In last week’s article, “Responding to Donor Objections,” I offered tips for handling some of the more common reasons people offer when they are not yet ready to give to your cause. This week, I would like you to consider some issues that are specific to your organization. The challenge … [Read more...]
Responding to Donor Objections
April 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Last week, I attended a capital campaign donor event for a client. After the presentation, when attendees were asked for input on the proposed project, one prospective major donor suggested an extreme change to the plan. That was closely followed by a flippant comment about how it would be hard to … [Read more...]
Two Different Campaigns – The Same Approach
November 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
There are two synagogues who are in early stages of a capital campaign. Synagogue A has a building built for 800 families with a membership of 400. Synagogue B has a building built for 400 families with a membership of 800. Yes, this is actually happening within twenty miles of each other. … [Read more...]
Capital Campaign-Consultant Quiz
November 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
If you are considering hiring us for a capital campaign, take the following quiz: Your organization decides to raise money for a new building. You understand development and help create a fundraising committee that agrees to meet once a week. You agree to co-chair the committee. At the … [Read more...]
Challenge: Campaign and Organizational Optimism
October 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Last week I gave reasons why “Keeping Optimistic During a Capital Campaign” is essential. This week, I challenge you to consider what aspects of your campaign, or organization, are exposing underlying negativity that needs to be countered before it becomes problematic for the organization … [Read more...]
Understanding How Much Money Your Campaign Can Raise
October 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Recently, I had an interesting meeting with someone who has been working on a new building campaign. I learned about the project in a big announcement a few months ago. In fact, the nonprofit has strategically planned for more than a year about how to get the entire community involved in a process … [Read more...]
Keeping Optimistic During a Capital Campaign
October 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
It has been suggested that David Mersky and I are the ultimate optimists. Maybe it is a firm value, maybe it is personal. The real questions are, “Is being an optimist necessary in a fundraising campaign?” And furthermore, "When the optimism wanes, can you still achieve your goals?" It goes … [Read more...]
The Effort You Put Into Your Nonprofit = The Amount You Get Out
September 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The same marketing conference that brought me Rand Fishkin (read Biases In Nonprofit Development and Fundraising if you don’t know what I am talking about) also had Gary Vaynerchuk as a keynote speaker. Gary V., as he is known (he can be found @garyvee or http://garyvaynerchuk.com/), is an … [Read more...]
Lessons From a Feasibility Study: A Mini Case Study
July 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Last summer, I helped conduct a feasibility study for a nonprofit. The study was geared toward understanding whether this community was willing to invest in a new building, programmatic improvements and a much needed endowment fund. We presented the results and the answers were mixed. The … [Read more...]
Does Your Nonprofit Need A Feasibility Study?
July 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Whether or not a nonprofit needs a feasibility study prior to a capital or endowment campaign is often a topic of discussion. I have heard both schools of thought and I will try to outline both sides for you. Pro (Assuming you use a reliable consultant, like MJA, to perform the study): A … [Read more...]