Thoughts from the Group

I love donor events—like capital L.O.V.E.—I really, really love donor events. I love how a good event can create a strong emotional...

We encounter many firsts throughout our lives, and these experiences often shape our future decisions. For example, when you buy your...

Donor feedback. Sometimes, we seek it; other times, it comes to us unsolicited, and usually, when we least expect it. Feedback—regardless...

When I was a young fundraiser starting out in major gifts (a story for another day…), I was paired with a much more seasoned fundraiser...

As part of the stewardship process donors expect many things from us. Chief among these things is demonstrating the impact of the...

Picture this: It's a Tuesday morning after endowment reporting season, and I'm sipping my third cup of coffee (let's not judge). My inbox...

How do you know that   your work  in donor relations is making a bottom-line fundraising impact?  One (sometimes loaded) word:  metrics. ...

Donor retention is often a neglected metric in fundraising, with many organizations focusing more on the volume of donations or the...

Bespoke engagement plans for top donors are one of the hottest topics in fundraising, and for good reason––the “one-size-fits-all”...

Giving Tuesday can be a whirlwind of support, particularly from new donors who resonate with your cause. But after the rush, it’s...

We just sent out our loyal donor milestone mailer this month. We honor the donors who have given to our organization for at least five...

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, it’s hard to imagine a more powerful tool than a custom survey of your organization’s donor base. I...

The only thing constant is change . Greek philosophers have given the world much to ponder over a few thousand years, but this...

One of the more fascinating—and often truly baffling—aspects of the donor experience is what happens to our data after we make a gift....

As a major gift fundraiser turned donor relations professional, I’m often asked when is the “right time” to ask donors for a major gift....

First-time donors give for many reasons, and donor retention looks different for each donor behavior type. First-time gifts can come from...

Have formal donor recognition societies already had their day in the sun? Should we be eliminating or investing in them? That is the big...

Have you ever gotten so deep into a subject that you can’t recall what brought you there in the first place? The concept of...

I often say that the most important measure of any fundraising shop isn’t how much money you raise at your nonprofit, but rather how many...

According to Penelope Burk’s Donor Centered Fundraising, 93% of individual donors would definitely or probably give again the next time...