Just about every business or fundraising book you pick up, workshop you attend, or professional you seek advice from, will tell you that you need a plan and show you how to build one. And so you should – no...
Halloween is an ancient tradition that has today become a multi-billion dollar industry – and it’s only growing. More than two-thirds of Canadians celebrate the holiday, and this year families with children plan to spend an average of $75 on...
Last month we looked at how to renew lapsed donors and I said stay tuned for more information on how to re-engage monthly supporters. That said, these donors are less likely to lapse than annual donors and usually have contributed...
As fundraising professionals, we all know that we need to thank our donors. What most of us don’t realize is that our donors already know what kind of thanks, beyond a standard acknowledgement, would be most meaningful. The best thank...
How do we reconnect with donors who have stopped giving? “Lapsed” donors, as they are often called, are one of your first lines of defence when realigning your fundraising efforts. They are individuals who have made a commitment to your...
As I write this, it’s 34 degrees outside and in just a few hours, I’ll be heading to the cottage for a vacation. Long slow days of swimming, reading and (maybe) a few cocktails beckon. I can’t wait. But, it’s...
Once upon a time, citizen fundraisers took to the streets with clipboards and pledge forms to cajole friends, family, neighbours and strangers to support their favourite causes. Today, we're still asking the people we know for money – we've just...
For most consumers, the experience is familiar, albeit fairly forgettable. You’re loading up on necessities (or frivolities) at the cash register of your nearby big name drug, grocery, hardware or beer store, and the clerk asks if you’d like to...
When I was asked to write a piece on whether or not newsletters were still relevant, I agreed without thinking. But when I started thinking, I realized that the question was wrong. To me, the question isn’t whether or not...
When nine-year-old Alaina Podmorow agreed to join her mother one evening at a presentation by author and activist Sally Armstrong, she was just hoping to cadge a later bedtime. But the presentation changed Alaina's life. Armstrong spoke about the lack...
