FundRaiser Blog

The FundRaiser Software Blog is an excellent resource for nonprofit organizations looking to learn more about fundraising, donor management, membership management, and much more.

What's in a blog?

 

Many of you may know that the training office at FundRaiser Software is detached from the main business office which is in West Plains, Missouri.  Our training office is in Arizona, originally in Tucson, but now in the smaller-than-West-Plains town of Oracle.  Having this separation can be a challenge, as it tends to make communications both less frequent and more crucial to achieving our common goals, and it tends to lead to a sense of disconnection from the company.
In a meeting today, it hit home that, as the training manager, I need to have a better sense of "connection" to our users; to be more accessible; and to bring more of the finer points of using FundRaiser software to the table than can be presented in a classroom (read: webinar) setting.  As a part of the solution to that challenge, I'm turning to "blogging" to be able to present ideas, hints, tips, tricks, and answers to questions from you, our users.
As I become more familiar with this venue, video "snippits" will appear from time to time, to reinforce the written explanations.  Occasionally a link to another organization may appear (with their permission, of course) so that users who wish to do so can become more familiar with other non-profits using the software.  I would also hope that you folks will offer feedback on what you see here, to keep me informed about your primary concerns with using the software, etc.
My mini-bio:  Born in 1946, reared in Ohio, Navy Sonar Technician, married/divorced/remarried (about to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary), myriad occupations along the way, including (but no limited to, heh heh) in no particular order:  truck driver, insurance salesman, Harley mechanic (certified), corporate trust clerk, on-air radio personality, musician, computer tech, programmer, software salesman, trainer.
In every position I've held, there were certain tools of the trade, some quite physical in nature, others psychological, but each tool had its place.  I'm hoping to show you, over time, the nature of the tools in FundRaiser software, because, when it comes right down to it, FundRaiser is just a tool, and the key to success in using it is learning how it works.  And it helps to work within the design of the tool, rather than trying to "bend" the tool to the task at hand.  Hammering with a pipe wrench is not good for the pipe wrench at the least, and fixing the resulting mess can be more time-consuming and costly that having found a hammer in the first place!!
So I may be using a lot of tool metaphors, and phrasing things in non-fundraiser oriented terms, but that's because, when it comes down to it, I'm no fund raiser.  That's your job.  To help teach you how to use your tools, how to clean them, store them, and keep them from becoming lost, is my job.
Thanks.
Larry Weaver, Training Manager
FundRaiser Software
http://www.fundraisersoftware.com
800-880-2997 Training (direct)
Need Help with FundRaiser?? 800-543-4131 Tech Support

Many of you may know that the training office at FundRaiser Software is detached from the main business office which is in West Plains, Missouri.  Our training office is in Arizona, originally in Tucson, but now in the smaller-than-West-Plains town of Oracle.  Having this separation can be a challenge, as it tends to make communications both less frequent and more crucial to achieving our common goals, and it tends to lead to a sense of disconnection from the company.

In a meeting today, it hit home that, as the training manager, I need to have a better sense of "connection" to our users; to be more accessible; and to bring more of the finer points of using FundRaiser software to the table than can be presented in a classroom (read: webinar) setting.  As a part of the solution to that challenge, I'm turning to "blogging" to be able to present ideas, hints, tips, tricks, and answers to questions from you, our users.

As I become more familiar with this venue, video "snippits" will appear from time to time, to reinforce the written explanations.  Occasionally a link to another organization may appear (with their permission, of course) so that users who wish to do so can become more familiar with other non-profits using the software.  I would also hope that you folks will offer feedback on what you see here, to keep me informed about your primary concerns with using the software, etc.

My mini-bio:  Born in 1946, reared in Ohio, Navy Sonar Technician, married/divorced/remarried (about to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary), myriad occupations along the way, including (but no limited to, heh heh) in no particular order:  truck driver, insurance salesman, Harley mechanic (certified), corporate trust clerk, on-air radio personality, musician, computer tech, programmer, software salesman, trainer.  

In every position I've held, there were certain tools of the trade, some quite physical in nature, others psychological, but each tool had its place.  I'm hoping to show you, over time, the nature of the tools in FundRaiser software, because, when it comes right down to it, FundRaiser is just a tool, and the key to success in using it is learning how it works.  And it helps to work within the design of the tool, rather than trying to "bend" the tool to the task at hand.  Hammering with a pipe wrench is not good for the pipe wrench at the least, and fixing the resulting mess can be more time-consuming and costly that having found a hammer in the first place!!

So I may be using a lot of tool metaphors, and phrasing things in non-fundraiser oriented terms, but that's because, when it comes down to it, I'm no fund raiser.  That's your job.  To help teach you how to use your tools, how to clean them, store them, and keep them from becoming lost, is my job.

Thanks.

Larry Weaver, Training Manager 

FundRaiser Software 

http://www.fundraisersoftware.com 

800-880-2997 Training (direct)

Need Help with FundRaiser?? 800-543-4131 Tech Support 

 

 


 

Case Study: Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine
What's in a blog?
Wait a minute, while we are rendering the calendar
updates donor attrition rate vacation Facebook campaign campaign management letter templates animal rescue data conversion community broadcasting arts phoning donors merge fields annual campaign pledges follow up welcome packet appeal case study government grants donor slip premiums Excel Reminders PayPal large donations grants understanding giving trends tribute gifts Snow Birds gift acceptance policy Groupings giving levels In-Kind gifts increasing giving amounts volunteers FundRaiser Hosted personalizing letters LYBUNTS Donor Portal training Reporting to IRS targeted mailings Thanksgiving customer service letter board members donor attrition Cloud Importing Data data analysis Crowdfunding Campaign donation history importing csv legacy giving Personalizing add ons holiday letters major donors banquet Codes look and feel how to handle auction gifts #GivingTuesday annual maintenance plan moves management monthly giving repeat donors solicitors spreadsheets operational costs donor donor loyalty new leadership National Change of Address new donors GoFundMe project gift entry memorial giving donor engagement online donations membersip benefits accounting software FundRaiser Spark donor recognition how-to videos customer portal anonymous donors holiday general Alternative Addresses prospects building donor relationships reports donor retention rate flash sales role of nonprofits donor prospects donor preferences salutation texting donors custom page change of address updating passwords transparency Constant Contact development director mailing giving history security features training tip Task List New Year correspondence Congratulations new features fundraising appeal letters relationship tracking pictures corporate sponsors disaster relief community supported gardens lapsed donor SYBUNTS correspondance announcements social media tech tip Facebook membership benefits merge notes happiness advanced tab entering auction gifts office tax summary letters Network for Good mode code communications raffle donor profile ticketsales operating systems Resiliency small donations Company culture FundRaiser Basic support auction foundations adding personal notes to letters mission driven email motivation code major gift prospects new nonprofit word processor password protection user spotlights new version alumni upgrading donors donor targeting GivingTuesday publicity materials charity golf tournaments community arts nonprofits planning upgrade the Ask donor relations membership programs donor retention segmenting donors NCOA processing spare fields Thank You direct mail in honor of donations End of Year Letters overview fundraising letters technical support recurring gifts on site training planned giving Tickles online donations gift notes field motivation data entry Volunteer module budget volunteering ticket sales product news nonprofit fundraising holiday giving endowment campaign capital campaign brick campaign user interface campaign backing up data event management donor source ROI thank you letters grassroots campaign donor contact information donor advised funds

Connect With Us

  800-880-3454 ext 3
  Email Us
  Request More Information
  Monday-Friday
      8:30AM-5:30PM CST

Customer Portal Login Form

User Name:
Password:

If you are not sure about your Customer User Name, please call 800-543-4131 and we will be able to help you.

Or you have lost your password, Request Password