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Articles
Thirty-two back doors to success
Charities stand a better chance of accessing corporate funds for their cause when the recognize how corporations prioritize their philanthropic activities.
Getting started with bequest-based programs
Key practices to get you started with your bequest program.
Financial planning seminars can lead to planned giving
Financial planning seminars can help build a broader awareness of the need for financial and estate planning by everyone
Volunteer board members have legal liabilities
This article details volunteer board members’ legal responsibilities.
Communication the key to building an effective board
Communication strategies for creating and maintaining an effective board
Many dimensions to marketing planned giving programs
How different marketing plans for planned giving programs have worked for various organizations.
Really mean it when you say thanks and spell my name right!
When thanking donors, it’s the small details that count.
Stop micro-managing
Why boards should stop micro-managing staff.
Fair warning: get the rights and you can’t go wrong
Legal considerations when planning an event
Venture capitalists and entrepreneurs become venture philanthropists
This article demonstrates how charities, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs may work together in strategic alliances.
How to get noticed
Position your cause by demonstrating worthiness, relevance, and impact. Acknowledge the act of philanthropy, but above all else, emphasize its consequences.
Strip Bonds: An attractive new vehicle for fundraisers
An explanation of the strip bond concept as an option for the endowment portion of a fundraising program
Charitable remainder trusts offer attractive benefits to the right donor
An explanation of the charitable remainder trust
A methodology for conflict resolution
Successful fundraising is always a team effort, and according to Del Staecker, who presented a session at the recent NSFRE International Conference, there are a number of common team characteristics, including the ability to manage conflict.
Proposals that appeal or appall
Proposals that appeal will speak to the real needs of the requesting organization and the interests of the potential funder, and will be based on a complete review of the funder’s printed and published materials, if any.
Hunches are not enough — why it pays to poll
Most public interest groups, nonprofits and local election campaigns do no polling research whatever. And by not doing so they’re missing a major opportunity to strengthen their work cost-effectively.
Strategic planning builds teamwork, consensus, framework for managing change
Why an organization needs a strategic plan
Making more money from mail
Here are 12 ways you can make more money from direct mail. Many organizations have put these money-making methods to work successfully. While not every suggestion will work for your organization, at least some of them should.
Hunches are not enough why it pays to poll
Importance of polling and research
Fundraising foundations can serve a variety of purposes
Three reasons why charities estabilsh foundations.
Be very careful when selecting a consultant
How to select a consultant for your nonprofit organization.
Ten points to consider before you launch your bequest program
Ten points to ponder when considering a planned giving program.
What has creativity got to do with it?
Some tools and tips to help improve your writing and communication skills.
Get your message on the air
An effective addition to an organization’s marketing arsenal, community TV can be used in a number of ways.
Examining your investment strategy
This article considers investment strategies with endowments, foundation and pension funds.
Do Current priorities overtake your long term strategy?
An argument for advocating the endowment of bequests.
Making committees work
The way committees are run is often the problem. This article addresses the “dos and don’ts” of successfully running a committee.
Co-Directing: A leadership “pas de deux”
In order to meet the challenges of a demanding environment authority has to be divested throughout the organization. Co-directing an organization is the strongest possible demonstration of a commitment to power sharing.
What is a strategic plan?
A Strategic Plan is a blueprint of activities, strategies and workplans for your organization or business. Strategic Plans are best created by following this very simple four-step approach.
Working with allied professionals
Working successfully with allied professionals to develop a planned giving program
Building endowments — frequently asked questions
A quick rundown of the important facts about endowments.
Understanding the funder and the proposal
Speaking on How To Develop Effective Grant Proposals at York University’s Second Annual Summer Institute in Toronto, consultant Winston Mattis shed some light on funders and proposals. Mattis explained, “A winning proposal is like a winning resume”.
Growth in the availability of gaming brings risk
Argument for the need for gambling addiction awareness programs
Probate fee planning: increased emphasis on reduction of probate fees in Ontario
Article on the reconsideration of the role of probate and of methods to reduce probate fees
The morality of charitable gaming! Is it true fundraising?
Article on the morality of charitable gaming in light of gambling addictions.
Charities have a major responsibility under the criminal code
Article describing how charities and board members can be held responsible for gaming infractions.
Charity’s name in a bequest must be accurate
The results of a court case involving three charities claiming a bequest that was originally named to a charity that didn’t exist.
Harnessing the power of database marketing
Database marketing technology now makes it possible to bring personal service to every donor and cultivate better relations with customers, volunteers, donors, members, participants and sponsors.
Building an ethical culture in an organization
How to build a culture of ethics in an organization.
Cause Related Marketing: An Introduction
This article introduces cause related marketing and outlines things to consider before entering into such a partnership.
Demographics: Discovering our destiny
By using demographics as a tool for assessing and prioritizing need, estimating expenditures, justifying programs, identifying potential volunteers and donors, and planning ahead, charities can capitalize on the shifts in the population makeup.
Readiness for change in fundraising organizations
This article presents a summary of the key ideas about organization change that were presented to NSFRE, and shares some of the survey findings and their implications for fund-raising organizations.
Matching gifts — an easy way to double or triple donors’ contributions
Often overlooked as a form of corporate philanthropy, matching gifts are an arrangement through which an eligible employee’s gift to an eligible institution is matched in cash by a gift from the employer.
How, and how much, are Canadian companies giving?
Respondents to a recent Conference Board survey of Canadian corporations reported donating $126 Million to community causes in 1993. This represents an increase in the average contributed per corporation.
Broker names hottest lists urges fundraisers to be more aggressive, innovative
Speaking at the Canadian Direct Marketing Association’s Fundraisers Council, Ossie Hinds, president of Cornerstone List Brokers, identified what he called “the hottest fundraising lists currently available.”
Home lotteries — tread carefully
A cautionary article for charities considering a home lottery.
“900” numbers ring in dollars for charities
Case studies of successful 900-number fundraisers
Event organizer’s checklist for designing sponsorships with confidence
A checklist of objectives, implementation items and measurement for event organization.
Elements of an effective reward and recognition program
Easy ways to both formally and informally reward volunteers.
