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Your Biggest Fundraising Mistake Might Happen Before Christmas!
Year-end fundraising strategy for nonprofits starts long before December. Ben Cooley, CEO of Maxwell & Marie, joins this Global Edition to explain how nonprofits can turn the holiday giving season into a carefully planned revenue opportunity, not a last-minute fundraising scramble. Ben's message is wonderfully direct: “Your resources are in your relationships.” That means successful fundraising can't depend only on an email blast sent when December arrives. The planning begins with a business question: What exactly are you raising money for? Finance, operations and program teams need to establish the target and purpose before the creative team develops the story and campaign. The conversation then moves into communication strategy—direct mail, email, text messages, personal calls, small donor gatherings and social media. Ben also urges nonprofits to design their stewardship workflow before the donations arrive: “Plan your thanking strategy.” And there's a significant timing issue. Ben cites a figure that 64% of online donations are made in the final two weeks of December, reinforcing why nonprofits need their campaigns ready well before donors reach peak giving mode. For organizations looking for a benchmark, he suggests one possible target of approximately 10–15% of the operating budget, connected to a clear program objective. . . . . . . . . .
Nonprofit Leadership: Creating Space for Better Thinking
Nonprofit leadership decision making can suffer when speed, productivity, email, technology, and constant activity leave little room for strategic thought. Evermay founding CEO Kate Goodall joins us to explore a counterintuitive leadership idea: sometimes the smartest way forward is to slow down. Evermay is creating what Goodall calls an “embassy for the future” in historic Georgetown, a place designed to give thinkers time, physical space, . . . . . . . . .
From 12 Leaders to 500 Members: An Association Growth Strategy
What if the best nonprofit association growth strategy is to stop obsessing over growth? . . . . . . . . .
Your Accountant May Be Holding You Back!
When should a nonprofit change its accounting partner? Accurate books matter. Timely financial statements . . . . . . . . .
Before Buying Nonprofit Software: 5 Questions to Ask
Considering new nonprofit software? Before signing a contract, scheduling implementation, or sitting through another . . . . . . . . .
5 Questions Nonprofit Leaders Should Ask Their Finance Team
What questions should nonprofit leaders ask their finance team? Barbara Enright, Director and Market . . . . . . . . .
