Is being loved by your donors a good thing? Are you dancing around the true work of a development office? Feel free to get to know your donors well, get close to them, even dance if appropriate, but don’t forget that your main job is to ask for substantial support.

Take advantage of Betsy Steward’s expertise and enjoy three short instructional videos: How to Write Thank You Notes to Major Donors, How to Email Major Donors, and How to Write Proposal Letters.

Soliciting a gift is a performance, isn’t it? Why not prepare the way a performer does? Pragmatic suggestions from this opera-singer-turned-major-gift-fundraiser will help you be your best self at a solicitation meeting.

We’ve all done something – given in just enough – to get someone to stop doing something – to stop “bugging us” about something and go away. Perhaps it’s the dog begging for human food – you might toss fido just a bit, to get him to go away. Or your child begs for another hour on the swings – you might give her 10 more minutes, just to stop the badgering. And you might give a “go-away gift.” A gift that is just enough to get the solicitor to go away. That is a transactional gift.

Sometimes, humor and candy can make all the difference in motivating your colleagues and changing the culture of your nonprofit. Read on to see how we used it to inspire conversations about planned gifts.

What are nonprofit leaders thinking? How have the last 6 months of the coronavirus pandemic impacted their work and perspectives? In this blog post, 3 nonprofit leaders - a Development Director, an Executive Director & a Director of Philanthropy - are brought together to look back at what they wished they’d known, and what they look forward to learning.

Who would think there are lessons from a career in opera that apply to fundraising? Both take courage, perseverance and joy. In this article by a retired-opera-singer-turned-fundraiser, you can learn about the parallels and add a valuable perspective to your fundraising.

A great case for support can keep your campaign on track even in tough times. With these tips, your campaign's VIBE will stay strong.

I’ve spent the last two decades as a professional fundraiser and fundraising consultant, and during these years I’ve tried out many different methods of getting in to see a prospective donor in person (the gold standard for fundraising prospect visits). I’ve cold called, cold emailed, sent letters, used LinkedIn, you name it.

Research shows that a handwritten thank-you note sent immediately after you receive a gift helps ensure a repeated—and often increased—gift. We live in a time when everything is automated: you buy something online and immediately you get an email saying how important your business is… yeah, yeah, yeah.