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.

Schools improve donations by focusing on their most generous donors, part 2

Schools improve donations by focusing on their most generous donors, part 2

Read Part 1 here

Most schools find that building strong relationships with parents, alumni, and the close relatives of students and alumni, is an excellent way to increase donor loyalty and donations.

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Schools improve donations by focusing on their most generous donors, part 1

Schools improve donations by focusing on their most generous donors, part 1

Read Part 2 here

When schools focus their donor cultivation on parents, alumni, and the close relatives of students and alumni, they are likely to see a very positive return. Knowing this has led to increased donations for several schools who are FundRaiser users. They know for a fact that these groups are their most generous because they clearly identified this trend in FundRaiser. Using these same techniques to identify common giving trends, your school – or other non profit— can clarify which of your constituent groups are most supportive.

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Getting over the fear of asking for money

Getting over the fear of asking for money

Some interesting facts about asking for money:

few people give money unless they are askednearly everyone feels good when they give moneylower income people dig deeper and give a higher percentage of their income than high income peoplewhen you ask people you know for a contribution, at least half of them will say yes

Are you still nervous thinking about how you 'should' ask for money, but think you can't?

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Finding Foundation Funding

Finding Foundation Funding

Dear Kim:

How does a really good organization get foundation funding?  I know from your books that you don’t recommend relying on grants, but it seems like they are a help for getting programs off the ground.  I have used the Foundation Center’s database, which is great, and I have identified potential grantmakers, followed instructions, but so far have nothing to show for it.  I took an online course on grant writing and, I hope without sounding arrogant, I feel I know how to write a grant.  But it seems like you need to really know somebody to get grant money.  Can you share any secrets? 

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Useful Donor Information

Useful Donor Information

Dear Kim,

We have 500 donors, of whom 50 give over $1,000 and another 50 give between $500-999. We do a decent job of keeping in touch with these 100 donors, usually talking to them by phone or visiting the top 20 largest donors at least once a year. I keep all the information on these donors and I am retiring, so cleaning out my files and getting ready to pass this information on to the next person. I have pages of stuff on some people, and almost nothing on others. But what should I have? And what should I delete?

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3 Nonprofit Marketing Skills I Learned from Aunt Frances

3 Nonprofit Marketing Skills I Learned from Aunt Frances

Some of you may remember my stories about my wondrous Great Aunt Frances. We grew into close friends over the years I lived a few blocks from her in NYC.

Aunt Frances was fantastic—a warm, loving, down-to-earth lady who’d had many life adventures and was a fantastic cook.

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

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