I teach nonprofit professionals - over 5,000 and counting! - how to grow their organizations with practical, action-oriented templates and tools. From event sponsorship packages, grant proposals, board orientation handbooks, and everything in between, I focus on helping you save time, effort and precious resources. As a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), I've raised 25 million+ for other organizations, and now my passion is to help you do the same for yours. Join the weekly newsletter to get time saving tips, tricks and action plans you can implement today to accelerate your nonprofit.
Why your fundraising ask isn't landing
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Hey Reader, Does this sound familiar: You sit down to make a call to a donor, or write an email or grant narrative. You try to sound professional, grateful, maybe even a little urgent. But when it’s time to make the ask… it just feels off. Here’s a typical example I see all the time: “Hi Sarah, I hope you're doing well! I wanted to let you know we're raising money for our program again this year and really need your support. Any amount would help. Let me know if you’d be willing to donate. Thanks so much!” Let’s break it down:
Now, let’s rewrite that ask with purpose and clarity: “Hi Sarah—thank you again for being part of our mission to create safe, supportive spaces for teen girls. This fall, we have 42 students on our program waitlist. A gift of $______ would cover mentorship and materials for two girls for the full semester. Would you consider making that possible?” Here’s what this version does differently:
Not sure how to apply this to your organization? Hit reply and tell me what you're stuck on—I read and respond to every message! Cheers,
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Kay @ NonProfit Life
I teach nonprofit professionals - over 5,000 and counting! - how to grow their organizations with practical, action-oriented templates and tools. From event sponsorship packages, grant proposals, board orientation handbooks, and everything in between, I focus on helping you save time, effort and precious resources. As a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), I've raised 25 million+ for other organizations, and now my passion is to help you do the same for yours. Join the weekly newsletter to get time saving tips, tricks and action plans you can implement today to accelerate your nonprofit.
Hey Reader, Guess where I am currently...in Nairobi, Kenya! As you may or may not know, I'm still very much an active fundraiser supporting amazing organizations in growing and mobilizing their funding. Which takes me to some amazing places around the world, including East Africa! I had all these plans to stay on top of my weekly newsletter (I haven't missed a Tuesday email in over a year) and then...life happened. Early mornings (including safari!), packed days, and very fun but very late...
Hey Reader, If you’ve been applying for grants and hearing nothing back—you’re not alone. Grants are becoming more and more competitive - especially with recent changes to federal funding and attacks on the nonprofit sector. Here's the truth: Most grant strategies fail because they’re built on cold outreach, no relationships, and a hope-for-the-best application cycle. Grants can be a powerful source of funding, but only if you approach them with the right strategy. Here’s what I recommend...
Hey Reader, I know from conversations with you that there's a mix of people following NonProfit Life, from experienced fundraisers with $50M+ budgets to those who are just starting their nonprofit journey. If you’re in the latter group, you’ve probably asked the question: “What do I do if I’m starting from zero?” If I were starting from scratch today, here’s the strategy I’d follow. It’s simple and effective, and I call it the 2-prong strategy. This strategy starts with creating two lists...