Strategies for Success

The two key components to major gift giving are capacity and interest. Individuals either have the financial capacity to give large gifts or they do not. Fundraisers have no control over donor capacity. What we can do is cultivate a donor’s interest. Here are a few tips for engaging potential donors and involving them in…

We all know what happens when we make assumptions. The only way to avoid that inevitable outcome is to ask questions. In some cases, you may risk someone thinking you should already know the answer; and maybe you do. However, it is always better to get a confirmation or further clarification than to charge forward…

You might be familiar with the game Tetris®. Differently sized pieces are strategically moved and adjusted to fit before the next piece falls into place. Trying to coordinate calendars for donors, volunteers and nonprofit professionals can often feel like a puzzle, and requires a similar approach. You can master the art of scheduling by keeping…

This a fundraiser’s dilemma when starting a major project: If everyone wants to “wait and see,” who will go first? Your project’s success depends on a handful of supporters who believe in your mission, have confidence in your organization’s ability to raise the funds and will step out, first, with their leadership gifts. Here are…

Each new year begins with a world of possibilities! With that in mind, it’s time to establish a fundraising plan for the year. Here are three tips to help your nonprofit have its best fundraising year ever. Remember and Celebrate One of the most important things we can do as fundraisers is to stop and…

Appreciation is the final, yet profound, step in the five-step fundraising process which also includes identification, qualification, cultivation and solicitation. Here are tips for intentional appreciation which, in turn, can deepen fundraising relationships: Show appreciation for the gatekeepers Cultivating donor relationships requires good information and open doors.  Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the individuals at…

Sending a thank you note in response to a gift is expected. Exceed your donors’ expectations and create the best experiences your donors have ever had by following these ten tips: Commit to being the best. Donors make hard choices when they determine the three to five organizations they will support in a larger way.…

In any fundraising project, including a successful campaign, a member of the team must think through the necessary steps to make sure every “i” is dotted, and every “t” is crossed. Getting down in the weeds with details and deadlines can be tedious, but someone needs to do it: a failure to plan is a…

No foundation wants its first grant to a nonprofit to be its last. Foundations – staff and board members – exist to provide funding that generates good returns on the investment. The foundation wants to support nonprofits to do good work now and again… and again. Here are some tips to help ensure foundation grants…

No matter how skilled or experienced a fundraising professional may be, it is good to reflect regularly on the fundamentals, including the importance of continually transitioning prospects to donors and deepening donor relationships. Here are tips on using a team approach with prospect-donor tasks: Don’t settle or stay stuck Regularly review donor and prospect lists…

There are certainly circumstances and situations when “no news is good news,” but the fundraising sector isn’t one of them. To be successful, fundraisers must be, by necessity, good communicators. Good communication will mean different things to different people, but here are a few, essential characteristics. Clear When you have information, share it. When you…

When an anticipated gift doesn’t come through, or the gift isn’t as large as expected, it’s natural to be disappointed. Disappointment is normal, but one of the best remedies is honesty with yourself and team: “I really thought the foundation would give more. But, let’s find out what we can do better next time.” Honesty…

Case statements can be long and comprehensive, short and sweet, just-the-facts or something in between. These subjective decisions are typically made by a few designated individuals. Once in a while, a nonprofit will pull in the whole board to attempt consensus. Whatever the method, the opinion that matters most is the reader’s, a.k.a. the donor…

“We’re not a fundraising board.” Nearly every fundraiser has heard this said, but every board member has a responsibility in the fundraising process. Here are some tips to dispel board member myths: Myth 1: “Fundraising is the job of staff.” Board members should be recruited based on influence, affluence and expertise. It’s unrealistic to think…

One value of a campaign is to raise support for an organization to carry out its mission. Too often, however, organizations of all sizes prioritize other activities over conducting a campaign. One way to address this tendency to put off a campaign is to begin with a “readiness” assessment. This pre-campaign study process can be…

Gathering a high-octane team of campaign cabinet members with affluence and influence in the community is a great achievement. It takes accurate intel, proven instincts and hard work. Yet, the next steps are just as important. Here are tips on leveraging your cabinet to accomplish even more: Be prepared. A bit of light conversation is…

…than cheap labor! Fundraisers are some of the most influential individuals in donors’ major gift decision making. That’s why you need the right person for the job. There are tons of “nice” fundraisers. In fact, most will be pleasant and charismatic. But really great fundraisers will possess a combination of strong character, natural curiosity, determination,…

We know, on average, around 80% of a nonprofit’s revenue comes from 20% of its donors. We also know there will be around 20% of a nonprofit’s donors who give one-time gifts or small, regular gifts. This leaves 60% in the middle. Does your nonprofit have a plan for reaching the majority of your donors?…

Donors are inspired to give for intrinsically emotional reasons. Some give for public recognition, others from a need to make amends. Empathy, self-promotion, altruism and guilt are just a few of the many motivating emotions identified by the research-based Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy. Here are three insights to help you identify donor motivations prior to…

Whether your milestone is a birthday recognizing the organization’s founding, the day your nonprofit adopted a major program, or marks 100,000 people served, significant milestones create opportunities to build loyalty and strengthen relationships. When planning for your major milestone, remember there are three opportunities: It happened: Create a milestone logo for your website and social media…

In real estate, the dictum is, “Location. Location. Location.” In philanthropy, it is “Mission. Mission. Mission.” The origin of the word mission is “to be sent for a purpose.” Even when an organization’s mission statement sounds clear and to the point, it is easy to get off track and off mission. In fact, it is…

Directing the development of donor engagement is key to your organization’s philanthropic success. The director of development, in most cases, is responsible for the strategic and integrated management of relationships to increase understanding, involvement and financial support among an organization’s key constituents. The best way to maximize on these efforts is to take a team…

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” This well-known saying by Welsh poet Joseph Parry (1841-1903) has an important message for today’s fundraisers. New donors are great, but becoming familiar with your regular donors – even if their gifts aren’t large – can uncover good information which can be…

The most successful and satisfied fundraisers know what it means to care about and commit to something bigger than themselves, something that will outlive them. Yes, they draw a paycheck for their efforts, but at some point fundraisers chose this profession over countless others. For many, it is more of a calling than a career.…

Having an engaged board can generate tremendous success and better outcomes to help meet a nonprofit’s fundraising goals. Being intentional about board identification, training and participation may help bolster morale, improve retention and attract new members of affluence and influence. Just as important, being on some boards can be boring, but being part of an engaged board…

A year ago, the future scope of the pandemic was just coming into focus, and many nonprofit organizations were just starting to consider how this might impact their work, especially as it pertained to fundraising. Tough choices were being made about whether or not to move ahead with plans for major gift campaigns. Many of…

We know your nonprofit needs the money today, but what if you could get a much larger gift by offering donors the option to pledge their gifts over time? An effective strategy to grow your major gift donors, who often become your most loyal donors, is to recognize them for their total gift committed. “But…

Spring Clean the Donor Database Regular maintenance of donor data is a never-ending chore, but well worth the effort. The lost-opportunity costs of bad data is just too much to pay. On average, nearly a third of a nonprofit’s prospect and donor data becomes inaccurate annually due to address changes, job changes, new phone lines,…

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” The familiar opening of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities sounds strikingly like the challenges and choices fundraisers faced during COVID. “Is this the right time to begin a campaign, expand an existing campaign or try new strategies? Should we wait for…

Plan Ahead to Follow-Up With the holidays ahead and the New Year just around the corner, now is a great time to plan out how you will follow up on your year-end appeal. Have a donor-data system in place before responses begin to arrive. Create a hierarchy of follow-up action steps for various giving levels:…

Adjust Your Methods, not Your Principles Seasoned fundraisers understand and follow the principles of raising money: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and appreciation. This five-step process has long been the standard for successful fundraising. As you develop campaign strategies, the following are tips to keep in mind. Build strategies around all five principles Communication changes over…

The Value of a Grant Consultant: Past, Present and Future A grant consultant can help nonprofits manage their current grants, uncover grants from foundations that may have fallen off the radar and provide leads for the future. Present Foundations give grants to organizations they trust. In return, the foundation expects an organization to fulfill the…

Don’t Cancel Your Fundraising Event… Reimagine It As fall approaches, nonprofits are considering how they should handle the loss of fundraising income from an event that will be postponed or canceled. Before notifying donors of a cancellation, consider hosting a virtual event. They’re more cost effective, easier to manage, and nonprofits can engage with attendees…

The Four C’s of Making a Case Whether a nonprofit is a long-held treasure or a diamond in the rough, making a case for support demands the same attention to detail. Consider the four C’s of diamonds as you develop your case: Color Diamonds come in virtually every color. The most well known are transparent,…

Stop. Look. Listen. Fundraisers have faced new challenges with COVID-19, but with challenges come opportunities. The seriousness of what we have gone through together can give fundraisers fresh eyes, attuned empathy and more creativity. Let’s retain whatever insights we can to help donors achieve their goals of making a difference while helping nonprofits advance their…

How Are You Doing? In this new world in which we find ourselves – one with simultaneously more and fewer distractions – we have each other’s attention. We’re taking a little more time during phone calls and virtual meetings to check in with each other: “How are you doing?” How’s your family?” and “How’s the…

Leverage the Lull Research conducted at the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, “Exposing Worry’s Deceit: Percentage of Untrue Worries in Generalized Anxiety Disorder,” (Behavior Journal, 17 July 2019) found that, on average, 91.4% of worries among participants never happened. Many other studies support this line of research. Clearly, this does not diminish…

Vision is the Engine of Philanthropy Vision is perhaps the most powerful asset we have in appealing to donors. If your vision reflects a forward-moving, solutions-based approach, your cause can be supported and sustained. Nonprofit leaders and professional staff are responsible for creating, communicating and facilitating a strong vision for everyone associated with the organization…

Time Is the Most Valuable Commodity It has been said that you can know a person’s character by how they spend their time and money. Calendars and checkbooks tell a story. This holds true for philanthropy as well. Especially among fundraising professionals, it is important to allocate our time intentionally and appropriately. Here are some…

The Right Year to Raise More Money The beginning of the year is the perfect time to reflect, assess and look ahead. How will you improve your fundraising practices and raise more money this year? Use these tips to get the year started right: Start with the right outlook Fundraisers can make all the difference…

The Power of Philanthropy™ Kinetic is dedicated to helping nonprofits increase their philanthropic support. Our goal is to help organizations expand their missions, and we consider ourselves fortunate to work with thousands of volunteers, donors and nonprofits as, together, we unleash the Power of Philanthropy. Consider utilizing the following three strategies to unleash the Power…

Why Writing Is Important to Fundraising Author and blogger Pat Bertram (bertramsblog.com) was asked to speak on the topic: Why Is Writing Important? Particularly in this age of emails and texts, writing is essential to saying what we mean and being clearly understood. A key to communication In fundraising, writing is key to communicating with…

Mind Your Mission How well is your mission known and understood? Are your donors aware everything your nonprofit accomplishes?  How do you know if your answers to these questions are perceptions or reality? Without knowing for sure, you will have difficulty reaching your fullest fundraising potential. Here are tips on how to ask the right…

Well-Chosen Campaign Committees Are Essential for Success Campaign committees are critical for campaign success. If committees aren’t working well, the campaign will be at risk. Like trying to pilot a boat without pulling the anchor in, poorly functioning committees will weigh you down, hold you back and burn out your motor. Don’t wait to discover…

Making a Case for Endowment Conventional wisdom says it is harder to make a case for endowment than for capital. Therefore, some nonprofits are reticent to include endowment in their fundraising goals, because &quot… no one wants to give money to create or build an endowment.” But is it true that no one wants to…

End the Year with Appreciation One of the best forms of donor cultivation is showing appreciation; and one of the best times to show appreciation is at the end of the year when our thoughts naturally turn to thankfulness and giving. The best forms of appreciation are unique, creative and authentic. Here are some tips…

Cross the Finish Line There is no harder time in a campaign than the last six months – that time when you are striving to meet and exceed your goals and demonstrate that you have delivered on your promises. All this, while you are encouraging broad-based community support and media attention! While this can be…

Use Social Media to Grow Philanthropy In the last few years, social media usage has increased rapidly to more than 2.77 billion social media users worldwide. This number is estimated to increase to more than 3 billion by 2021. statista.com So why should this matter to your nonprofit? Individuals account for most charitable giving in…

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” Celia Thaxter, American author and poet (June, 1835 – August, 1894) The Dog Days of Summer The dog days of summer refer to the hottest season in the Northern Hemisphere. Named after the Dog Star, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog), it is…

The Art of Fundraising Imagine trying to reproduce Vincent van Gogh’s post-impressionist masterpiece, The Starry Night, with its bold colors, whirling clouds and shining stars. It would be a formidable task, if not impossible, even for a gifted artist. Now imagine trying to attempt this feat without a lot of experience. Intuitively, we know the…

Working with Your Grant Consultant for Campaign Success When working on a fundraising or capital campaign, don’t overlook the value that a grant consultant can provide – from identifying prospects to delivering a polished proposal to crafting reports on campaign progress. Identifying prospects Identifying prospects is the job of everyone working on the campaign, but…

Team. Work. Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. Henry Ford Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line. Toyota fine-tuned the methods of production. Today, companies use next-level variations of Lean Thinking (James Womack and Daniel Jones) to give customers the greatest value with the least amount of waste. Before…

The Art of the Apology Despite our best efforts, we all make mistakes. Of course, we want to make as few as possible, but there will be misunderstandings in fundraising. Especially when it comes to donor relationships, it is important to make things right – quickly and carefully. While there is no formula for the…

Regaining Campaign Momentum Slowed. Stalled. Stuck. These are dreaded words for any major gift campaign. All campaigns will have ebbs and flows, but when things start to stagnate, it’s easy to lose the motivation needed to push forward. Here are some tips to regain confidence, build momentum and finish well: Map out your plan It’s…

Smart fundraising ideas from Kinetic Fundraising Costs: Donor Acquisition vs. Renewal When considering the value of fundraising costs, it is wise to compare the cost of donor renewal to that of donor acquisition. Donor acquisition will often cost 10 to 20 times that of renewals. One of the biggest reasons securing new donors is so…

Smart fundraising ideas from Kinetic Increase Visibility with Press Releases When writing press releases, be as specific as possible. Media outlets will dig through press releases to develop their own articles, so you want to include interesting details and answer any questions readers may be asking themselves about your organization and its activities. A few…

Marketing Strategies to Support Your Fundraising The perfect time to refine and broadcast your organization’s message is prior to embarking on a campaign. Consider this: What do donors and the general public know about your organization? It may not be as much as you think, and what they do think may not be accurate. This…

Leadership Is the Greatest Predictor of Fundraising Success Fundraising success is not guaranteed. It is earned. The greatest predicator is not the age of the institution. It is not the size of the development department. The greatest predictor of fundraising success is leadership. Leaders move beyond the status quo and cast a bold vision. They…

Lessons of a Life Well Lived: A Tribute to Henry Bloch The passing of Kansas City entrepreneur and philanthropist Henry W. Bloch represents an inestimable loss. His humor, acumen and generosity were exemplary, and his work, Seven Lessons for Entrepreneurs, remains a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone eager to learn how to live one’s…

The Power of Philanthropy™ “Give your life to something that will outlive you.” I received this priceless piece of wisdom early in my career from professional Scouter and Independence Plan for Neighborhood Council Founder Dick Hettrick. His advice has grounded my fundraising philosophy for decades. “Most people waste their time pursuing things other people have…

Building a Donation Page That Generates a Great Return Is your organization’s website easy to navigate? Is there a giving link featured prominently on the home page? Hopefully, both are true. If not, start with the basics. Then, consider these next steps for leveraging your website to generate support for the mission: Does your donation…

Is Procrastination Hurting Your Fundraising? Benjamin Franklin said, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you should do today.” Of course, this is sound advice, and it is especially true when it comes to fundraising. You suspect there’s a problem. What are you waiting for? For example, have you noticed the same prospect names on your…

Leadership in Philanthropy In his best-selling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins underscored this lesson: “You need the right people in the right seats on the bus, and let them decide where to drive it.” Red Auerbach, long-time president of the Boston Celtics, said, “How you select people is more important than how you manage…

Scrub. Sort. Standardize. Have you ever made a call to a major donor who had spoken to the Executive Director about a gift the previous week? Have you ever sent out an annual appeal and had a significant number of letters returned in the mail? Have you ever called on a prospect, asked about the…

When is the Right Time for a Major Gift Campaign? In our work with thousands of nonprofits, one of the questions we are often asked is this: “How do you know when it’s the right time for a major gift campaign?” The simple answer is: “If the nonprofit needs money, it’s the right time to…

Time to Declutter Your Database It’s never too early to get your fundraising house in order for the year. As inspiration, consider the popular new show: Tidying Up With Marie Kondo where Kondo encourages people to remove anything that does not “spark joy” and rid their lives of clutter and the associated burdens. For nonprofits,…

Accentuate the Positive A popular song from 1944 shared this timeless advice: “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with mister in-between!” Sung by Bing Crosby in the ’40s, Perry Como in the ’50s, Ella Fitzgerald in ’60s, and with covers in every decade following, the message stands the test of time. For…

Major Gifts Are Transformational, not Transactional One of Kinetic’s fundraising tenets is: “No one wants to give money away, but donors do want to make a positive difference in the lives of others or in the life of their community.” A donor’s philanthropy is not a transaction that ends with the gift. It is a…

Overcoming Obstacles to Raising Major Gifts It is human nature to gravitate to those tasks where we feel skilled and confident and to avoid those which are more unfamiliar. So it is with many fundraisers and major gift fundraising. They can imagine raising many small gifts, but they have a harder time turning their attention…

Are You Building a Culture of Philanthropy? Professional fundraisers know where the buck stops. However, in order to raise the most money possible, every member of the staff should understand the role they play in growing philanthropy. The value and mindset of philanthropy needs to permeate the organization’s culture, beginning with gratitude. Having a culture…

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast There is a “predictable” randomness to moving a fundraising project from soup to nuts. Randomness… because issues pop up unexpectedly. Predictable… because they’re the same recurring issues. It’s just human nature. Here are three tips to reducing predictable randomness, which can be applied to all-things-project-management: Measure twice, cut once.…

Creating Versus Waiting for Opportunities Too many fundraisers wait for opportunity to knock at their door. They assume that if they are fulfilling their mission, donors will hear about the great work they are doing and will want to be supportive. That can happen, but most of the time we need to be the ones…

The Art of Administrating a Nationwide Campaign Creating and sustaining a philanthropic culture takes a lot of time and hard work. It takes even more deliberation and intentionality when a nonprofit’s prospective donors and campaign volunteers live in different states. Here are some tips on how to navigate this challenge successfully: Divide and conquer There…

Grow Philanthropy Before It Is Needed Nonprofit leaders and board members carry the responsibility for an organization’s financial oversight. In fact, financial support is an expectation of board membership, since foundations and prospective donors will often ask if a nonprofit has 100-percent board member funding participation: “If the leaders aren’t on board, why should others…

Fundraising Destination Fundamentals How is your organization doing? Do you know where you’re headed? How have you been charting your course? These are the questions you should be asking, early and often, in order to continue to reach your organization’s goals. The concept may be simple, but lack of follow-through has proven to be the…

The Future of Major Gifts and Estate Pledges is Now Heavy reliance on an annual fund or special events mires a nonprofit in an almost hopeless cycle of transactional donor doom. Instead, wake up and smell the benefits of a well-conceived major gifts and estate pledges program. Those who do will succeed well into the…

We All Have a Story to Tell Sharing a clear, consistent, and compelling message – your story – is the most fundamental and cost-effective way to deploy a successful fundraising strategy for your nonprofit. Here are some first steps for developing and sharing your story: Ask board members, clients, and donors what drives them to…

The Power of Thank You “Thank you.” These two little words can make or break a campaign. It can mean the difference between receiving a one-time-and-only gift or developing a deeper relationship with a donor who can leave a legacy gift of significance. Too often, a donor who supports a campaign for the first time…

Never Underestimate the Importance of Thanking Donors Everyone enjoys feeling appreciated, including donors. Effective fundraisers understand the importance of saying “thank you” and expressing sincere appreciation in a variety of ways. Seeing their gifts at work Donors feel a great sense of satisfaction when they see their dollars at work. Arrange for a donor to…

Courage It takes courageous leadership to advance your mission. Successful fundraising is about the mission, not simply about money. Your organization may have a worthy vision, but if you do not have the resources available to step out for those you serve, you will never advance your mission. Courage alone won’t raise money, but without…

Take Responsibility Impacting change through your nonprofit is a daunting task. There is so much to do, and so many lives are affected. Where do we start? As nonprofit staff or volunteer fundraisers, it is our responsibility to connect those who can make a difference with opportunities to do just that. Here are a few…

Lead in Fundraising: Outsource! The old adage is true: “You need to spend money to make money,” but how often do fundraisers find they don’t have the money necessary to get a fundraising task accomplished? How often do they come up short to pay for professional services or hire a new staff member who could…

Just Finished a Campaign? Time to Start Another! After wrapping up a campaign, the last thing many nonprofits want to think about is starting a new one. “We’re just so relieved to be finished. Why would we want to launch another campaign so soon?” Glad you asked. The following are three reasons why getting the…

You Might Be the Roadblock if… The first of the year is a time many fundraisers want to “get their shop in order.”  While you’re reviewing your processes, staff and final results from last year, you might be wondering why you didn’t raise as much money last year as you hoped. You have a great…

Help! My Appeal Letter Failed Year-end can be a very stressful time for a fundraiser. Especially, when many nonprofits are relying on the success of a fall direct response appeal, with a disappointing average success rate of two-percent participation. If your appeal has reached two-percent participation, congratulations! The tips below will help you surpass your…

Receiving, Giving, and Celebrating A valuable and timeless tenet of fundraising is: money follows mission. This is particularly true when we adhere to the principles of receiving, giving, and celebrating. Here are three tips for receiving, giving, and celebrating: Receiving We’ve all been taught or understood that it is better to give than to receive,…

Maximizing Board Resources in Your Development Plan One of the most common things board members say is that they do not feel comfortable asking for money. At the same time, one of the most common things organizations say is that their board is not a fundraising board. Both of these represent roadblocks to a nonprofit’s…

Hope for the Best, Plan for Contingencies Airline passengers hear the pre-flight safety briefing so often, it can become background noise along with the sound of engines and air vents. If we knew an emergency situation was on the horizon, we would listen up, but we are counting on everything going as planned. Fundraisers can…