By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on September 14, 2016
Share your message in an effective medium. Allow video to be used to get your message out there. How else can you let your audience in on the amazing things your organization does on a daily basis? Let people know all about who you are, the impact you have on our world and the way […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on September 7, 2016
When was the last time you watched something that really moved you? Brought you to tears? Evoked the warm-and-fuzzies? Took you back to a life changing experience? Made you feel differently about an issue, an organization, a person or group of people? Last week’s posting discussed a vivid example of video as a development tool. […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on August 31, 2016
A number of years ago, we used a video recording as part of the capital campaign solicitation of 14,000 prospects for a 1,200 student (150 year old) college. The “footage” was shot at various times during the school year and edited for various uses. One application was as an introduction in the face-to-face solicitation of […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on August 17, 2016
Gift Tables/Pyramids are great fundraising tools, but their construction and usage are often very much misunderstood. They are most often associated with capital campaigns, but are also great tools for major gifts fundraising, for “fiscal year fundraising,” and even for major events. Prior to the beginning of every fiscal year, an organization goes through its […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on August 10, 2016
Continuing from last week’s posting…. As it will not always be appropriate to run down the prepared list of questions with every interviewee, the interviewer must be able to “read people,” must be able to know when to forget the prepared questionnaire and just chat with Mr./Ms. Jones about the NPO’s issues and possible futures. […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on August 3, 2016
Want to create a Major Gifts Program, a Bequest Program, a Special Event, a Recognition Program, a Capital Campaign ?? The most important information you’d want to have is whether your (prospective) constituents/donors will agree with what you want to do, and what would motivate those folks to want to participate in and/or support your […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on June 15, 2016
In the NP community, as elsewhere, it’s targeted marketing that is most effective. But you can’t target your market until they’ve been identified. Direct mail is, for many NPOs, an essential part of building a substantial base for the donor pyramid. But, unless you’re a huge organization with high visibility and a great level of […]
By Tony Poderis on June 8, 2016
An email read: “I own a catering company and we often donate goods and services to nonprofits in our community … to a generous degree. Frankly, we are discontinuing the practice, [as we’re] just tired of being treated like ‘second class’ donors.” Having heard that complaint many times before, I responded: I know exactly how […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on April 13, 2016
An email began: A chapter of Catholic Charities is set up as a single-member corporation, that member being the diocese as represented by the bishop. The board is convinced that they are really just an advisory board and have no right, authority, or need to question the actions or expenditures of the CEO, and are […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on March 30, 2016
That was a question that recently found my email inbox, along with the explanation that one of those organizations has a medical focus, the other is in the arts. My immediate thought/response was, simply, “Yes.” You just have to be sure that both organizations have a signed agreement as to how the expenses will be […]
Hank Lewis with Development Consultant Associates has over thirty years as a fundraising consultant and is a specialist in Board and Leadership Development, Capital Campaign, Bequest Program and Major Gifts. [Read more ...]