I have a ... complicated relationship with nonprofit fundraising events. I've organized my fair share - even some that I am proud of almost 10 years later. But I also think that events are often an expensive and inefficient way to raise funds. Many nonprofits are stuck in a cycle of putting on generic events that don't celebrate their mission or engage their supporters - but make just enough money to make it difficult to pull the plug entirely. There are some remarkable n

I've been thinking about nonprofit myths lately. Those stories we tell each other in the industry that seem true, that drive decisions, and that sometimes cause some harm. Here's one that I used to really believe. The ultimate goal of every nonprofit (I was told) was to go out of business because the mission has been accomplished. That story was a story of selflessness. The minute we aren't needed, we'll close up shop and go do something else with our time. Now, this

Fundraising is driven by stories. Stories from donors, volunteers, clients, board members, and community members. Stories of impact, of generosity, of triumph. But while there's no shortage of advice about how to get stories, we don't spend enough time talking about what do with the stories after we get them. For a lot of my career, I was convinced that stories were fleeting and fragile, and that the audience for my stories only wanted to hear new stories, every time.

I had a great time at the NAWA annual fundraising conference in Tacoma. As is my way, I did not take any pictures, so you'll have to trust me on this one. I learned a lot at the conference -- about board structures, staff engagement, and the connection between values and systems. But the thing that stuck with me was a comment from my friend Jesse. They said: "If one more person tells me to diversify my fundraising stream, I'm going to jump into the Sound." Now, I don't

This week, I had the opportunity to present at the Nonprofit Association of Washington's fundraising conference. I presented on creating a fundraising board - the tactics and mindsets that can help your board members move from stuck to success. For those of you who couldn't attend, I thought I’d share three key takeaways from the presentation in the quick video above. The importance of treating your board members like individuals, not as part of a collective How clear expec

A wise man once said "I love it when a plan comes together." And while this particular wise man was talking about a very specific type of plan (one unique to 1980s action shows*), I like to take this enthusiasm and apply it to fundraising plans. A fundraising plan is more than a list of donors (that's a prospect list, and that's another post). A fundraising plan gives your organization customized action steps to get to what you are trying to create. "Hold on, Chris," yo

I've been to a lot of fundraising events. Big ones, little ones, strange ones. Galas, golf tournaments, breakfasts, lunches, building rappelling, construction contests, races, walks, concerts, comedy shows, wine tasting, cooking classes … all things, both live and virtual (fundraising in 2021 was hard, folks). These events ranged from inspiring to insipid. (That might be a little strong, but I love some alliteration). And regardless of venue, budget, or size the events that

Early in my career, I was asked to make a wallet card. This request came from a board member, so I took it seriously. Per his request, it was going to be the size of a business card and will be chock full of information: Mission Vision Values Impact numbers Program details (Yes, this was before smartphones. Don't get off topic) The idea was simple. When a board member was asked questions about this organization, they could produce this card and BAM. All the answers

One of the reasons I love nonprofits is because they are asking the big questions. What if everyone had a decent place to live? How can we help queer youth thrive, not just survive? How can we bring the arts into every classroom in our community? When so many institutions are encouraging us to stay small, scared, and quiet, asking questions like these is an act of optimism and bravery. For many organizations, these questions were present at the very beginning of their s

Last week, I heard about a nonprofit hiring their first full-time fundraiser. They wanted someone to build a program, start donor outreach, and focus on individual giving. They also wanted $1 million in their first year (from $0 the prior year). Oh, and the fundraiser would also be responsible for entering gifts in the CRM and managing that system. This organization was having some trouble finding someone to fill this role (as you might imagine). This headache-inducin

I have written my fair share of elevator pitches. Something short, memorable, and capable of expressing the impact and mission of an organization. I've helped board members practice their elevator pitch. A message that can inspire curiosity, generosity, and support. Now, I'd like to retire the elevator pitch. We had a good run. But now, it's time to move on. Because an elevator pitch is based on some faulty assumptions: It centers facts, not feelings: the pitch is abo

I love to overcomplicate things. Honestly, it's right up there with holding grudges, worrying, and other unhelpful habits. But sometimes, just sometimes, I can take a step back and simplify a problem. So while I have written a lot about board fundraising - and will continue to do so - let me make this post uncharacteristically short. Share your fundraising expectations with your board. If you want them to each raise $100,000 and personally donate twice that, tell them

I spend a lot of time talking about and thinking about nonprofit board members. I think about how organizations benefit from engaged, passionate volunteers. I think about boards that seem stuck in habits and traditions that no longer serve the mission. And I think about the beliefs that are keeping most of our board members from feeling like they can truly help the mission of the organization. You see, once upon a time, nonprofits believed that the most important attrib

An effective fundraising system is not just about your donors or your revenue. It's about employee retention. Recently, the Social Impact Staff Retention Report was released. It's not a lot of good news. According to the report ... 70% of the nonprofit workers surveyed are looking for or considering a new job, or will be, this year. Thirty five percent plan to stay in the nonprofit sector. And 22% are rarely or never fulfilled in their work. I'm no statistician, but

Early in my fundraising career, I was driving to a donor's office to drop something off. It was a featureless office park in Orange County, and I wasn't sure I was in the right place. Then I saw the donor's car. His unmistakable personalized plate and his gleaming Maserati. I pulled my humble Honda Civic into a nearby spot and got ready for the meeting. And all I could think was: "Do I really belong here?" For a moment, the gap between my world and my donor's world se

Fundraising can feel confusing. Depending on who you are listening to or what you are reading, you may think you need to add more events, cancel all your events, focus on major giving only, start a grants program, start a monthly giving program, start a board development committee, disband that committee, and change your CRM. Possibly all at once. Oh, and call Amazon for a gift, while you are at it. It's not that any of that advice is bad (well, the Amazon one is), but

There comes a time in every fundraiser's life when you are looking at a list of calls to make. Maybe it's a list of new donors. Or prospective donors. Maybe it's a list of volunteers who need to be invited to the event. Or a list of lapsed donors you want to re-connect with. And, often at the same time, that same fundraiser gets the idea that it's a great time to take one more look at that CRM report. Or to double-check to make sure the update email has the right li

Y One of the problems with board fundraising is how we talk about board fundraising . "The board isn't fundraising." "My board doesn’t want to fundraise." "Board members aren't interested in fundraising." I've used all of those phrases and it wasn’t until late in my career that I realized the problem. "The Board." Fundraisers fall into the habit of treating the board like a collective. Like a single unit that we can communicate with, work with, and inspire using a

You've heard the stories: event plans driven not by strategy, but by a board member's preference. Committee meetings devoted to in-depth discussions about table linens. New event concepts introduced the night before showtime. But you've probably also heard the stories of meaningful, thoughtful events with clear follow up. And those stories often happen because board members are working with staff to put on an effective fundraiser. Here are three roles board members can

Some corporate donors stay with your organization for the long haul. Others may change their philanthropic focus and drift away from your mission. And then there are the corporate supporters that make the news for decisions and announcements that, suddenly in some cases, run counter to your organization's values. There's two ways to look at this potential problem. The first (and the more common in the nonprofit space) is to react. This forces you to make some tough de