Yes I know it’s a tired and aggravating, and frankly ugly subject. No matter how much we hope it doesn’t come up in conversation, somebody inevitably voices their unshakeable belief that charities should spend as little as possible on overhead. Such was the occurrence while I chatted with a friend over a glass of wine last week. With the warmer weather approaching, we were discussing the merits of different summer camps our children attended. When I mentioned the name of a well-known camp for kids with special needs, my friend instantly labelled them as one of those organizations “that spends ..read more

It’s easy to understand that not everyone feels comfortable asking others for donations. Yet some are equally bashful about extending gratitude to donors on behalf of an organization. Expressing thanks to the generous people who support our cause is the most fundamental component of a charity’s relationship with its donors. Failing to do so in a timely and regular manner can destroy a long-standing relationship in an instant. Thus, what should a charity do if some of the individuals they expect will play a role in dishing out gratitude to supporters are apprehensive or intimidated by the task ..read more

Sorry it has been a while since we shared our last “FUNDRAISING DOs & DON’Ts” post. So we felt it may be appropriate to reintroduce this feature with a quick and easy message for you. The focus of today’s installation revolves around the relative importance of a pair of metrics that we tend to monitor when executing funding campaigns. One is an extraordinarily common variable that perhaps gets tracked too closely, while the other unequivocally demands more of our attention. DON’T base the success or strength of your fundraising campaign on simply reaching or surpassing your dollar target ..read more

We at People First Fundraising Solutions would like to wish you and your families a very fun, happy and memorable Easter. Whether you are painting and hunting eggs, making creative bonnets and baskets, baking hot cross buns, or simply feasting on chocolate, may the miracle of Easter fill your heart with peace and joy. Easter is also a time of rebirth and new beginnings. As flowers start to bloom, buds begin to sprout and the promise of spring surrounds us, we hope that this Easter season will bring you plenty of prosperity and success in all aspects of your lives. Of course, we strongly encour ..read more

Does your charity have a defined case for support? In countless conversations with non-profit leaders, I have heard many express how crucial they felt it was for their organizations to have a standard “elevator pitch”. Yet few ever mention the importance of possessing an official case for ‘why’ anyone should support their cause. A big reason for this is executive directors and board members – especially among grassroots charities – are unfamiliar with the differences between the terms. So, let’s clarify the meanings for each: · An elevator pitch is a quick 30-45 second narrative consisting of ..read more

Shooting from the hip here somewhat, but I feel the need to vent about something. A trend I’ve noticed while communicating with charity leaders lately is a growing dependence on grants. Whether it’s a habit they developed during the pandemic or another reason, a disturbing number of executive directors and board chairs seem content to place the fates of their organizations in the hands of detached ambivalent funding bodies. Viewing grants as a perpetual “silver bullet” is dangerous, irresponsible and violates a charity’s commitment to the people it serves. Funders are not a panacea, nor do the ..read more

A common question fundraising consultants are asked by charities is, “Are there foundations or other funding sources that provide grants for operating funds?”. Grassroots, start-up and volunteer-managed organizations understandably pose this query most often. Securing a steady revenue stream would enable their leaders to direct their energy and attention squarely on delivering impactful programs free of any financial worries. As reasonable as it sounds, buying into this mindset can endanger a non-profit’s future viability. Although it would be convenient having a third-party funder – whether i ..read more

“We will never ask our people for money!” This was the abrasive proclamation a gentleman from a grassroots health organization shared with me last week. According to this person, inviting the individuals and families who benefit from their programs to donate is demonic, cruel and a massive betrayal of trust. Fundraising is a necessary evil that should only involve those who are outside of the charity. Few would argue that brazenly asking their program recipients who have endured horrific circumstances most of us could never fathom to give what limited funds they have is nothing short of exploi ..read more

Who likes setting New Year’s Resolutions? I’ve never cared much for them. Keeping and fulfilling Resolutions require far too much time and energy than many of us are willing to spare. Like millions of others, any Resolution I make is broken sheer minutes after the ball drops in Times Square. It makes far greater sense to set smaller achievable goals that don’t require a massive upheaval of our current comfortable lifestyle. Make little adjustments here and there that we can live with. Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier each night. Call our moms once a week. Schedule a family game night once eve ..read more

I don’t know about you, but the Festive Season seemed to sneak up on us this year. Many of us have been so immersed in affairs related to work, family and hobbies that we failed to realize how quickly December 25th was approaching. Yet here it is! It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone, and so much feels as though it is happening at once. War, divisiveness, economic hardship and a escalating climate crises continue to plague so much of out planet. Finding the strength to cope with this strife is becoming more difficult with each passing day. However, another year lies before ..read more