NonProfit Life

Hey Reader, This past week I was in a meeting where we were brainstorming ideas to meaningfully engage donors so that they become more invested in our organization and deepen their involvement (and support!) of the organization. I had some great, fancy ideas - webinars with notable luminaries that would draw in crowds, all day events that would dazzle attendees, and on and on. And then someone reminded me that the best thing we did last year was hold a quick zoom call - with very little...

Hey Reader, Planning sessions can easily become a waste of time. Either there's too much discussion and no decisions are made, or they become top-down dictation meetings of what leadership wants without actually understanding the realities of what the organization needs. Or they just go too damn long while your inbox gets flooded with more time sensitive issues. Here's my tried and true agenda for a 2026 planning session that actually leads to clarity and follow through. Use this with your...

Hey Reader, If you haven't already set your 2026 budget, you're likely being asked by your finance team or board to set your 2026 fundraising projections. As a reminder, fundraising projections are NOT fundraising goals. Goals are aspirational. Projections are conservative. Projections are about what funding you are highly confident will come in, so your 2026 budget is built on realistic expectations. This is not the time to include a grant you might get or a donor you plan to ask. This is...

Hey Reader, If you’ve ever spent hours (if not days) into a grant application only to get a rejection - or more likely, radio silence! - you’re not alone. One of the biggest traps nonprofits fall into is applying for every open grant RFP they find. The truth? Most grants aren’t worth your time, especially if you don’t have a warm lead or a clear alignment with the funder. Before you start drafting anything, I always recommend first making sure the grant is worth your time. Here are a few...

Hey Reader, It's that time of year when everyone is making resolutions, coming up with strategic plans, and most dreaded of all...actually circling back! My favorite way to go into a new year is with an "in and out" list. I'm sharing below with you my Ins and Outs List for Nonprofit Fundraising this year. What would you add or takeaway? 💫 INs: Focusing on what you can control. Everything outside of your control is not worth the emotional energy to worry over. Managing expectations early...and...

Hey Reader, This email is going to be super short and to the point. GO TAKE A BREAK! You deserve it. You've been working hard all year. Likely no donor is emailing or responding to emails this week, and so any outreach effort right now will just exhaust you more. Go do something that gives you joy, whether that's getting a hug from a family member or taking a walk around the block. Take off as much time as you can, try to unplug, and remember to be proud of yourself for everything. You're...

Hey Reader, Most nonprofits are unintentionally limiting how much donors can give. Not because donors aren’t generous…but because nonprofits fail to talk about all the ways a donor can make a donation. About 90% of wealth isn’t in cash - it's in non-cash assets (stocks, retirement accounts, real estate, etc). So when you are making an ask for a donation and only mention giving by credit card or check, you may be missing out on a much larger gift! Here's my advice to avoid that: Tip 1: Offer...

Hey Reader, As the year comes to a close, there’s one thing I make sure to do to stay laser-focused on our fundraising goals. With so many other tasks and distractions, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s most important - raising money to support your work. But during end-of-year fundraising, saying NO to anything that doesn’t directly contribute to that goal is key. Here’s how I keep myself on track: I create a simple, focused list of all the people who need to give by the end of the year, or...

Hey Reader I just saw this email from CauseVox announcing they are rolling out a free CRM (essentially a donor database) for nonprofits. In all transparency, I have not used CauseVox myself and haven't tested out this new free CRM, so I can't give my personal stamp of approval as a recommendation. However, I do want to make sure I pass along any opportunities I see that I think are worth investigating - especially that are free! Learn more about the free CRM for All from CauseVox It looks...

Hey Reader Hearing “no” is never fun - but in fundraising, a “no” can actually be an opportunity in disguise! The key is how you respond. Here’s a simple approach I’d use next time a donor or grant says no: Step 1: Thank them: Always start by expressing gratitude for their time, consideration, or past support. Step 2: Ask for feedback: Try something like this: “I completely understand. If you have a moment, I’d love to know if there’s anything we could have done differently or if there’s a...