Does your institution care more about its donors or their gifts? Before you answer, let me ask the same question in a more practical, perhaps more helpful way. After you receive the gift, how long does it take, on average, for your institution to thank and extend a gift receipt to a donor? In the…
How Happy Are Your Donors?
In prospect management meetings all across the country this week, advancement teams have prioritized donor portfolios based on the two most important variables currently in use: Capacity (a wealth estimate of some sort), and; Interest (an estimate of how ‘close’ or ‘engaged’ the prospect is with the institution). No matter the terms used for these…
Your Collective Board. . . Isn’t
A Board is a collection of individuals. The important word here is “individuals.” Not “collection.” Each member of a Board brings her own passion, interests, abilities, capacities, and shortcomings to the group. Boards work and are generous, not because administrators engage the collective group, but rather because administrators first engage each peculiar, individual member in…
Asking Every Day
I’m teaching a class on “Annual and Major Gifts Fundraising,” this fall in the Master of Nonprofit Management program at Northpark University. For one of the textbooks, I’m using Asking, by Jerry Panas. As one would expect, it’s a great, spot-on, quick read. Jerry offers many, time-tested examples of how to go about the process…
Virtual Opportunities
The whole world is on Facebook. Or at least it seems so. And the whole world is changing because of it – including how money is spent. Since early 2008, we know that the Great Recession impacted every aspect of our lives. From steep home price declines, to almost 10% unemployment, to staggering government debt…
Benchmarking and Uniqueness
One of the first understandings an institution claims I need to have about them involves their uniqueness. It goes something like this: “Jason, we know you work with institutions and organizations across the country. But we are different here. Our institutional culture is different. This community is different. Our views on philanthropy are different. We…
The Problem With Metrics
Performance metrics in development are important. CEOs and Board members want clear indicators which depict the value of our work. Savvy donors expect to see institutional efficiency. Even the government is poking around in the finances of non-profits like never before. However, we make a huge mistake when we make metrics our focus. Much like…
The Power of the Whisper
In college, I had a professor who, to get the attention of class and quiet the room, would whisper. After a few moments, every student would cease their talking and strain to listen to what the professor was softly saying. It was an effective way to gain the attention of the audience. It worked because…
Copy And Steal Everything
For those of you who practice the craft of development in the education arena, you are aware of CASE – the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A fine and helpful organization. Because CASE conferences have been effective in disseminating good ideas and initiatives, the friendly joke within development circles in education is that…
Lack or Faith
“We don’t have the money to do that.” I hear this statement (or another variation on the theme – “we have too much on our plate already”) far too often. And it is almost never the reason why we don’t attempt a new direct mail strategy or make more visits on our most promising donors…