Capital Campaign Cost Accounting

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on May 24, 2011

A reader indicated that she was, “trying to find accounting literature that defines whether we can capitalize the cost of a capital campaign consultant and the project management time provided by development staff who worked on the campaign,” and she asked, are “these costs usually capitalized with the new building or building expansion as project […]

[ Read More → ]

The Combined Federal Campaign: Debunking The Myths

By Carter McNamara on May 19, 2011

This is the first in (what’s likely to be) a long series of postings about the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Workplace giving, with the CFC, is the only type of non-profit fundraising that is subsidized, low-risk and high leverage. If you’re not familiar with the CFC, let me share a few facts and debunk a […]

[ Read More → ]

Is the CFRE Credential Worth the Time and Money?

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on May 17, 2011

That question was asked on one of the listserves where I am (usually) just a lurker, but was one I felt moved to answer. What I said was that…. I’ve been a fundraising consultant for well over 30 years, and I obtained my CFRE when the program was relatively new – back in the early […]

[ Read More → ]

Grantsmanship: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Lynn deLearie on May 12, 2011

Although Merriam-Webster defines grantsmanship simply as “the art of obtaining grants,” the reality is so much more than that. A broader, more realistic (somewhat dramatic) definition of that term would be, “The cradle to grave process for ‘birthing,’ ‘raising’ and managing grants.” Regularly, on this blog, I will share my experiences, real world examples, and […]

[ Read More → ]

Financial Advisers and the Non-Profit Sector

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on May 10, 2011

An Ethical Question: The following is based on a question raised by a financial planner…. In the non-profit world, there is an ethical prohibition against anyone profiting by advising/encouraging another to make a gift to a non-profit organization. There is also a specific prohibition against anyone being compensated by a percentage of any amounts donated […]

[ Read More → ]

Federal Grants: A Pre-Application Financial Checklist

By Jayme Sokolow on May 5, 2011

Before you apply for a federal grant, you should determine whether your organization has the financial capability to use federal funds properly. A Financial Checklist… …to help you determine whether or not you are ready to apply for a federal grant. □ Has the IRS classified your organization as a tax-exempt entity? To apply for […]

[ Read More → ]

Planning For Organizational Survival (Part 2 of 2)

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on May 3, 2011

A key problem for many new nonprofits is that most of their founders, that “small number of caring people who want to help,” have the impression that fundraising has to do with “fundraisers” — special events or sales: dinners, circuses, golf tournaments, T-shirts, cookies or candy. That couldn’t be farther from reality. While those activities […]

[ Read More → ]

Measuring Your Email Success: Part 2- Your Overall Program

By Rick Christ on April 28, 2011

Email is a very measurable tool, and it’s important that you measure your results so you can report on the effectiveness of your email program. In this post, I’ll suggest the most meaningful metrics for you to view your email program’s success as a whole. I like to measure this and report it on a […]

[ Read More → ]

Planning For Organizational Survival (Part 1 of 2)

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on April 26, 2011

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) exist to provide services that would not otherwise be available to many in the community. Too many NPOs fail to survive, however, because the people responsible for their creation aren’t fully aware of what it takes to effectively provide for the needs of the community. Non-profits are usually created by a relatively […]

[ Read More → ]

Special Events and the NPO Staff

By Natalie Lewis on April 21, 2011

In many organizations, the announcement of a future event moves staff to wave their hands and raise their voices, saying that, “I want to help, I love events.” The theme and the goals and objectives of an event are (often) determined by the organization’s development team – the event being part of their annual fundraising […]

[ Read More → ]
« PreviousNext »