By Carter McNamara on October 1, 2014
In my previous two posts, I’ve suggested that checklists can be very valuable in helping your non-profit achieve success with its enrollment in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). One reason that a checklist is valuable is that it helps you create consistent results over time. Notice that I said, “helps.” I didn’t say that a […]
By Carter McNamara on September 3, 2014
In January 2009, a US Airways jet taking off from LaGuardia airport jet hit a flock of geese 3 minutes after takeoff and immediately lost power in all engines. With two minutes of altitude left, Captain Sully and his crew reached for their checklists dealing with loss of engine power and emergency landings; and, in […]
By Carter McNamara on August 13, 2014
Are you feeling overwhelmed? I think for many of us, that answer is, “Yes” – at least part of the time … or in some aspect of our lives. You’ve probably heard it said that the amount of information a person living in the Middle Ages would have been exposed to in his or her […]
By Two Blog Contributors on June 4, 2014
1. Successful Proposals Find Common Ground with Funders by Jayme Sokolow In a recent issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Daniel Pink, the author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others (2012), discussed what he found in his research about fundraising. His advice is refreshingly clear and straightforward. The following is […]
By Two Blog Contributors on May 28, 2014
1. Who Are Your Planned Gift Prospects? – II by John Elbare, CFP The one thing we know for sure about donor behavior is that most planned gifts come from loyal donors. By “loyal” we mean those donors who reliably donate every year. They are already sold on your mission, they believe in your cause, […]
By Two Blog Contributors on May 21, 2014
1. The CFC and Non-Profit Sustainability – I by Bill Huddleston In their 2010 book, Non-profit Sustainability – Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability, the authors, Jeanne Bell, Jan Masaoka and Steve Zimmerman, emphasized the fact that a non-profit’s “financial sustainability and programmatic sustainability cannot be separated.” It’s impossible to have a successful non-profit that […]
By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on April 16, 2014
April 23: Keeping Your Bucket Full … With Direct Mail by Jonathan Howard The national average rate of donor retention (that’s the number of donors who gave in two consecutive 12-month periods) is a horrendous 35 percent. April 23: Events In Private Homes: Part II by Hank Lewis Education, Cultivation & Stewardship – What can/should […]
By Two Blog Contributors on April 2, 2014
1.
Making Your Nonprofit Conference A Special Event
by Natalie Lewis
Keep your vendors happy; show others that they could really benefit from being one of your conference exhibitors, and there will be more vendors who will be wanting to “sign up.” Would you object to having those additional vendor fees ??
2.
Events In Private Homes: Part III – Solicitation
by Hank Lewis
Solicitation at a home event, asking attendees to write a check, depends on whether or not this is a first-time meeting for this group of attendees.
By Two Blog Contributors on March 26, 2014
Because of the time-sensitivity of the first article, we’ve moved the postings on “Events in Private Homes” to April 9. 1. The CFC and Leverage: National Volunteer Week & Global Youth Service Day by Bill Huddleston This year is the 40th anniversary of National Volunteer Week, and this year it runs from April 6-12th. The […]
By Two Blog Contributors on March 19, 2014
1.
Proposed Changes to CFC Regulations Update: How You Can Help Save the Combined Federal Campaign – Part II
by Bill Huddleston
As I mentioned, last week, even after the Congressional Hearing, there has been no public response from the OPM staff to the concerns raised about the proposed regulations.
2.
How Do You Deal with Grant Deadlines?
by Jayme Sokolow
Deadlines are to proposal professionals as water is to fish. They are the lifeblood of our profession. Dealing with them effectively will make a big (positive) difference to your emotional well-being, and to your professional career.
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 ...]