Just Ask - Rethinking Development

How do you cordially say no to a donor who has a good idea, but it’s currently not a top priority for the organization? This is a question posed to us by one of our listeners! Bryan and Greg provide an answer, and as a bonus tackle a related question: what do you do when a donor gives you a bad fundraising idea? Find out how to say no to bad ideas.

Does your organization have a unified message when raising funds? Specifically, we mean a message highlighting the need your non-profit seeks to meet and why you’re best equipped to address it. You should! This is called the ‘Case for Support’. Without a Case, you will be ill equipped as a fundraiser to go ask for support. Bryan and Greg discuss why your organization needs a Case for Support and h...

You only have so many hours in the day, days in a week, and weeks in a year as a fundraiser. If you are in a mid to large size non-profit, there's a good chance you have a database with more households than you could ever meet. Deciding who are the best prospects to go see can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. So how do you find the best prospects for greater involvement and giving? ...

How often to you take your daily truth serum? Greg highlights the need to reflect each day on whether you did or did not do the best development activities. If you’re willing to take your daily serum, you’ll find the needle moves on your fundraising goals. Listen as Greg gives specific examples of what you should be focused on as a fundraiser.

“What in the world does that mean?” How many times have you said this looking at a record someone else made in your non-profit’s database? Over time, there is a tendency for a database to acquire all kinds of words and symbols which means something to the recorder at the time. However, future database users are left puzzled. Is there a better way to decipher jargon? Greg highlights how you can cre...

Thank. Your. Donors. Almost any fundraiser will tell you it’s important to thank your donors, and yet, many nonprofits still fail to do this well. Bryan lays out why you should thank your donors, who is worth thanking, and some practical advice on how to implement better thank you protocols.

Over 30 years in consulting, Greg has noticed a common trait in all great Development Directors: they’re really good at getting stuff done. Unproductive or inefficient meetings can often be a roadblock to get things done. This week, Greg highlights how to get more stuff done in meetings.

Over 30 years in consulting, Greg has noticed a common trait in all great Development Directors: they’re really good at getting stuff done. So how do they execute their daily to-dos so well? Greg reveals how to get stuff done in development.

Running a campaign is hard enough, but what do you do when your goal goes up? Do you have to cut the vision or can the new number be met? Drawing from his own experience of a $21.5 million campaign that rose to over $31.5 million, Bryan shares steps you should take to address a higher goal. This is part two of a two part series. Greg and Bryan cover strong practicals in this episode.

Running a campaign is hard enough, but what do you do when your goal goes up? Do you have to cut the vision or can the new number be met? Drawing from his own experience of a $21.5 million campaign that rose to over $31.5 million, Bryan shares steps you should take to address a higher goal. This is part one of a two part series.

How do you effectively create or grow an endowment? More specifically, Greg dives into how to build up a Catholic school endowment. He argues for a broader approach to building your endowment than just asking the ultra wealthy “needle in the haystack” benefactor to make a transformative donation. Get out your pen and paper as Greg breaks down a specific strategy to build out your endowment.

We continue our discussion on whether you should make pursue a do-it-yourself (DIY) campaign rather than hire a consultant. You won’t want to miss this episode as Greg and Bryan share the 5 criteria to know you’re ready for a DIY campaign. As a consultant for over 30 years, Greg brings tried and true wisdom to this topic.

You need to build a new school, hire another staff member, or do a renovation. Whatever the need, you find yourself in a position to start a campaign. The big question: should you do-it-yourself (DIY) or hire a consultant? Bryan discusses with Greg why you might just be better off doing it yourself. This is part one of a two-part discussion.

How can you secure major gifts for your non-profit? Are great major gift officers born with a certain “pedigree?” Bryan delves into the critical factors necessary for major gifts.

Greg dives further into the implications of what he terms the “Catholic Black Market”. This episode covers the implications of the Catholic Church charging less than they should for the services they offer. Conversely, Greg advocates for a simple solution: pricing services fairly makes great programming and staff possible.

The less we charge, the more the service costs. This is the premise behind “The Catholic Black Market,” which Greg defines in todays show. The free or steeply discounted model people have come to expect from Catholic Churches comes at a cost.

The idea of a perfect time to call someone is an illusion. Too often, fundraisers project our own predispositions and fears onto a potential donor to justify why we shouldn’t call them. Don’t do this! Bryan and Greg give encourage and practical tips to stop waiting for the “perfect” time to call.

One of the most terrifying terms in development is the “cold call”. How do you take the cold out of this crucial step in donor relationships? There can be no relationship or support for your cause without making the discovery call. Today Bryan breaks down the steps to master this skill and get more appointments.

Bryan and Greg bring three more reasons every parish needs development. Learn what benefits come by taking a more professional development approach to raising funds and building relationships in your own parish.

Are parishes too comfortable with the status quo of the weekend collection supporting the parish? Will aging congregations face challenges relying solely on this method of giving? Yes!!Bryan and Greg make the case for why every parish needs development. This is part one of a two part series.

You get in front of a benefactor and ask for a gift, and they say yes! But, your the gift is not “closed” at that point. When you get back to the office, do you know when and how the benefactor intends to make their gift? These are just examples of information a good development officer needs to record. Greg and Bryan discuss the 5 key details you must get for a gift to truly be valid and closed.

How do you best direct your time to bring value to your organization? Any given day, there are numerous ways a fundraiser can spend their time. Greg explains how your activities fall into one of two categories: income or expense. The income producing tasks are short and simple. The expense producing tasks are many and should be exercised judiciously. Find out whether the tasks you do are making or...

You should always tell the truth. For as the saying goes, “the truth will set you free.” In this episode, Greg sheds light on why that donor isn’t getting back to you with the answer you want. Simply put: you aren’t asking right question. Don’t beat around the bush with donors. Ask the question you want answered.

In the pursuit for building a sustainable funding model for your non-profit, you can’t forget the mid-tier support. Bryan lists 3 reasons mid-tier support should be valued more highly by every fundraiser.

What makes a great development professional? There are some key qualities and traits which make all the difference. It just so happens women tend to be stronger than men in these areas. That’s right! We said it! Listen in as Greg discusses what he believes makes women great in the field of development.