NonProfit Life

Hi Reader, Donor thank-you notes are one of those things that everyone knows matter and almost no one does consistently. I get it. When you're juggling grant deadlines, event logistics, and seventeen other things, the thank-you email becomes the thing that keeps sliding to tomorrow. But donors who feel genuinely appreciated give again. And donors who get a generic receipt? They forget you. Here's how I've been using AI to close that gap without losing the personal touch that actually makes...

Hi Reader, If you're like most nonprofit fundraisers, the halfway mark of the year sneaks up on you. One day you're recovering from your year-end campaign, and the next you're wondering how you're already in May. Here's the thing: a midyear audit doesn't have to be a big production. I'm not talking about a full-day retreat or a 20-page report. I'm talking about a focused hour (maybe two) where you look your numbers in the eye and decide what the rest of the year actually needs from you....

Hi Reader, Earlier in April, I went to a summit full of high-net-worth women. Today, I was on a call with a fellow fundraiser and she asked me "How do you even follow up with these people?" That's the key question! Everyone knows follow up is important - or even THE most important - thing you can do. But what does that look like when you meet someone at an event and they say "let's connect!" Suddenly, you have a list of contacts and absolutely no idea who actually wants to support your...

Hi Reader, Board meetings are one of the most wasted opportunities in nonprofit fundraising. You have a room full of people who care about your mission, have networks you haven't tapped, and are supposed to be your fundraising partners. Most agendas don't use any of that. Here's what I always make sure is on mine: 1. A real fundraising update - with actual numbers. Not "things are going well." Revenue year-to-date, goal, and gap. Board members can't help you hit a target they don't clearly...

Hi Reader, Early in my career, I was told I would be in charge of volunteers. Did I have any experience managing volunteers? Not a wink. Was it a smooth start? Nope...but eventually, I figured out what I wish I had started with. The reality is, volunteers are one of the most underused assets nonprofits have. But without structure, they become one more thing you're managing - instead of one more pair of hands actually helping you! What a good volunteer handbook actually does It's not just a...

Hi Reader, If someone told me I needed to raise $10,000 in the next 60 days and I couldn't apply for a grant or throw an event, here's exactly what I'd do. What I'd focus on is individual giving - and it doesn't actually require a massive donor list, a fancy CRM, or a whole development team. It requires a plan, a list, and the willingness to ask. Step 1: Build your list of 25 Write down 25 people who have some connection to your organization. Current donors, past donors, board members,...

Hi Reader, How many times has a board member offered to help “however they can” but then suddenly go silent when you send an email about fundraising? In a lot of organizations, board "support" for fundraising means showing up to the gala, forwarding an email once a year, and occasionally saying "great job" at a board meeting. That's cheerleading. It's not fundraising. I get it - most board members didn't sign up to ask people for money. They signed up because they care about the mission. So...

Hi Reader, I want you to think about your most recent donor. Not your biggest donor. Not your longest-standing donor. Just the most recent person who gave. Do you have systems in place that will encourage them to give again? The difference between a one-time donor and a repeat donor usually comes down to what happens in the 30 days after they give. Most organizations send a tax receipt and then…silence. The donor doesn’t hear from you again until the next appeal. By then, they’ve forgotten...

Hi Reader, Fundraising has always been hard, but this current landscape is another level. We all know this - federal funding cuts have not only drastically reduced funding for nonprofits, but created a ripple effect of philanthropy going into “paralysis” mode (Shelly Helgeson of Connective Impact talks about how funders are now getting 3-4x the number of applications, and increasingly closing doors to open proposals, relying only on referrals which make smaller, more innovative organizations...

Hey Reader, Every time I have a goal number or gap in my budget I don’t know how I’m going to fill, I do this exercise to help me breakdown a big scary number into smaller, more obtainable steps. This exercise is based on building a gift pyramid, which is a breakdown of fundraising numbers into smaller numbers (or donors). It’s a “pyramid” because it shows how typically in an organization (not always), a lot of donors give a little, which make up the “base” of your gift pyramid, and a few...