HAPPY THANKSGIVING

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on November 25, 2015

WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST AND HOPING YOU’RE SPENDING THIS HOLIDAY WITH PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT AND WHO CARE ABOUT YOU     See You Next Week     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Have you heard about The Fundraising Series of ebooks? They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99-$4.99) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Have a comment or a […]

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A Question About the Structure of a Development Office

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on November 18, 2015

A recent email described changes to the structure/function of the different departments in an organization’s development office, noted that a development office should function on the basis of “what’s best for the donor,” and asked that I comment (approve/disapprove) of what was described. I responded…. I understand/accept that the structure/functioning of your organization’s development operation […]

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Strategic vs “Tactical” Planning

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on November 11, 2015

A participant in a listserve observed that ”the realm of ‘planning’ is (often) made infinitely more complicated because different words are used to mean the same thing and the same words are used to mean different things.” Indeed, there is great diversity in the use of terms like “visioning,” “mission” and “strategic planning.” So I […]

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Should You Recognize Donors on Your Website

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on November 4, 2015

On a listserve dealing with nonprofit-related legal matters, an attorney commented: “I can think of several of my law clients who have made very large gifts, and who would be horrified at the thought of having their names published on the Internet. They would feel that this was an invasion of their privacy, and that […]

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Major (and Other) Gift Prospects: Creating the Relationship

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on October 28, 2015

To paraphrase a posting from a listserve: “If you are going to get someone to want to become a (major) donor to your organization, you have to start with ‘where they’re at,’ and ‘where you’re at.‘ [I put “major” in parentheses because I want to be sure that it is understood that the concept applies […]

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The Gift Table … Chiseled in Stone ??

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on October 21, 2015

A couple of weeks ago, in response to the posting “comparing” a Capital Campaign to the Annual Fund, I received the following, multi-part question: I am part of a capital campaign now and we had a donor ask why the gift table does not change for a gift that comes in that is not listed […]

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What Nonprofits Should Know About Bequests

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on October 14, 2015

Unlike all of the other planned giving mechanisms, a bequest program doesn’t require major technical expertise and specific financial instruments. It’s easy, it’s fast, it can pay off substantially, and the dollars from bequests comprise close to 90% of all planned gifts. Many non-profit organizations refuse to get into planned giving because of the perception […]

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Can the Executive Director Get a Piece of the Funds That Are Raised?

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on October 7, 2015

A question was asked: I know that charitable organizations often have phone banks or door-to-door canvassing where the workers take a percentage of the funds they raise. Likewise, supervisors on such giving programs often also get a percentage. What is the difference if the ED also gets a percentage? In the sense that it is […]

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What Sets A Capital Campaign Apart From Annual Fund Raising Efforts?

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on September 30, 2015

That was the first part of a question … that continued to ask: “I believe the answer to be a hard drive at research of prospective large gift donors, cultivating these prospects and obtaining a commitment or large gift. Where do general corporate and community direct mail efforts come in? Are there specific procedures for […]

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Evaluating Your Development Program

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on September 23, 2015

Development Program Evaluation is not limited to comparing the dollars raised “this” year to previous years’ totals. It’s about being sure that each/every element of your “program” is performing as desired/required … to ensure adequate funding for your services, now and in the future. The performance of a Development Program is evaluated based on Donor […]

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