Just Ask - Rethinking Development

Are foundation appeals just another beauty contest? Bryan shares his take regarding the return on investment of pursuing grant dollars.

Bryan explores a question with Greg: why do so many development professionals leave the non-profit world or turn to consulting jobs? Listen as they diagnose what is causing fundraisers to “get out or sell out.”

Why do people give? On a basic level, most people of us know the answer. Because you asked! But in practice, how many nonprofits ask and ask well? Bryan shares a success story that highlights the fine art of asking.

If your non-profit is out to change the world, just about the last thing you want your cause to be referred to as is “nice.” Bryan discuss with Greg how you can avoid being just another “nice” charity.

A common pitfall non-profits fall into is the tendency to confuse money with relationships. What do we mean? When searching for A Team volunteers, don’t default to the ones you know will say yes. Greg explains why nonprofits often get this wrong and how they might better approach volunteer recruitment.

How do you attract “A level talent” as volunteers? What would it mean for your charity to have the right benefactors involved on a high level? Greg shares five things you need to know for building the A Team.

Have you ever found yourself in the “Friendzone?” How about the “Fundraising Friendzone”. This is where a fundraiser has the perfect person to partner with their mission, but they somehow never get around to asking for support. They’re stuck in the Friendzone. Bryan and Greg discuss 3 ways you can fight your way out of the Friendzone and start partnering with the benefactors your cause needs.

Welcome back to the Mission Effectiveness finale! In part four of a four part series, Greg and Bryan tackle the concept of Wise Stewardship. Stewardship is a term we hear often in the non-profit world. Greg and Bryan break down what constitutes good stewardship. The inspiration for this series came from an article by Jake Stanley from the Amazing Parish that was featured in the October 2023 issue...

Welcome back to part three of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! There is one element to Mission Effectiveness that often gets overlooked: Courage.

Welcome back to part two of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! In this episode, Greg takes us into the importance of organization having a strategy. Strategic is a word that gets thrown around. What makes a decision truly strategic? Once you have that, how do you ensure it gets implemented? Greg shares how strategy can elevate your team.

Welcome to part one of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! The inspiration for this series came from an article by Jake Stanley from the Amazing Parish that was featured in the October 2023 issue of Catechetical Review. The article deals with Ministry Burnout. This begs the question: why do good employees in the non-profit world burnout so frequently? In this episode, Greg and Bryan discu...

Battling the unseen. When you are trying to do something beautiful for God, understand the forces against you. Greg dives into an exploration of the mystical encounter, both good and bad, and shares what this means for you as a fundraiser.

The Startup – Choosing Database Software. Your parish decided to start a development program to support the parish and school. Greg offers advice on step one-setting up a development database.

The Startup – Finding Your First Donors. You’ve just started a non-profit, and you don’t even have a prospect list. Here’s ideas on how to get started.

With the new year upon us, the time to set a solid fundraising strategy is here. One of the challenges non-profits face is too many “good” things to focus our time on. So what are the most essential tasks for you to focus on for fundraising? Bryan shares five things you can do to kickstart your fundraising in 2024.

Greg recounts how a donor recently told him, “Asking is the easy part.” Listen in on why that transformed his thinking about fundraising.

What can motivate individuals to give beyond what seems possible? Today Greg talks about the relationship between God and Money. Specifically, he shares a real life study on Warsaw, the Dentist and the Great Flood of ’97.

Bryan and Greg share perhaps the most important skill a development officer can master: the art of listening. In this episode, you’ll learn about listening on a deeper level and uncover what it takes to really get to know someone.

There’s a saying in show biz, “No one wants you ‘til everyone wants you.” Bryan explains how that principle applies to non-profits, as he recounts the growth of St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo, ND.

Why is the first campaign the most difficult? Greg shares some words of encouragement to those launching their first capital campaign. Odds are it will be the most difficult campaign your non-profit will undertake. Greg shares why that is and why you can take heart in the major groundwork your efforts will produce.

Is there any replacement for a firsthand experience? Some of the most loyal donors of your non-profit had their own firsthand experiences with your cause. So how can you give a firsthand experience to donors who are new to your charity? Greg and Bryan share practical ways to bring donors closer to the mission.

Every campaign will face challenges and setbacks. So what do you do when these challenges cause your campaign to stall? Bryan and Greg continue their conversation on how you can break out of a stall in your fundraising efforts. This is part two of a two part series.

In every campaign, you encounter challenges and setbacks. So what do you do when these challenges cause your campaign to stall? Bryan shares what steps helped his non-profit to overcome a stall of a goal rising by over $10 million. This is part one of a two part series.

Despite your best efforts in fundraising, you will inevitably be met with a hard truth: some donors just aren’t that into you. Given this reality, what can you do to still build organizational trust? Bryan discusses how to navigate a donor relationship even if you, as the fundraiser, are not their cup of tea.

You asked, you waited. Still no decision. What could be holding up a major donor’s decision? Perhaps you need to suggest a ‘contingent pledge.’ Here’s how it works.