Hands-On Fundraising

APRIL 1, 2025

Supporters dont just give to charitiesthey give to people, experiences, emotions, and connections. And in 2025, expectations are higher than ever. Fundraising success isnt just about asking for money; its about creating meaningful supporter experiences that keep donors engaged, inspired, and coming back time and again. Here are 10 ways to enhance your supporter experience […] The post How to Elevate Your Supporter Experience in 2025: 10 Proven Strategies for Fundraisers appeared first on H

Fundraising 162

Fundraising IT 162

Hands-On Fundraising

MARCH 25, 2025

Im a sucker for a good story. Yesterday, despite a library book I hadnt even started, I went to the bookstore and came home with four more novels. Lately, Ive needed some good space opera to take me far away from our current reality. And its that take me away part that’s key for me. […] The post Whats the ask? appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 144

Fundraising IT 144

Hands-On Fundraising

MARCH 18, 2025

Here are some basic rules that I use when I write to donors. After many years writing for donors, there are a few rules I always keep in mind. Because I know when I do, what I write raises more. So consider following these rules as well. I hope they help! Rule 1. Kind beats […] The post Follow these rules and raise more appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 273

Fundraising 273

Hands-On Fundraising

MARCH 11, 2025

Does your fundraising writing produce less than satisfying results? I’ll be honest: Creating good donor communications is a constant learning experience. But you can do some things to help today. Here are some tips for you. Unmarry your brand. That is, unchain yourself from the collection of fonts, colors, and language being pushed at you […] The post Quick tips to improve your fundraising writing appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 144

Fundraising 144

Hands-On Fundraising

MARCH 4, 2025

It’s not about you. Sorry. Quite often, I go through my mail and see appeals that disappoint me. It’s not that the cause is wrong (those I rarely even open). It’s the self-aggrandizing tone. I’ve been thinking about this for years and have held off writing anything. I don’t want to point fingers at any […] The post It’s not about you appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 157

Fundraising IT 157

Hands-On Fundraising

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Things have gotten pretty loud out there So I’ve been thinking about listening, particularly to those who care about your cause. But lets step back a little first. If you see donors only as financial sources, you should broaden your outlook. No one wants to be loved only for their money. Do you want donors […] The post Donor conversations: the secret to meaningful connections appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 144

Fundraising 144

Hands-On Fundraising

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

If youre looking for a compelling fundraising campaign idea to supplement your nonprofits annual fundraising efforts, look no further than peer-to-peer fundraising. What makes peer-to-peer fundraising such a great strategy to support annual fundraising campaigns? This fundraising style allows your nonprofit to: Lets explore five strategies your nonprofit can use to integrate peer-to-peer fundraising into […] The post Integrating Peer-to-Peer Fundraising with Annual Campaigns appeared first

Fundraising 144

Fundraising Nonprofit 144

Hands-On Fundraising

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

The best stories are personal If your organization wants to communicate well with donors in a way that moves them to feel connected to your mission youll need stories. Stories are how we relate… and have been forever. It’s a human thing. Consider Neanderthal cave art. Even before we were Homo sapiens, we […] The post Transform your interview process into storytelling magic appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 157

Fundraising IT 157

Hands-On Fundraising

JANUARY 21, 2025

Storytelling rightfully gets lots of attention After all, human beings communicate through stories and always have. You probably know someone who is a terrific storyteller. Ive got a friend with a real gift for it. It doesnt matter whether shes telling me about a life-or-death situation or a trip to the grocery store. Either […] The post If you want to raise more money, tell me a story appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 157

Fundraising IT 157

Hands-On Fundraising

JANUARY 14, 2025

Paper? I think you can. So, I was born in the Stone Age. I grew up without personal computers, mobile phones, or social media. A phone call to the next town was expensive. I kept in touch with my cousin in Ohio and friends I met at camp with letters on paper. Later, I traded […] The post Can you build a relationship on paper? appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Media 274

Media Fundraising 274

Hands-On Fundraising

JANUARY 7, 2025

New donors! You’ve done well. The last few months were busy ones. And the last few weeks of the year? Well, busy doesn’t begin to describe it. But you’ve welcomed new people to your cause, and that’s wonderful! Now: Keeping those new donors is critical, of course. But it also makes the question more pressing: […] The post Transform New Donors into Lasting Partners: Start Here!

Fundraising 274

Fundraising IT 274

Hands-On Fundraising

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Fundraising is about using your heart as well as your head. And maybe fundraising isnt really about money at all. In the long run, successful fundraising focuses on relationships. And good fundraisers use their hearts as much as their heads. Does that mean every one of your donors needs to be someone you know personally? […] The post You can put more heart into your fundraising today appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 246

Fundraising 246

Hands-On Fundraising

DECEMBER 10, 2024

What is the value of art? Should we care? The great thing about arts donors is that they get it. They give because the art form means something important to them. You probably have many solid arguments for why arts matter. Ill bet you can make the economic case from memory. You know about the […] The post How to share the value of art appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 246

Fundraising IT 246

Hands-On Fundraising

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Does wading into a room full of strangers terrify you? Are you sure you’ll have nothing to say? Afraid you’ll embarrass yourself with your tied-up tongue? Never fear. I’m an introvert who likes people, but I find the idea of glad-handing, networking or otherwise behaving like my extroverted colleagues intimidating. And I’ve been doing this […] The post 5 Donor relations tips for shy people appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 273

Fundraising 273

Hands-On Fundraising

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

If you’re a fundraiser, part of your calling is spreading gratitude. Does this sound like a familiar exchange? Thank you!” “No, thank YOU!” Saying thank you is an expected part of our social discourse. It smooths the way for simple – and more complex – conversations. Someone holds the door for you, and you say […] The post You can spread a little gratitude and feel happier appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 274

Fundraising IT 274

Hands-On Fundraising

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

Do you have a shelf full of fundraising books you’ve skimmed, but not read? Is there always something more pressing to do? Or even the siren call of reading that isn’t about work? I want to share a book that you’ll find delightful and practical today. Yes, Lisa Sargent has written her book. And oh, […] The post Thankology from Lisa Sargent – a must read appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 246

Fundraising 246

Hands-On Fundraising

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

Do you want to know what your donors think? Do you want them to know you care what they think? Would you like some interesting information about your donors – including testimonials and suggestions you might never get otherwise? Then you want to try a donor survey I first created a survey years ago. (You […] The post Unlock your impact: try a donor survey today!

Fundraising 271

Fundraising 271

Hands-On Fundraising

OCTOBER 29, 2024

We’re heading into the year-end flurry of fundraising. What’s your ask? Tis the season, and fundraisers everywhere are preparing. What’s your year-end ask? It’s also the season for multiple “giving days”… like GivingTuesday or December 31st. I hope you’re already polishing up the last details of your year-end campaign. But before you mail anything or […] The post Why you need a great ask at year-end appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 300

Fundraising 300

Hands-On Fundraising

OCTOBER 22, 2024

Why is it so hard to say thank you? We spend a lot of time thinking about how to raise more money. We labor over the appeal: the language, the images, the right ask. And then, too often, we treat the thank you as an afterthought. It’s not that hard to write a good, emotional […] The post Why is it so damned hard to say thank you? appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

IT 293

IT Fundraising 293

Hands-On Fundraising

OCTOBER 15, 2024

The focus is different in fundraising This is a big difference that can cause friction in your organization. Fundraising communication is about the donor and the beneficiary. Your organization fades into the background. You’re a means to a meaningful end. That’s why “branding” is less important in fundraising. Yes, you need to build trust in […] The post Why fundraising communication is different appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 299

Fundraising 299

Hands-On Fundraising

OCTOBER 1, 2024

It can be the toughest part of your fundraising communications to grasp. Like a slippery fish, it keeps jumping from your grasp. I’m talking about your fundraising offer, of course. The gap that describes your need. The central part of fundraising that’s so easy to slide over, or step around. The guts of the whole […] The post Mind the gap appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 300

Fundraising IT 300

Hands-On Fundraising

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

If you fixed just 6 fundraising mistakes, you’d raise more money. And I know, like it isn’t hard enough being a small organization, right? Not enough staff. Not enough time. And definitely, not enough money. You get used to making do. Find shortcuts. You work a lot. But too often, you don’t do the things that […] The post 6 big fundraising mistakes small organizations make appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 273

Fundraising IT 273

Hands-On Fundraising

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Many years ago, I began reading about something new to me. Tom Ahern tipped me off to donor newsletters. Though I’d been in fundraising for nearly ten years by then – focused on individual donors and annual giving – I tended to think of newsletters as something very large organizations sent. (And those were often […] The post All about donor newsletters appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 292

Fundraising 292

Hands-On Fundraising

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

And what does women’s work mean? A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about the struggles of balancing work and life – especially for those of us in the nonprofit world. Many of you read it, shared it, commented, or sent me email messages. I’m so grateful to everyone. Because stress is a very real problem. And […] The post Is philanthropy “women’s work”?

Fundraising 274

Fundraising Nonprofit IT 274

Hands-On Fundraising

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

Winning a new donor is always an exciting feat. Your mission has inspired yet another individual to support your cause, and that’s something to celebrate. However, once you pull in new donors, it’s time to start strategizing how to keep them around. Too few nonprofits focus on donor retention, and the numbers show it. In […] The post How to Segment New Donors for Effective Communications appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 307

Fundraising Nonprofit IT 307

Hands-On Fundraising

AUGUST 27, 2024

Memorial gifts – the most emotional gift? It’s not a gift you look forward to making – or inspiring. It represents someone’s loss and sadness – though also their hope. As a fundraiser, a memorial gift is one of the most emotional gifts you will likely receive. For me, the question is personal. When I […] The post How do you handle the most emotional gift?

Fundraising 284

Fundraising IT 284

Hands-On Fundraising

AUGUST 20, 2024

It’s been a long time, but I remember when I first began writing appeals. This was before we had access to the internet and a huge amount of information at our fingertips. I was smart enough to subscribe to Jerry Huntsinger’s newsletter, though. (On paper, mailed to me!) As I mentioned recently, I took my […] The post Beginner? How to write appeals that work appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 292

Fundraising IT 292

Hands-On Fundraising

AUGUST 13, 2024

Looking for new donors? 5 things to think about So you’re looking for a few good (new) donors, are you? (Isn’t everyone?) Before you start pushing mail out the door or emailing wildly, there are some steps you should take. 1. Before you start: are you caring for your current donors? If you’re not already […] The post Looking for new donors?

Fundraising 301

Fundraising 301

Hands-On Fundraising

AUGUST 6, 2024

We’ve got work to do. I recently read a piece from Give.org, “Public Perceptions of Charity Impact.” In it, they refer to their recently released Special Donor Trust Report. And one of the findings left me with my head in my hands. Those with household income above $200k who report they know the meaning of […] The post Empowering donors: measuring impact appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 205

Fundraising IT Nonprofit 205

Hands-On Fundraising

JULY 30, 2024

Great development directors are precious. It seems there is a constant demand for development directors. Turnover is a tremendous problem. People wonder why they can’t find a great one. In their study, Underdeveloped, CompassPoint and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund found “high levels of turnover and lengthy vacancies in development director positions throughout the sector” […] The post This is why you can’t find a great development director appeared first on H

Funding 306

Funding Fundraising IT 306

Hands-On Fundraising

JULY 23, 2024

There is no faster way into our brains than an image. As Peter Temple explains in this post, “We don’t see words as a series of letters. We see them as pictures.” He goes on to say that our brains read words as a series of images. We’re able to quickly (milliseconds) put them together when […] The post How do you connect with donors? Show more. appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 307

Fundraising 307

Hands-On Fundraising

JULY 16, 2024

First, why does donor retention matter? Ah, donor retention. We talk about it often. But why does it matter? Acquiring new donors is hard and often expensive. (You still need to do it.) So not doing all you can to keep the donors you have is like tossing money out the window. Prioritize retention! Also… […] The post Your donor retention how-to appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 306

Fundraising IT 306

Hands-On Fundraising

JULY 9, 2024

Playing cute tricks with donors isn’t the win you think it is I’ve been stewing about a certain kind of gift solicitation. I’ve hesitated to write about it. But I get more annoyed the more I think about the damage these things can do. Want some examples? This is an email I got. (Good organization; […] The post Don’t invoice me when you want a gift appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 301

Fundraising IT 301

Hands-On Fundraising

JULY 2, 2024

I’m convinced we’re made of stories And if that sounds a little goofy, then I’m guilty. But I’m sticking to it. The stories we tell ourselves about our lives and loves. The stories we hear from other people that shed light on who they are. And the stories that we read… whether in a great […] The post How to unearth the stories you need appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 293

Fundraising IT 293

Hands-On Fundraising

JUNE 25, 2024

What sloppy data means to donors Are you ignoring crossed wires? If tending to your donor database is a job passed off on the intern or an occasional volunteer, you’re playing with fire. Why? Because that’s not just “computer stuff” That information is where your donors live. Those relationships you know you should be building?

Fundraising 284

Fundraising Management 284

Hands-On Fundraising

JUNE 18, 2024

Have I ever told you how I became a fundraiser? I’m hesitant to share because I don’t often find myself interesting enough… But I think in this case, there were a few reasons why my first fundraising job became a career lasting decades. And I hope that’s useful to you. My first nonprofit job was […] The post Becoming a fundraiser appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 284

Fundraising Nonprofit 284

Hands-On Fundraising

JUNE 11, 2024

Feeling stressed? In the United States, recent polls found that 70 percent of American workers consider their workplace a significant source of stress, whereas 51 percent report job stress reduces their productivity. (via PsychCentral) Do we have to choose? A while back, I read this article in the New York Times by Anne-Marie Slaughter about […] The post Your work or a life: a painful choice no one should have to make appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

Fundraising 284

Fundraising 284