Welcoming Submissions for Penelope Burk’s Donor-Centered Communications Project Two critical points of contact determine whether donors stay loyal or quickly abandon your cause after giving only once or twice. First, a great thank you letter (timely and original) reassures your supporters that they just gave to the right cause. Second, a compelling post-gift communication (not an ask, but an update), makes donors want to give again. According to donors, your appeal is their opportunity to tell you what they’ve already decided. It’s the information you send them before making the ask that convi ..read more

There’s some buzz around the decline in the number of American households who give to charity, or at least the number who gave in 2018, which is the year that was studied. Should fundraisers and not-for-profit decision-makers be concerned? No, because they have bigger fish to fry. It’s Money that Matters The job of fundraisers is to make more money and they have consistently accomplished that for the last forty years. In inflation-adjusted dollars, charitable giving was under $150 billion in 1980; last year it was over $470 billion[1]. Looking at annual results over that forty-year period, giv ..read more

Many respondents in our annual Burk Donor Survey have been giving for decades, but most still vividly remember what inspired them to become donors. As you draft your next appeal, shape your next update, or craft a new thank you letter, their stories will remind you of the power of philanthropy and help you connect with your supporters on a deeper level. ————————————————– In my early twenties, living on my own and under a very tight budget, I was walking the 16th Street Mall on my lunch hour. I had my last $5.00 in my pocket which had to get me to my next paycheck. Having had no breakfast, I wa ..read more

It’s that time again when I get to revel in the stories from donors about what inspired them to start giving. So far, more than 16,000 active American donors have participated in The 2021 Burk Donor Survey, which is investigating how the pandemic and other major events of 2020 may shape their giving going forward. My colleagues and I at Cygnus have been conducting this annual survey since 2009, and one of my favorite questions asks respondents to tell us about the first time they gave or a point in their lives that shaped their philanthropy. Their stories are as individual as the people who te ..read more

Dear Louise: When I realized you had graduated in 1993, I just had to check the records. Yes, you were indeed in my first-year chemistry class in 1989. You were there on the first day of the first class I ever taught. And, while I tried to hide it, my heart was pounding and my legs were barely keeping me upright as I faced you and 200 other first-year students. Thanks for persevering in spite of this novice instructor and thanks even more for deciding to give back to your College. It’s clear that life has been good to both of us and I’m eager to learn about what you have been doing since you g ..read more

There are some amazing stories in the news lately about determined, isolated runners completing a marathon on their treadmills, or carving out a route inside their apartments or even running back and forth on their balconies until they reach 26.2 miles. No doubt the best one is about British second world war veteran, Captain Tom Moore who, at 99 years of age, is taking laps around his garden with the assistance of his walker. His original goal was to circuit his yard 100 times prior to his 100th birthday and raise one thousand pounds in aid of the British healthcare system. As of today (Friday ..read more

When asked, “Where do you get important work done?”, the majority of workers, including fundraisers, say they get it done at home. “Anywhere but in the office” is their common retort. The office is where the grant proposal can’t be written, the fundholder report can’t be drafted, and the case for the next appeal can’t be developed. That’s because, at the office, creative thought is constantly being interrupted and precious time is being diverted into activities that do not help raise more money. Now home is the office. Managers who recognize that a different approach is called for will guide t ..read more

At times like this, when my financial situation is threatened…it is difficult to trust my heart. My head gets in the way and tells me to be practical and hold back. Collectively, if we all do that, we will be in danger. I must trust my heart, regardless of the current situation, and continue to give, be it time or money, whatever I have. And, it would be a great service to the world to lead by example. Trust my gut and move my feet – even when I am afraid. If you assumed this is what donors are thinking right now, you could be right. But this quote is eleven years old, from the first edition o ..read more

Not long after I published the first edition of Donor-Centered Fundraising, I heard from a donor who had participated in several of our research studies. He was excited (and relieved) to find there was a formula for sustaining donors’ loyalty and inspiring more generous gifts, that the formula was evidence-based, and that the evidence came from donors themselves. This donor wanted to know which not-for-profits had shifted their fundraising operations from typical to donor-centered. This was back in 2005 or so, and I suspected no one had done so yet as the concept was still fairly new. Undeterr ..read more

Once again, I am delighted to share with readers of Burk’s Blog some new stories and anecdotes from donors who have just participated in the tenth edition of The Burk Donor Survey. This collection is a peek into the circumstances of people’s lives that start them along the path towards a lifetime of giving. I hope you enjoy reading them and that these stories stay with you as you turn your attention to planning your critical year-end campaigns. The first charitable gift I remember making was several years after college. I received a phone call from a student during a capital campaign at my alm ..read more