A donor makes a year-end gift. The receipt goes out, and then, at many organizations, the relationship goes quiet until the next appeal arrives in the fall. By then the donor has half-forgotten why the gift felt worth making. Two of the most common reasons donors stop giving have nothing to do with money and…
Most annual fund appeals read like they were written for everyone and no one. A well-crafted letter about the year’s accomplishments, a reply envelope, and a hope that enough people respond to cover the budget gap. The letter is good, the case is compelling, and the results are roughly the same every year, enough to…
Too many development shops fumble the most critical moment in a donor relationship. A new donor gives through the fall email appeal, and the typical experience starts with an automated receipt from the payment processor, then silence for a few weeks, then a spot on the mailing list, and eventually a year-end appeal identical to…
The major gift ask generates more anxiety than almost any other moment in fundraising. Development professionals delay, rush, or avoid the conversation entirely, because the fear of damaging a relationship we’ve spent months building is real. The stakes are high, and the preparation that most fundraisers can manage before heading out the door rarely provides…