April 25, 2015
4 prospect research pitfalls to avoid By Sarah Tedesco, Executive Vice President of DonorSearch Effective prospect research essentially gives your fundraisers the best study guides possible on your donors and prospects. When conducting prospect research, nonprofits and educational institutions discover details about their donors that reveal their capacity to give…
Read ArticleFebruary 17, 2015
Why your event is worth more than just the money it raisesEvents are a key component of many nonprofit organizations’ annual development plans. The most successful events are strategic in nature and focus on building community to advance an organization’s mission. At this year’s NCDC Conference, Chris Bicknell and Timi Paccioretti from Little Green Light and…
Read ArticleJune 18, 2014
Using Generations Theory to drive nonprofit fundraising strategiesWhat is Generations Theory? Basically, it’s the supposition that four types of generation in the United States have come into being in the past hundred years, each with a level of familiarity among its members as a result of having experienced the same formative events…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
How to find your most passionate donorsIn a March 2012 interview conducted by Phyllis Freedman with Chuck Longfield, the founder of Target Analytics, these two veteran fundraisers discussed what kind of data can help you identify who is really passionate about your organization. Since passion leads to larger gifts and a…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
The pros and cons of special eventsIntro from LGL: Mission Advancement Professionals (MAP), a new affiliate of Little Green Light, specializes in relational fundraising. They help nonprofits with capital campaigns, annual giving, major gifts and more. They complement LGL nicely by taking fundraising to the next level, often starting with the…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
Why fundraising is a shared responsibilityI recently attended the NCEA Conference in Boston, MA, and was inspired by a really insightful session given by Mary Schaefer, titled The Changing World of Fundraising. Here are some of the key take-aways: Fundraising and donor cultivation have historically been seen as the sole…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
Learn how to segment your annual campaignClick on image to watch a 2 minute video explanation. Introduction This pyramid represents a simple segmentation you can use when planning your annual appeals. The higher up in the pyramid, the more important the segment is in terms of reaching your fundraising goals. That’s…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
Can volunteers help your non-profit raise more money?Many development professionals work in small shops. Fortunately, you can increase your capacity by asking volunteers to take on leadership roles in your fundraising initiatives. The benefit? According to Penelope Burke, author of Donor Centered Fundraising, volunteers can have a powerful influence on donor retention and…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
10 techniques for raising major giftsI just returned from the NCEA (Catholic Educators) conference in New Orleans, which brought together a large group (over 6,000) of dedicated professionals. Several presentations were about advancement and fundraising, and a lot of the focus was on major gift giving and cultivation of these…
Read ArticleJune 9, 2014
Six steps to a successful appealIntroduction to a six-part series The development of a comprehensive annual giving program can be a daunting task. But this series of six short articles provides a tested method of making your annual giving program manageable and successful. A well-documented first step toward a solid…
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