The over-focus on the amount nonprofits spend on fundraising and administration (as opposed to accomplishing their mission) is throttling many organizations, keeping them artificially poor and less able to do what they exist to do. We talk about some alternatives to focusing on that fundraising ratio.
Listen in as an executive director of a nonprofit and his enthusiastic brand consultant change the name and look of an organization. Warning: Satire.
For the sixth installment of our State of Fundraising series, we look at steady stream of innovations for nonprofits that happen all the time. How do you deal with it all? How do you know what to ignore and what to get involved with? Here’s a framework that can help you get it right.
For the fifth installment of our State of Fundraising series, we take a look at survey research and how fundraisers can get value from it — without being led dangerously astray. Surveys seem (and often claim) to report the truth. In reality, they reveal something else that’s often far from truth.
For the fourth installment of our State of Fundraising series, we interview Sean Triner, founder of Pareto Fundraising, who blogs at Sean Triner’s Blog. Sean shares some of what’s happening in fundraising outside the US, based on his experience in Australia, Asia, Europe, and Canada. The way we do it in America is not the only way!
For the third installment of our State of Fundraising series of podcasts, we interview Katya Andresen, Chief Operating Officer at Network for Good, who speaks frequently about online fundraising and blogs at Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog. She touches on many aspects of fundraising on the web, from what’s on your homepage to what you should do on Facebook. And don’t miss the one thing you can do that will make the biggest difference for your online fundraising — it’s surprisingly easy!
For the second installment of our new State of Fundraising series of podcasts, we interview Bill Jacobs of Grizzard, whom you can frequently read at Grizzard’s Blog. Bill talks about two massive changes that are hitting the fundraising industry: The arrival of Boomers in their prime giving years and the way donors now respond to our fundraising as they please — not necessarily in the ways we want them to. (Up to a third of response to direct mail comes in through channels other than mail!) If we don’t respond to these huge and growing trends, we are in deep trouble in the coming years.
For the first installment of our new State of Fundraising series of podcasts, we interview Jon Van Wyk of TrueSense Marketing and blogger at Fundraising Growth Now. Jon enlightens us about some of the generational and technology changes we must pay attention to if we’re going to keep raising funds in the coming years.
Two years ago, they had a great year-end letter that raised a lot of money for the cause. Last year, the committee was full of ideas for improving the letter. The result: a 50% drop in giving. Using two real year-end fundraising letters from a real organization, we reconstruct the scene of the crime. Don’t let this happen to your fundraising!
Warning: Satrical content. Do not take the advice you hear on this podcast!