Hold these 4 Fundraising Truths to Be Self Evident (Claire Axelrad / Bloomerang)

13MayMay 13, 2020 By Chad Barger, CFRE

I think it’s time for a little bit of a reality check.

Yes, we’re in unprecedented times and lots of things are rapidly changing, but one thing hasn’t changed: the “pre-conditions which must be met before you’ll be able to successfully exercise your fundraising strategies.”

Whether these are new strategies (virtual galas, increased online solicitation, etc.) or the tried and true strategies that we’ve been using for decades (donor visits, direct mail, etc.), you’ll never be as effective as possible if you don’t have four key things in place:

You need the right donor prospects.
You need to inspire people.
You need a written communications plan.
You need a written fundraising plan.

Sounds easy right? But does your organization have all of these in place? If you do, when is the last time they were updated/revisited (HINT: if your answer is “January,” it’s time to revisit them).

In the article below, fundraising guru Claire Axelrad provides the details behind these four elements and tips for creating or refining them in your organization. It’s well worth the read!

READ THE ARTICLE

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Quit Searching for the Fundraising Fountain of Youth

03SepSeptember 6, 2019 By Chad Barger, CFRE

In this post I’d like to address a growing pet peeve of mine…

It seems that every time I go to a fundraising conference these days there is always a session on ‘engaging millenials,’ or ‘generational changes in giving.’ At first, that sounds great. Yes … we should probably adjust or tactics over time and adjust to changing donor preferences.

But then it goes a step further, and there are sessions on ‘how to get a younger donor base,’ or my all time favorite ‘my donors are getting older, what do I do?’

This is where I pause andsay “that’s always going to be the case!” Our donors are always going to be older. At what stage of life do you have the capacity and the ability to really make major gifts to charities? It’s going to be when you’re at the peak of your career or just past. Our major donors are typically going to be in their sixties and seventies. It’s just how it is. Yes, they will change over time with the generations and new preferences. But this whole idea of trying to get a younger donor base … I don’t think it’s really that worthwhile.

So, I don’t spend a lot of time doing that. Yes, we want to incorporate new technologies, be multi-channel, and adapt to the times. But doing that specifically to target a much younger donor base, one that’s really not going to have the capacity to make major gifts for another 40+ years? No.

Do we still do some things like monthly donor programs and social media engagement to try to get them involved? Yes. But really trying to target that group at the full engagement level, I don’t think so. It’s a lot of wasted effort that’s not going to pay off anytime soon.

So, what do we do? We know who our major donors are. We know what generation are they a part of and we know how to speak their language. Let’s focus on that. And then yes, let’s try to talk to everybody else as well. But, our donors will always be older. It’s just how it is. It’s how our economy works and how philanthropy is going to be, at least for the foreseeable future.

So fundraisers, give that some thought. Think about what you are spending too much time worrying about. And maybe instead you need to get out there and meet with some of those older donors who make a big difference to your organization.

Why You Need an Editorial Calendar

29AugNovember 24, 2019 By Chad Barger, CFRE

What is an editorial calendar? It is a document used to map out every communication for a set time period. Typically used for annual planning, this tool helps you address seasonal events, holidays, and not over (or under!) communicate on each item. Especially when it comes time to do a social media post, but also for your regular mail, keeping an editorial calendar helps you know what’s going on and therefore you don’t have to reinvent it every time.

SO, MULTI-CHANNEL CALENDARS…

Well, the new twist with this is “multi-channel” calendars. So, rather than it just being your social media plan for the year (where you map out all your posts), OR your email blasts OR your newsletter – this new version suggests integrating everything on one page. And the beauty of this is that a lot of the content can be re-purposed and reused. Maybe you do a social media post with content which then ends up in your print newsletter. Maybe your event ads leading up to an event can then be used in multiple other areas. So, it really stops you from having to recreate materials because you can get more value, more places.

NEXT, USE A TEMPLATE!

The key to making all this work is planning. You can see how this can save you so much time down the line! It can really maximize your fundraising, and any kind of communication, at your nonprofit. So, how do you do it? You need a template. We love Excel for this because you can just kind of map out a grid and plug it in. And, of course, we have a free template to get you started! It has the weeks of the year and the typical channels that folks use. You can edit it and make it fit for your organization so that it gives you exactly what you need. That’s the tip for this week, fundraisers. Maximize an editorial calendar for your organization.

Sandy Rees: How to Start a Monthly Giving Program for Your Small Nonprofit

06AugAugust 8, 2019 By Chad Barger, CFRE

One of my most common recommendations to clients is to start a monthly giving program.

Often times the response that I receive is “we already have a monthly giving program.” To which I reply, “simply having a checkbox on your online donation page (to make the donation a recurring gift) does not qualify as a monthly giving program.”

You need to do more. Create a program and a system to actively market it and you’ll build the momentum you need to make it something that your supporters want to be a part of.

To help you out, here’s great article by fundraising guru Sandy Rees on “How to Start a Monthly Giving Program for Your Small Nonprofit.” Because, even if you already have a program (meaning more than just a checkbox), there are still some great tips on growing support for this important part of your fundraising program.

READ THE ARTICLE

Steven Screen: When to Attempt to Innovate

16JulSeptember 6, 2019 By Chad Barger, CFRE

I talk a lot about the need for innovation in fundraising. I include a photo of a grumpy committee member with a speech bubble saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” followed by a chart showing the law of diminishing returns in several of my presentations. My honest belief is that if we don’t innovate our fundraising will eventually turn in the wrong direction.

However, not every nonprofit organization is ready to innovate. If an organization is just getting started, hasn’t implemented best practices or is an organizational train wreck it might not be the right time. So when is the right time?

Fundraising guru Steven Screen does a great job talking through that in his article “When to Attempt to Innovate.” The “Stabilize, Optimize, Expand, Innovate” framework is a great way to approach fundraising innovation. Where is your organization at on that framework? Are you ready to innovate or do you need to address some other issues first?

READ THE ARTICLE

Have a Fundraising Plan. Period.

02JanMay 7, 2019 By Chad Barger, CFRE

You really need a fundraising plan. You can’t just fly by the seat of your pants and take opportunities as they come along. That’s reactive fundraising. You need to be proactive.

A structured fundraising plan is the key to success. It’s actually been proven to be the number one indicator of fundraising success. Fundraising shops that simply have a plan, regardless of what is in it, perform a lot better than organizations without a fundraising plan.

It goes back to the old Ben Franklin quote, “If you fail to plan, then you’re really planning to fail.” So please, invest the time to put together a simple fundraising plan which will take your fundraising operation to the next level.