The philanthropic landscape is evolving — and tightening. According to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI, our nation has seen “continued attrition in the percent of households who [...]
For the most part, major gift fundraising has looked the same for decades: lunches, meetings, tours, introductions to those served by a nonprofit, introductions to executives, etc. Often, when we [...]
Overcoming objections: a topic we as fundraisers think through, write about, train on and – occasionally – obsess over after making a solicitation. Being prepared for objections, including how to [...]
You don’t ask someone to marry you on the first date! How many times have we heard that as a reason to never solicit a donation in a first meeting with a prospect? I have worked with countless [...]
“I’ve been called a shark, a vulture, a barracuda…all by faculty who are supposed to be my partners!” – Development colleague “I’m sure my fundraiser has a rolodex of prospects [...]
Is there anything more impactful to a meaningful philanthropic solicitation than truly understanding your prospect’s motivations, feelings, and values – not just about our organization, but about [...]
When was the last time someone on your team joined another fundraiser on a visit with a prospect – not to collaborate on a strategy, but to learn from each other? Shadowing on prospect visits is [...]
Every fundraiser I know has left at least one meeting with a prospect and asked themselves, “What just happened in there?” One of the most common ways we get sidetracked, and leave without [...]
A development colleague recently relayed a story to me. She had invited a faculty member to join a prospect meeting, and as they sat down with the prospect, the professor immediately launched [...]
Many fundraisers thrive on the feeling of walking away from a prospect meeting having made a meaningful connection and envisioning the possibilities before us. This dedicated, thoughtful time to [...]