Just Ask - Rethinking Development

When asking for gifts, there is something to be said for bare bones sincerity. Greg and Bryan take a deep dive into how to make an honest ask.

Greg dives deeper into the question of Catholic identity. You may have encountered donors who ask about the Catholic identity of your school. What is prompting that question? What is it they really want to know? What is their underlying concern? How might you receive and answer the question? With degrees in both business and theology, Greg helps development directors understand the perspective of...

Can an attack dog thwart your fundraising? Greg and Bryan take you down a journey of absurd moments they have had in their fundraising careers.

Every great appeal, ask, invitation, and opportunity has one thing in common: urgency. You cannot undervalue what this one element can do for your fundraising. Bryan and Greg share practical tools and insights on how to make your fundraising more urgent.

One of the hardest parts of fundraising is determining how much to ask someone for. Bryan and Greg take on this topic today and discuss the process and best practices they take to determine: how much should you ask for?

In this episode, Greg presents a solution to how Catholic schools can avoid mission drift while still benefitting from modern fundraising. Also, Greg eats a little bit of crow pie from his arguments in part one.

Have Catholic schools changed? Greg suspects they have. He channels his 30+ years fundraising for Catholic education to navigate the difference he sees occurring in the schools of old with the schools of today. Greg ends with a question for you the listener. You won’t want to miss this first discussion on why Catholic schools are now “all grown up.”

Why can’t you raise money behind a desk? Major fundraising happens when you get out and see people. How many visits should you aim to make? Should you be asking for a gift every time? Bryan leads this topic as he and Greg discuss the logic and best practices to highlight this truth: you can’t raise money behind a desk.

Transparent fundraising should sound a bit redundant. Yet non-profits face frequent decisions of how transparent to be with donors. How much do they need to know? Bryan discusses his approach to this topic.

Competition can be a great motivating force. But, one of the traps fundraisers face is to see competition in an unhealthy way: an “us vs them” outlook regarding other charities. Today, Bryan talks with Greg about how competition can be healthy and unhealthy. They discuss who(or what) your real competition is in fundraising.

What is the number 1 cause of campaigns stalling out? Execution. Without effective organization of solicitation tracking, every charity will watch what could be major gifts slip through the cracks or be left like unharvested fruit on the vine. Greg leads this discussion on the 5 fields every database should have in place to avoid this trap and execute for success.

One of the biggest mistakes in development is to assume the person you need to see will say no. Professionals and volunteers will often do this before they ever even pick up the phone! Greg shares his 10th and final Principle of Development Strategy. Listen as he and Bryan discuss how to avoid this kind of “Stinkin Thinkin”.

What exactly did Little Jane teach Greg on her first birthday? The simple but true principle of development: the more personal the appeal, the more likely the person will say yes, and the bigger the gift. When you take the time and care to personalize your approach, greater results for your charity and cause will follow. Listen in as Greg and Bryan discuss this 9th of 10 principles.

In this episode, Bryan eats crow pie in regards to fundraising events. In a prior episode, Bryan shared his dislike for events as an effective way to fundraise. However, his organization just put on an event which raised $500,000. How? Bryan discusses with Greg the keys to making an event a major opportunity.

So you work at a nonprofit. Your technical job description doesn’t mention soliciting gifts. But - do you actually fundraise and not know it? Bryan and Greg discuss how you might be more involved in fundraising than you actually realize.

What do Ben Franklin and your current donors have in common? Human nature. Find out why you can use this truth to your charity’s benefit when approaching individuals for support. In this episode, Greg leads the discussion on why the motives for a person to get involved remain relatively stable.

Do you feel like your fundraising has come to a standstill or you’re not moving as fast as you would like to reach your financial goals? Bryan and Greg cover four key ways you may be stalling out your fundraising efforts. This episode will address: - why you need organized data - whether events are the best way to fundraise - the benefit of having more than one development employee - how good prep...

Have you ever had someone you wanted to approach for support but felt like you couldn’t get past the door? You are not alone! Every fundraiser encounters this. The principal today is that everybody has someone to whom they can’t say no. If you can master this principle, benefactors who may have been untouchable before, will be open to you. This episode, Bryan hosts Greg‘s discussion on the science...

Asking volunteers to help fundraise takes time, especially the first time you ask, but it ultimately pays off. If you’ve ever wondered whether involving volunteers is worth the effort, this one’s for you. Greg makes a strong case for involving volunteers in your fundraising efforts.

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.

Where is your time best spent? Every fundraiser must answer this question day in and day out. Greg shares why you should invest limited resources into prospects with the greatest potential for return. Learn how to reduce low value fundraising efforts and maximize the limited time you have. Greg outlines how execute this latest Principle of Development Strategy and avoid pitfalls along the way.

No, we’re not talking about taking pride in your work. This week Bryan and Greg dive into the philosophical depths of how the ancient sin of pride slips into our field of fundraising. In this episode you’ll learn: why fundraisers use so many arbitrary titles, how pride enters fundraising from a fundraiser and donor perspective, and why fundraisers can be honest about what we do and still be proud...

Greg reminds us all of a golden rule in fundraising: your current donors are your best future donors. Why? Find out as Bryan hosts Greg’s discussion on this tried and and true method to raising greater support.

You want to raise funds? How do you know if you can raise the money to reach your goal? Greg shares how you need two types of estimates before you begin: income and expense. Bryan hosts the discussion on Greg’s third principle of development strategy.

Bryan and Greg continue the discussion on what makes an "Ask" for support good. This episode focuses on effective strategies for when and how to make the right ask.