF Account size in 2023 was $141,120
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Topics: Capital Campaign, Donor Stewardship, Donation, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Financial Development, Annual, Annual Fundraising, Fundraising Management, Capital Fundraising, Fund Development, Communication, Cultivation, Development, Campaign Planning, Making The Case, Making The Ask, Donor, Online Giving, Donor Advised Funds

NEW YEAR NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Posted by Bruce Berglund

As we turn the page on the calendar and step into a new year, nonprofit leaders everywhere are greeted with a world of opportunity. The new year is more than just a fresh start; it’s a chance to reflect, reimagine, and reignite our passion for the causes we serve.

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Topics: Leadership, Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Gratitude, Annual Campaign, Goals, Donor Love, Vision, Donor Relations, Fund Development, Fundraising Campaign, Execution, Communication, Cultivation, Development, Campaign Planning, Donor

APPRECIATION AND IMPACT

Posted by Jon Simons

December is a busy time in the life of a nonprofit fund raiser. It starts with Giving Tuesday and continues with year-end appeals and gentle reminders for open 2024 pledges. Nonprofit leaders with fundraising responsibilities have a number in their heads: what do I need to raise to meet my year-end goal?

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Donor Cultivation, Stewardship, Gratitude, Donor Love, Donor Recognition, End Of Year, Year-End Giving, Donor Relations, Handwritten Notes, Fund Development, Year-End, Execution, Communication, Appreciation, Campaign Planning, Gift Of Giving, Donor, Client Stories

INSPIRING WAYS TO CONNECT WITH DONORS AT YEAR END

Posted by Lindsay Casavant
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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Donor Cultivation, Stewardship, Fundraising, Asking, Gratitude, Donor Love, Donor Recognition, End Of Year, Year-End Giving, Donor Relations, Handwritten Notes, Fund Development, Year-End, Execution, Communication, Appreciation, Campaign Planning, Gift Of Giving, Donor, Client Stories

SYSTEMATIC STEWARDSHIP

Posted by Lauren DeSimone

Personal stewardship is key to retaining donors, especially major gifts donors. But what about other donors? ALL donors deserve shows of gratitude and a report on how their gift is changing lives.

While personalized stewardship would be a terrific way to retain donors at all levels, it is not realistic in fast-paced world of nonprofits. So how can we make thoughtful and intentional stewardship possible for donors at every giving amount?

Creating a systematic approach to stewardship could be the answer.

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Nonprofit Leadership, friendraising

THE GIFT OF PRESENCE

Posted by Sarah Breece

Two summers ago, when I was an Executive Director at a nonprofit in Portland, OR, I agreed to participate in a weeklong cycling event where we would ride over 350 miles, climb nearly 20,000 feet and camp out in various small towns over the course of the week.

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Nonprofit Leadership, friendraising

HOST A FAMILY REUNION

Congratulations! The gift agreement is signed, and the joyful donor has made a bequest in their will. As a result, they have become a member of your legacy giving society. They are looking forward to your annual dinner and receiving the regular newsletter. But is that all there is for the next, ten, fifteen, or twenty years?

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Endowment, Nonprofit Leadership, Planned Giving

5 OVERLOOKED WAYS TO SAY THANKS

Posted by DBD Team

Everyone agrees that stewardship is important, but too often it drops to the bottom of the priority list for busy nonprofit professionals. Here are five overlooked ways to say thanks all year long.

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Nonprofit Leadership, Annual Fundraising

THE LAW OF AUTHENTICITY

Posted by Kennerly Benraty

Looking through my bookshelf, I came across The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. I was gifted this book in my first few months as a fundraiser when a mentor of mine slid it across a coffee table in my direction with a credulous smile and told me there’s one contingency (you’ll have to read on your own to find out!) if I decided to follow its teachings.

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Topics: Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, How To Ask, Art Of The Ask, Donor Relations, Making The Ask, Nonprofit, What We're Reading

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