[Strategies for Success - Smart fundraising ideas from Kinetic]

Creating Versus Waiting for Opportunities

imageToo 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 knocking on opportunity’s door. Here are a few tips for pro-active fundraising:

What’s worked in the past?
Make a realistic assessment of your nonprofit’s donor outreach plan. How did your organization’s current major donors become connected? What strategies have been effective and what others have just taken up time and money, but not yielded commensurate returns on the investment?

Have we lost donors and, if so, why?
Are there donors who have given regular gifts or large gifts in the past, who have not given this year? Do you know why? Get a list together, go out and reconnect with lost prospects. Keep your eyes and ears open to learn what happened and then a develop a plan to keep it from ever happening again.

Are you actively cultivating donors now for next year’s gifts?
Keep your donor relationships up to date. Do you know their personal priorities? Do they feel heard and valued? What is that they want? Do you know how the organization can address their desire to make a difference in the world?

As we approach the end of the year, take time to assess what’s worked, reach out to lost donors and invest your time and attention in the ones you have. Don’t wait for fundraising opportunities … make them.

Jason Wood, Senior Vice President, jwood@kineticfundraising.com

logoJoin Us on the Growing Philanthropy Tour

Next stops on the road to achieving Kinetic’s mission of growing philanthropy by 25 percent in the next 20 years:

Basel, Switzerland
October 16-18, 2018
University of Basel
8th Bernoulli Lecture for the Behavioral Sciences
John List

Kansas City
November 14, 2018
2018 KC National Philanthropy Day
Starlight Theatre
Lead Sponsor: Hartsook

Grapevine, Tex.
February 1, 2019
IGNITE 2019: Conference
Sustainable Fundraising
Karin Cox

London
February 7-8, 2019
LSE Annual Behavioural Public Policy Lecture
Grantham Centre
John List

Past Stops on the Tour

Resources for Smart Fundraising Available on Kindle

Keep up to date on the latest fundraising trends with the Kindle ASR Media collection:

  • Fundraising Leadership – The definitive source for empowering board members to become pro-active fundraising leaders by Karin L. Cox
  • Performance-Driven Fundraising – Handy, yet entertaining reference tool for new and seasoned fundraisers by Matthew J. Beem

On the Web

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Visit the Kinetic website for:
– Educational opportunities
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Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with thousands of fundraising professionals. We welcome your best practices contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success editor Karin Cox, kcox@kineticfundraising.com. If you’d like a free subscription to Strategies for Success or its monthly companion, Philanthropy Success, contact info@kineticfundraising.com.