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.

Custom Labels Do-able

Just today I received an email wondering if it is possible to create custom labels in FundRaiser. The organization is member-based and they wanted to be able to make their own name tags with particular information from the database displayed.

Here was my response, and it may be helpful for you, too:

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Case Study: Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine

Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine came to FundRaiser looking for a more powerful software to help with their fund raising. They were using an outdated version of software which they acquired through the nationwide Habitat for Humanity umbrella organization. Now they were finding that software too limiting. In their work, Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine coordinates the labor of volunteers with contributions of money and materials to build modest, affordable housing. For that reason, excellent tracking of volunteers and gifts of money and goods are crucial to their mission. They needed to be able to easily enter, categorize, and report on these key areas. Read more...

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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.

Continue reading
3034 Hits

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.

Continue reading
4179 Hits

Training videos all available through customer portal

You can now view all of the training videos at any time, if you are a FundRaiser user with current support. Just log into the Customer Portal and click on the Training Video tab. There you will see links to:

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Case Study: Gilda's Club of Western Pennsylvania

Gilda's Club of Western Pennsylvania has multiple events running concurrently every year to support the variety of services they offer. The organization provides a meeting place and activities for people affected directly and indirectly by cancer. Debra Markovich, Executive Assistant at Gilda's Club of Western Pennsylvania uses FundRaiser Professional on a daily basis. To help keep event information well organized and easy to access, Debra finds the Campaign Management module particularly helpful. "I use it a lot. It really works well," she says."Last year we had two big campaigns going on all year. One was a mortgage reduction campaign, and the other was an annual fundraising campaign....  click here to read the full story

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Case Study: Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home

Undertaking a 'full-throttle' development program can have its dangers, especially when it involves implementing new software. Ward Orem, CEO of the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home, has seen organizations go down because they became tangled in their own technology. For that reason, when he recognized the need for software to support the Home's new development efforts, he took some important precautionary measures. "I want to make sure that the Home is here in the future," says Ward. "Up until 5 years ago, we didn't have an aggressive development program. Our work was supported by an endowment but not a huge one. Whatever modest development efforts we made were scribbled on notes and kept in a binder"...  click here to read full story

3360 Hits

ROI: showing that what you do is effective

This week I was reminded how important it is not to just do a good job but to be able to SHOW that you have and can do a good job. Calculating ROI (Return On Investment) on fundraising activities such as events or appeals is one way to do this.

Judy Nerl has done this with some of  Our Lady of the Holy Spirit's outreach activities. She gathered figures to show which activities were generating more income. In this she needed to know the balance between incoming donations and outgoing expenses. The organization runs a large and historically rich facility on a tight budget. The facility serves as a spiritual center for the Catholic Church. Among the Center’s many activities this year, are events and retreats for high schools students.

Continue reading
950 Hits

ROI: showing that what you do is effective

This week I was reminded how important it is not to just do a good job but to be able to SHOW that you have and can do a good job. Calculating ROI (Return On Investment) on fundraising activities such as events or appeals is one way to do this.

Judy Nerl has done this with some of  Our Lady of the Holy Spirit's outreach activities. She gathered figures to show which activities were generating more income. In this she needed to know the balance between incoming donations and outgoing expenses. The organization runs a large and historically rich facility on a tight budget. The facility serves as a spiritual center for the Catholic Church. Among the Center’s many activities this year, are events and retreats for high schools students.

Continue reading
3263 Hits

ROI: showing that what you do is effective

This week I was reminded how important it is not to just do a good job but to be able to SHOW that you have and can do a good job. Calculating ROI (Return On Investment) on fundraising activities such as events or appeals is one way to do this.

Judy Nerl has done this with some of  Our Lady of the Holy Spirit's outreach activities. She gathered figures to show which activities were generating more income. In this she needed to know the balance between incoming donations and outgoing expenses. The organization runs a large and historically rich facility on a tight budget. The facility serves as a spiritual center for the Catholic Church. Among the Center’s many activities this year, are events and retreats for high schools students.

Continue reading
3277 Hits

From the Developer: What is FundRaiser Online

FundRaiser Online works exactly like the current version of FundRaiser installed on your computer. The difference is that you can run it from anywhere that you have internet access:  home, office, library, hotel room.... you name it. You can let board members or other people have access to it, and you can limit what they can do and what they can see in the program, just like with the regular version of FundRaiser. Read more...

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Become a beta tester for FundRaiser Donor Portal - Volunteer Features

The Volunteer features of the Donor Portal integrate volunteering scheduling features on your website with your desktop version of FundRaiser.  If you are a current FundRaiser user and are interested in being a beta tester for Volunteer features of the Donor Portal, let us know. Beta testing is starting  soon. Now is your chance to give input into development as well as test and use the new features. Contact Autumn Shirley at 800-880-3454 ext 302

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Granita Recipe

Learn More about Professional
Download Professional


Lemon-Mint Granita

Adapted  from Smitten Kitchen

What could possibly be more refreshing on a hot Summer day then an icy granita? This is a wonderful recipe to make with the kids (or, why not have them do it while you sit by the pool), and there is also a fabulous adult version. Both are wonderful!

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

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