January, 2024

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Empathy: the key to better fundraising

Hands-On Fundraising

Empathy – the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability to share someone else’s feelings While sympathy is compassion for someone else’s situation, empathy is feeling their pain. Sympathy keeps its distance. Empathy is a powerful connection to someone else. We’ve evolved to feel empathy because it’s useful in understanding […] The post Empathy: the key to better fundraising appeared first on Hands-On Fundraisi

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10 Strategies to Celebrate Nonprofit Donors on Valentine’s Day

Clairification

M onterey Bay Aquarium shares the love with their donors. Last year, you posted about sending donors valentines, which I came across a bit too late in the game, so I sent emails. But, this year, I kept that idea and planned for it, and sent handmade valentines to my top level donors. I felt like I was in 2nd grade with my glue stick and doilies, but the response has been amazing!

Nonprofit 290
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12 human quirks you can use to fundraise better

Hands-On Fundraising

We humans are quirky. You know fundraising is never as simple as asking for donations. Behind your ask is a world of study. We think about our language. We consider exactly what we’re asking for and why. And we keep the language clear and simple. We’re straightforward about the need and use stories to illustrate […] The post 12 human quirks you can use to fundraise better appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

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Improve your fundraising letters fast

Hands-On Fundraising

You can improve your fundraising letter today Here’s what I know about writing good fundraising letters: You can practice and study for years. And still, you feel like you’re only scratching the surface. There’s always something new because we’re always learning something new. So perfection will always be out of reach. But don’t let the […] The post Improve your fundraising letters fast appeared first on Hands-On Fundraising.

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AI for Grant Writing: 20+ ChatGPT Prompts You Can Use

This prompt guide for ChatGPT contains 20+ tested ChatGPT prompts, along with tips on how to use this tool the best way. Nonprofits can engage with ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, refine project plans, and craft compelling narratives for grant proposals.

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13 Top Secrets of Donor Thank You Letters Revealed

Clairification

Let’s begin with a question: What do you spend more time on? Asking or thanking? You’ve probably just completed a quarter hyper-focused on asking. I’ll bet you devoted a lot of time to this endeavor. Now… you should be devoting at least as much time to thanking the donors who responded to your appeals, with the goal of retaining and upgrading them over time.

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Building Out a Post-Award Grant Management Checklist

RBW Strategy

Building Out a Post-Award Grant Management Checklist After spending 100+ hours working on that federal grant where you were losing sleep (and potentially sanity), you received news from the federal…

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How to Raise More Money for Smaller Non-Profits

Joe Garecht Fundraising

If you're working for a small non-profit… one that is raising less than $1 million per year… then I have some bad news and some good news for you. First, let me give you the bad news: much of the information that is available online on how to raise more money does NOT apply for your organization. If you've taken webinars and classes and read e-books and thought to yourself, “We could never do that – we would have to hire 3 more fundraisers or spend $100,000 more on devel

Budget 246
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Attention Nonprofit Emailers: Big Changes Coming to Google and Yahoo!

Pamela Grow

If yours is a smart nonprofit and you put your digital focus on email marketing, buckle up because changes are on the horizon from Google and Yahoo, and we’ve got the scoop. It’s estimated that Gmail and Yahoo represent 32.2% of all emails opened. Your numbers may be higher. Within my clients’ email lists, I typically find that Gmail and Yahoo users represent at least 50% of all emails on a list.

Nonprofit 229
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How are your conversation skills?

Hands-On Fundraising

Conversation?! Don’t worry. You don’t have to be a great talker to have this conversation. Today I heard from an excited client about an email. (I love getting celebration emails like this!) My client is a new theater here in Connecticut. And theater is where I started my nonprofit career… so I’m having fun. We’ve […] The post How are your conversation skills?

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10 Strategies to Actively Build Nonprofit Donors Trust

Clairification

Trust defines the credibility and legitimacy not only of your organization, but of the entire social benefit sector. Yet too few organizations make the effort to operationalize this construct into their fundraising and marketing planning. You should. Without donor trust and confidence in philanthropy there’s no future for social benefit organizations.

Nonprofit 284
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How to Teach Your Team to Improvise with Power

Lightning Fast Grant Writing

Parallel to the improvisation you do yourself as a grant writer, it is also important to know tools for helping your grant writing team improvise as well. Too often a lack of creative energy can be traced to the fact that various team members may be afraid of failing. With this motivation, they may be more creative in inventing reasons for giving up than coming up with solutions that will make it happen.

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Strategic Insights: Building Success in Your Non-Profit

RBW Strategy

Strategic Insights: Building Success in Your Non-Profit In the dynamic world of non-profit organizations, success is often measured by the impact they make on their chosen cause.

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What’s Keeping You From Starting or Growing Your Monthly Giving Program?

Ann Green's Nonprofit

Monthly giving is one of the few types of fundraising that did well last year. If your organization doesn’t have a monthly/recurring giving program or it’s fairly small, what’s keeping you from starting or growing your monthly giving program? Whether you’re a big or a smaller organization or you had a good fundraising year or you didn’t, monthly giving makes so much sense (or cents).

Donation 182
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Nonprofit Radio for January 29, 2024: Decolonizing Wealth

Tony Martignetti

Edgar Villanueva: Decolonizing Wealth Edgar Villanueva’s book, “Decolonizing Wealth,” takes an innovative look at the purpose of wealth. His thesis is that the solutions to the damage and trauma caused by American capitalism, including philanthropy—can be gleaned from the values and wisdom of our nation’s original people. He’s a Native American working in philanthropy.

Nonprofit 180
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Want some action? Use emotion.

Hands-On Fundraising

Years ago, on vacation, as I read 2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson a phrase stopped me cold. I had to dog-ear the page. “Reason can’t work without emotion. People who are cut off from their emotions can’t decide.” Reason can’t work without emotion. People who are cut off from their emotions can’t decide. So, ok, […] The post Want some action?

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Philanthropy, Not Fundraising: I Have a Dream for the Social Benefit Sector 2024

Clairification

I have a dream… Today would have been Dr. Martin Luther King’s 95 th birthday. During his lifetime he challenged us to recognize the privilege of being part of the struggle for goodness to prevail. He did not live to get to the promised land, yet he saw it from the mountain top. And in his famous speech he mused on the question of what he would say were he to be given the extraordinary opportunity to live in any moment in history.

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How to Plan a Fundraising Gala: 10 Planning Tips + 5 Elegant Ideas

Wild Apricot

Learn how to plan a fundraising gala from start to finish. These charity fundraiser ideas will elevate your event, engage donors and maximize impact.

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A Warning From the Gates Foundation: The Wealthy Must Give More

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

In an exclusive guest essay, CEO Mark Suzman calls on megadonors to change and deepen their giving to preserve hard-fought gains in health and prosperity. By Mark Suzman In an exclusive guest essay, CEO Mark Suzman calls on megadonors to change and deepen their giving to preserve hard-fought gains in health and prosperity. Plus: An ode to Chuck Feeney sets the tone for the billion-dollar grant maker.

Grant 145
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OPINION Will you still love me tomorrow? Who will be the the real donors of the next 50 years?

Critical Fundraising

In the face of a “generational time bomb”, the recent ‘Tomorrow’s Donor, Today’ research challenges fundraising norms and advocates for radical changes. However, Giles Pegram takes issue with the research’s fundamental assumption, and asks if it risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. There couldn’t be a more significant and existential issue faced by all fundraisers as how will donors act and behave in the future.

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Nonprofit Radio for January 22, 2024: Team Engagement Tips

Tony Martignetti

Kiersten Hill: Team Engagement Tips The company Firespring uses unusual and fun strategies to engage their 185 employees, so everyone lives and celebrates the Firespring values—each day. We’re talking Firestarter meetings; Culture Club; Power of Three; and more. Kiersten Hill shares her employee experience to spark your thinking about team engagement.

Nonprofit 176
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Make The Most of P2P Fundraising In 2024

NonProfit PRO

Supercharge your peer-to-peer fundraising this year by joining hundreds of nonprofit progressional at P2PForum24 in Philadelphia from February 21 23. Whether you’re a senior leader or staff member, this is the place to learn from experts and your colleagues at other organizations. Join us for a gathering that will help you improve your program’s performance in this critical year.

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Leading Your Nonprofit with Hope, Not Optimism

Clairification

What will you hope for in the coming year? Recently a college classmate asked me and others this question, ruminating on how hope and optimism are similar yet different. It struck a chord with me You see, I’m not generally an optimist. Yet I’m often hopeful. I’d just never taken time to actively consider how these concepts are different. Now I have, and I think it matters in the times we’re in.

Nonprofit 265
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Getting Started With Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Wild Apricot

With peer-to-peer fundraising, you can leverage your existing community of supporters and tap into their networks to increase revenue. We'll show you everything you need to know to get started.

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What I Learned About Donor Power From Trying to Hire Nikole Hannah-Jones

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

I was dean at UNC-Chapel Hill when a donor pressure campaign blew up the appointment of the 1619 Project author. Clearer donor guidelines would have prevented this. By Susan King I was dean at UNC-Chapel Hill when a donor pressure campaign blew up the appointment of the 1619 Project author. Clearer donor guidelines would have prevented this.

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The Case for Fundraising Metrics That Actually Matter

Veritus Group

Don't go back to evaluating your fundraiser based on action-oriented metrics that don’t involve building relationships with donors. The post The Case for Fundraising Metrics That Actually Matter appeared first on Veritus Group.

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Nonprofit Radio for January 15, 2024: Performance Measurement

Tony Martignetti

Bryan Shane: Performance Measurement There’s a systematic method for you to get feedback on your nonprofit’s finances; programs, clients; and employees. It’s both art and science. Bryan Shane explains this management and decision-making tool. He’s co-author of the book, “The Leadership-Driven Method to Performance Measurement.” Listen to the podcast Get Nonprofit Radio insider alerts!

Finance 172
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Make The Most of P2P Fundraising In 2024

NonProfit PRO

Supercharge your peer-to-peer fundraising this year by joining hundreds of nonprofit professionals at P2PForum24 in Philadelphia from February 21-23. Whether you’re a senior leader or staff member, this is the place to learn from experts and your colleagues at other organizations. Join us for a gathering that will help you improve your program’s performance in this critical year.

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Let Freedom Ring Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links + Free Resources

Clairification

The upcoming Martin Luther King Day holiday in the U.S. has me thinking about freedom. And also the push/pull between freedom and responsibility. Freedom without responsibility (i.e., being held responsible for your actions) doesn’t work well for anyone but one person. Responsibility without freedom is stressful. To work well, they need to play well together.

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The Moves Management Guide for Nonprofits: 6 Simple Steps + Top Tips

Wild Apricot

The moves management process is what guides your donors through the giving cycle. Learn the top moves and strategies to boost your next fundraising campaign.

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DAFs as Disruptors: How Donor-Advised Funds Are Changing Philanthropy

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

By Drew Lindsay DAFs are turning up everywhere — in grant-maker collaboratives, impact investing, workplace giving, and even wedding-gift registries. Will 2024 see new regulation? This story is a sneak peak into Trends 2024, an in-depth look at the forces that will shape philanthropy and the nonprofit world. The special report goes live tomorrow.

Funding 141
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Bloomerang Acquires Qgiv to Create a Giving Platform that Puts Relationships at the Heart of Fundraising

Qgiv

At Qgiv, we’ve been helping people fulfill their passion to make a difference in the world for nearly 15 years. Over the years, our fundraising technology has grown to include a full suite of event and online giving tools—supporting thousands of changemakers just like you. Today, I’m excited to announce the next step in our growth as a company—joining Bloomerang !

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Grab This Fundraising Plan Template for New Nonprofits

Get Fully Funded

If you’re starting a new nonprofit, you already know that you need to raise money. What you might not know is that the right fundraising plan template can make the job much easier. In the beginning you may self-fund your fledgling organization. (Many founders do.) Or you may ask your friends, coworkers, and family to give a few bucks. But long term, you can’t run an entire organization from the generosity of only a handful of people.

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Quest for Quality: Your Guide to Overcoming Data Obstacles for Business Success

NonProfit PRO

The first obstacle in any quest for clean data is knowing what’s in it. Download this ebook to learn how data profiling can help you find, fix & monitor the bad data in your system to boost donor engagement, optimize fundraising efforts, and improve decision-making. Plus, learn how to overcome other common data obstacles to achieve a complete 360-degree customer view.