Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a development director who wants advice on how to enact board term limits:   Dear Charity Clairity, We don’t have term limits for our board and, as the development director, I think this is becoming a problem. Everyone is tired, they’ve given us all their contacts already and no one wants to try anything new. People seem leery of making any changes, and I’m not quite sure why. Are ther ..read more

What comes to mind when you hear “lapsed donors”? Do you feel embarrassed because it’s been a while since you last communicated with them? Maybe you’ve tried numerous ‘win back’ campaigns that failed to convert them, and you’re wondering whether you should just delete them from your database. Don’t do it! A massive generational shift in giving is happening right now with donors aged 60 and older. The great wealth transfer is officially here. Older Americans—Baby Boomers—have massive wealth, and trillions of dollars will be passed down as members of this generation pass away. Making a legacy gi ..read more

The fundraising landscape is changing, and to keep up, we need to adapt our strategies. One way to do that? Embrace new donation payment methods like QR codes and Tap to Pay, which are bridging the gap with younger donors in incredible ways. Let’s take a look at how these new methods are revolutionizing donor engagement. Younger donors are all about convenience, and they’re not shy about using new tech to support their favorite causes. Using Tap to Pay and QR codes, nonprofits can craft seamless, interactive donation experiences that captivate younger donors and make giving easier than ever. A ..read more

Building the nonprofit board of your dreams is a deliberate process that can significantly benefit from the wisdom of Peter Drucker, often heralded as the father of modern management. His extensive work on effective leadership and organizational success offers valuable lessons for structuring boards that not only meet but surpass organizational goals. Building the nonprofit board of your dreams is a team effort. It involves everyone in the organization, from the CEO and the board’s executive committee to every staff member and volunteer. The goal is not to create a board that reflects just one ..read more

In the realm of nonprofit organizations, effective data management is essential for optimizing resources, enhancing donor relations, and achieving mission-driven goals. However, many nonprofits grapple with the challenges of managing data efficiently due to limited resources, disparate data sources, and manual processes. At our nonprofit firm, we have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform our data management practices, enabling us to make data-driven decisions, enhance donor engagement, and improve operational effectiveness. In this article, we will explore why you s ..read more

Is your organization feeling the changes in our economy, society, and communities? Are you a leader feeling the pressure to meet these challenges? Fortunately, data can help you make good decisions during uncertain times.   Living in uncertain times Recent events have led to uncertainty in today’s world. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to pivot to survive. Suddenly, there was no clear path forward, and we did not know if things would return to normal. We still face uncertainty today, given inflation, rising costs, high employee turnover, and political unrest. Do y ..read more

As a nonprofit event planner, you know that any successful event needs a clear blueprint, volunteer and staff support, and strong attendee engagement. Event management software for nonprofits brings all planning elements together in one place, streamlining your preparation and saving your team time and stress.  Research shows that over 85% of event planners use event management software to bring their events to life. But the key to smashing event success is finding the right tools that suit your nonprofit’s needs. This guide offers advice on how to approach the event software research pro ..read more

Every profession likes to claim ethics are essential to its success. But you can make an especially robust case that this is indeed the case in fundraising. What does it take to be successful in fundraising? Strengths like persuasion, problem solving, and persistence come to mind quickly. But integrity is squarely at the top. Fundraising is a profession directed at nurturing friendships that culminate in gifts of time, talent, and treasure. There’s no way this is possible without earning and maintaining trust. I love the expression that fundraising occurs at the speed of trust. Fundraising eth ..read more

The other day I spoke with a major gift fundraiser who had quit her job with a large health care facility. Why? She couldn’t stand the focus on metrics as the reference point against which her work was evaluated. Everything was about numbers and, for her, this prevented her from focusing on truly building relationships with the donors to whom she was assigned. I understood her perspective and immediately shared with her this similar take from another professional fundraising expert. Numbers and measurements have their place, but there is an administrative function to them. They are about order ..read more

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on when it makes sense to celebrate a nonprofit anniversary:   Dear Charity Clairity, We have a 75th anniversary coming up, and I really think we should do something to celebrate this milestone. But, I can’t get the board to really support this with much enthusiasm. In fact, they gave more over the past several years than they seem willing to commi ..read more