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Is Your Back Office Staff Supporting or Undercutting Major Gift Fundraising?
Major GiftsIs everybody on your staff supporting major gift fundraising? Let me tell you a story: Back when I was a hard-working fundraiser, I had a dollar goal that was so big, it was scary. Like you probably have. My job required me to be out of…
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How to Warm Up Your Donors for Big Major Gift Asks
Asking for Donations, Capital Campaign, Major GiftsDonors are people just like we are. They don’t want to be surprised by a solicitation. If you have a close relationship with your donor, then you’ll want to lay careful groundwork to prepare her. And you'll want to do this well before…
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Donor-Centered Moves Management: Systematic Cultivation for Your Major Gifts Prospects
Donor Cultivation, Major GiftsIf you want to manage your major gifts fundraising program, then use a moves management cultivation system. Moves management is a great tool for building those important relationships with top prospects over time. And we all know that…
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How to Get Off the Dang Fundraising Treadmill
Board Members & Fundraising, Major GiftsI wish you could have been there. It was a chilly winter day. I was in a large back room of a big office building, meeting with the board of a top-notch local nonprofit. This savvy board had gathered with me for a fundraising retreat/workshop. I…
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How to Drive Major Donors Away and Kill Off Your Major Gifts Program
Asking for Donations, Donor Cultivation, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Major GiftsHint: Your donor says to you, "I'm not an ATM." Have you ever had the sense that your major gift prospects are fleeing from you? Do they turn down your invitations for events, tours, even private VIP get-togethers? Do they refuse to see…
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Your Major Gift Fundraising Questions – Answered!
Major GiftsQ: Should we include a major gift prospect in our email blasts which include asks? Yes, but you should personalize these appeals, acknowledging your prospect's relationship with your cause, if at all possible. It’s a mistake to remove…
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How to Get the Most Out of a Major Gift Visit!
Capital Campaign, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Major GiftsYou finally have the meeting with Mr. Big. What’s next? What do you do? What do you say? It can be tough to keep your eyes on the prize when you get in front of your best major donor prospects. And it's easy to get distracted and…
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Our Guide to Brilliant Major Gift Cultivation Events
Donor Cultivation, Events, Friendmaking, Major GiftsMany fundraising teams are hosting major gift cultivation events often – to open doors, make friends, cultivate potential supporters and thank your current donors. All of these gatherings are wonderful opportunities to bring people…
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How to Ask Your Donors for Feedback So They’ll Love You Even More
Annual Giving, Donor Cultivation, Major Gifts, Marketing & CommunicationsHave you tried asking your donors for feedback? This is a huge new trend that smart fundraisers are spearheading. Why can donor feedback be so important? How can you send communications to donors if you don't know if they like what…
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Five Ideas That Will Make Major Gift Asks Much Easier and More Successful
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Donor Cultivation, Major GiftsWe all know that fundraising comes down to one exciting, scary moment: when you actually ask for support. This is when knees start knocking under the table, mouths get dry and suddenly words evaporate. But it doesn't have to be so awfully…
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How to Secure the Major Gift: 10 Priceless Tips from Jerry Panas
Asking for Donations, Fundraising Strategy, Inspiration, Major GiftsJerry Panas is clearly one of our industry’s greats. I’ve learned so much from him over the years, and I hope you have studied his advice too. Today, I’m celebrating the fact that he’s joining us for Tuesday’s amazing Telesummit on…
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Use the MPI Formula To Thank Donors and You’ll Increase Donor Retention
Annual Giving, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Fundraising Strategy, Major GiftsHere's a smart formula to use for ALL sorts of donor communications. Send this information to donors AFTER they give. And your donors will love you for it. Try using the "MPI Fundraising Formula" for your thank yous. What's the MPI Fundraising…
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How to Create a Fundraising Action Plan for Your Board
Board Development, Board Members & Fundraising, Donor Cultivation, Major Gifts, Motivating Board MembersBoard members are naturally nervous about fundraising. But there are ways to calm them down and make fundraising fun for them. No kidding! Here's how: set them up to do fundraising jobs that DON'T involve soliciting. Tell them…
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Your Board Members Can Become “Door Openers.” Here’s How!
Board Development, Capital Campaign, Friendmaking, Major Gifts, Motivating Board MembersWhat would you MOST love your board members to do? Many nonprofit ED's tell me that - of all possible things - they wish their board members would simply open doors. That's all. Just open doors. But what happens when you ask board members…
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Major Gift Prospect Visits: Your Questions and My Ruthlessly Practical Answers
Fundraising Strategy, Major GiftsVisits with major gift prospects can be scary. How do you handle them? What do you say? Here are my answers to all your questions from last week's webinar: Q: What if your donor hijacks the conversation and you lose control? That will certainly…
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No Time for Planned Giving? Try These Quick Ideas!
Capital Campaign, Major Gifts, Planned Giving I'm as fired up as I can get about something big these days: planned giving. I know, I know -- you've heard it before. "Jump on planned giving," the consultants say. "I can't," you say back. "I don't have the bandwidth." Okay, I get that. But…