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.

Board Member Paying Staff Member Extra

Ananias

Dear Kim,  

I chair the board of a small religious organization.  Each employee has to raise a certain amount toward their salary and this amount is set by the board, as are the salaries. Recently it came to my attention that one employee is receiving additional support from a board member who provides a designated gift for that individual’s support. I was caught off guard to find that this individual is making more money than we knew and that a particular board member is providing it.  This seems like money laundering to me. The board member is making a financial gift to a family, and running it through the non-profit so that it can be tax deductible. Is there an IRS rule, or a piece of governance that would prevent this sort of thing from happening? 

Continue reading
2456 Hits

When Should a Non-Profit Organization Hire its First Development Director? Part 2

When Should a Non-Profit Organization  Hire its First Development Director? Part 2

 

So, how do you know from within an organization when and if you should hire a development director? The answer is simple, and it starts with knowing the costs of running the organization as it carries out its mission as set out in the its long-range strategic plan. It continues with the development of a fund-raising plan.

Continue reading
4140 Hits

When Should a Non-Profit Organization Hire its First Development Director? Part 1

When Should a Non-Profit Organization  Hire its First Development Director? Part 1
 

The short answer is sooner rather than later! If a non-profit organization is beginning to ask whether it needs a professional development director, it probably should have hired one months, even years ago.

The biggest mistake non-profits make in hiring their first development director is waiting until the board, executive director, and other key personnel have arrived at a consensus that one is needed NOW. An organization that waits until it is necessary to hire a development director has waited too long.

Continue reading
4093 Hits

Know Your Organization, part 1

Know Your Organization, part 1

You start the process of becoming a fund-raiser for an organization when you first become involved with the organization. That’s when you begin to acquire knowledge about an organization, and acquisition of knowledge is the first step in preparing to raise money. To sell any product, it is important to know just what the product is and what it does. It makes no difference whether you are a waitress explaining the intricacies of the specials of the day, a computer salesperson pitching the new improved model, or a solicitor in a fund-raising campaign.

If you are the person running a campaign, you must make sure your solicitors have access to information about what the organization is, what it does, and why money is needed in the furtherance of what goals. If you are the person asking for the money, think about how you would go about making your request without that information. Yes, you will on occasion find people who will give because you ask rather than give to the cause, but that is the exception and –this can’t be said often enough—you cannot rely on the exception to support your organization.

Continue reading
4282 Hits

Asking for the Money: "If you don't ask, you don't get" -- Part 1 Preparing for the ASK

Asking for the Money: "If you don't ask, you don't get" -- Part 1 Preparing for the ASK

Generally, the first step in asking prospects to make a donation is to send them a letter. This is true no matter the type of campaign or potential size of gift. In the small-gifts division of an annual campaign the letter may be the only step, although I would recommend having it followed up by a telephone call, if at all possible. Even in door-to-door solicitations, a letter should be sent first announcing the date of, reason for, and, in most cases, the suggested amount of the request. In the case of larger gifts, the letter announces that a solicitor will be calling for an appointment. We refer to this kind of letter as the proposal letter because it proposes that the prospect become a donor to an organization.

Proposal letters are usually signed either by the solicitor or by the campaign chair. In the case of the latter, the status and power of the chair are lent to what is essentially a request of the prospect to meet with a solicitor. If signed by the chair, you can also be sure the letters all went out by a specific time. This also forces solicitors to act by the time the letter says they will be calling for an appointment. However, not every solicitor will be able to make the initial calls in the same time frame. One or more solicitors may be out of town when the letter hits. Consequently, there is less likelihood of being in error as to when solicitors will be calling if the timing of proposal letters is left in the hands of the solicitors.

Continue reading
8112 Hits

Accepting 'No' & Moving On

Accepting 'No' & Moving On

Dear Kim,

I am the executive director of a small environmental justice organization focused on organizing a community to stand up to a large and highly polluting CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation.) We have recently had some victories but need to keep pushing. One of our board members comes from quite a wealthy family and he has been very generous himself plus raised a lot of money from family and friends. But recently we needed an extra $10,000 very quickly so I went to him and he said he couldn’t give anything right now. I didn’t say anything but I was really upset. The man has more money than all of us put together! I need to get him to change his mind. How can I do that?

Continue reading
4530 Hits

Changing from Membership to Non-Member Organization

Changing from Membership to Non-Member Organization

Dear Kim,

I am the director of a membership nonprofit and our board is thinking about changing us to a non-member organization to help us refocus our efforts to serve our clientele, clean up organizationally and become more streamlined and efficient. Would this be a mistake and how tough is it to do this? What is the real question we should be asking ourselves to help determine whether we should be a non-member or member nonprofit? —Members Only

Continue reading
36570 Hits
Wait a minute, while we are rendering the calendar
donor source flash sales giving history moves management letter general email GoFundMe project letter templates mode code Facebook campaign Importing Data word processor publicity materials product news grassroots campaign repeat donors community supported gardens volunteers segmenting donors Groupings Codes charity golf tournaments arts tribute gifts Task List security passwords new features monthly giving brick campaign Volunteer module LYBUNTS community arts nonprofits Alternative Addresses donor advised funds data conversion annual campaign correspondance entering auction gifts appeal spreadsheets small donations planning donor loyalty Constant Contact increasing giving amounts role of nonprofits motivation donor targeting merge notes Excel donation history National Change of Address PayPal holiday giving donor preferences features merge fields online donations reports data analysis anonymous donors in honor of donations donor contact information mailing FundRaiser Basic on site training FundRaiser Hosted Tickles new nonprofit lapsed donor Donor Portal the Ask technical support tech tip membership programs disaster relief adding personal notes to letters memorial giving grants SYBUNTS support overview communications customer portal data entry nonprofit fundraising personalizing letters gift notes field development director raffle building donor relationships campaign management pictures major gift prospects In-Kind gifts texting donors understanding giving trends FundRaiser Spark training importing csv ticket sales correspondence corporate sponsors ticketsales custom page customer service giving levels pledges vacation holiday Personalizing membersip benefits budget animal rescue Snow Birds recurring gifts donor prospects social media operating systems salutation phoning donors relationship tracking Congratulations foundations updates alumni NCOA processing #GivingTuesday donor retention Thank You Reminders donor engagement Resiliency planned giving follow up Crowdfunding Campaign solicitors mission driven donor retention rate how-to videos accounting software transparency tax summary letters holiday letters upgrade volunteering add ons direct mail donor slip announcements Network for Good Cloud End of Year Letters new donors prospects donor operational costs event management campaign donor profile gift acceptance policy donor relations endowment campaign appeal letters board members community broadcasting ROI GivingTuesday banquet new version motivation code fundraising letters large donations online donations donor recognition Company culture New Year membership benefits Thanksgiving advanced tab fundraising user interface Facebook gift entry Reporting to IRS thank you letters donor attrition legacy giving donor attrition rate new leadership user spotlights case study annual maintenance plan government grants office how to handle auction gifts backing up data look and feel happiness password protection change of address updating capital campaign upgrading donors training tip welcome packet major donors spare fields auction targeted mailings premiums

Connect With Us

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

Customer Portal Login Form

   

The customer portal is unavailable. If you need support please reach out to support@fundraisersoftware.com Thank you.

 

  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