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

There is a legend in baseball that one of the reasons Ted Williams was such a great hitter was due to his ability to see the seams on the baseball as it came hurling toward him at 95 miles an hour. Supposedly, his eyesight was so good, he could essentially slow the ball down, seeing the seam and curve of the ball, making it easier to hit.

Confession: I am a graduate of the Ohio State University. Having lived in Wisconsin for the past 18 years, I have endured the wrath of Badger fans and even a number of Michigan folks. Much of this comes from friends and seemingly sane people who really don’t like my Buckeyes. Even more so after the win over Michigan and 59 – 0 embarrassment the Badgers endured during their loss in the Big Ten finals to OSU. They don’t just dislike us; they hate us.

It is estimated that 30% of charitable contributions are made between Thanksgiving and Christmas and 10% of those are made in the last 48 hours of the year. With that being the case, it is not too late to capture a share of this year’s holiday generosity by launching a year-end fundraising effort!

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.

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.

I often tell clients that I wish I could make this work sound more complicated. After all, they’ve brought me in to talk to their team about a campaign that will be vital to the organization’s future. Surely I must have complicated graphs and algorithms to make it all work? When it comes right down to it though, fundraising tactics are really quite simple.

Unlocking the mystery of donor prospect identification comes down to one simple question: WHO REALLY CARES?

One of the best ways to deepen the connection between a donor and your organization is to let them experience your program in action. Whether that’s a site visit or a chance to talk with program alumni, a great donor visit can do more than any brochure or talking point ever will.

I was delighted to receive calls from two nonprofit executives during the final days of 2013. Both calls were to pass along some great news regarding year-end endowment commitments. As I rejoiced with them, a Chinese proverb that came to mind: ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’