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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

THE MILLION DOLLAR BUNDT CAKE

Posted by Jason Fry

Years ago, I was working with a very skilled major gifts officer. She had a donor, Elizabeth, who was in her 90s and who was very loyal to the organization. However, this staff member had tried contacting Elizabeth over and over through e-mail or by phone and leaving voicemails. As much as she tried diligently to get in touch with Elizabeth, she was unsuccessful. She started telling herself a variety of stories. Maybe something is wrong or she’s sick? Maybe I upset her with all my emails. Maybe she heard something negative about our organization? Maybe I offended her by asking her for money? Maybe she died?

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Topics: Success Stories, Donor Stewardship, Stewardship, Fundraising, Donor Communications, Financial Development, Donor Management, Donor Relations, Fund Development

BUSTING ENDOWMENT MYTHS

In the world of fund development, endowment programs usually get the least amount of attention. This is a shame, because these gifts often represent a donor’s sense of legacy. Why do we put off the cultivation of endowment prospects? I propose that many of us are laboring under false beliefs about developing endowment program. It’s time to bust some myths!

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Topics: Fundraising, Endowment, Endowment Development, Nonprofit Staff, Fund Development, Planned Giving

Thankless?

Posted by Bruce Berglund

I took advantage of the beautiful fall weather in Chicagoland over the Thanksgiving break to clean up my backyard. My neighbor had the same idea and we struck up a conversation. He asked me (as my mother used to ask me too) "what exactly do I do for work"?

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Topics: Leadership, Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Church Fundraising, Fund Development, Nonprofit

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM A CONSULTANT

Posted by DBD Team

Hiring a consultant is a big investment for a non-profit organization. If this is your first time working with a consultant, or if previous consultant engagements weren’t successful, here is some advice from our consultants to you.

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Topics: Fund Development

FUNDRAISING MUSCLE MEMORY

In November, I achieved a personal goal of running my seventh half marathon.  I had not run a long distance in a few years; and, I am admittedly a few years older. Training and preparation are very important for any long-distance challenge. With a very busy schedule, I was concerned about having enough time to train. 

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Topics: Fund Development

HOW TO FACE DOWN A MONSTER

This October, the Donor By Design team is tackling spooky situations in development. Join us this month for hair-raising stories and cautionary tales of frightful fundraising! 

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Topics: Fundraising, Annual Campaign, Capital Fundraising, Church Fundraising, Fund Development, Fundraising Campaign

A CHILLING TALE

Posted by Bruce Berglund

This October, the Donor By Design team is tackling spooky situations in development. Join us this month for hair-raising stories and cautionary tales of frightful fundraising!

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Topics: Fundraising, Art Of The Ask, Fund Development

THANKS BUT NO THANKS

Posted by Jon Simons

If you have been in fund development long enough, you may have found yourself in this situation:

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Topics: Fundraising, Patience, Fund Development, Cultivation

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