Real Talk for Real Fundraisers

More and more, fundraisers are being overworked and underpaid. They’re frequently pulled in different directions and asked to accomplish tasks that don’t fall under their domain – all without a solid support structure. It’s caused many to leave the sector entirely.   There is so much important work to do in our world and we need to take care of our people in order to solve these big problems. That...

It’s not easy to let go of certain donors, but there comes a time in every fundraising cycle when you’ll need to transition a donor relationship to someone else.     Whether the donor is moving from mid-level to a major gifts portfolio, or from a higher level of giving back into mid-level or direct response, transitioning them to another colleague is one of the best things you can do for your prog...

How many times has your organization pulled you into something that doesn’t directly relate to your job? This kind of scenario is all too common in the non-profit sector, and the results of it are usually negative: fundraisers lose their focus, have less impact, and solicit less giving.  What if fundraising leaders and management stopped distracting their mid-level and major gift officers with unn...

With summer vacations wrapping up and back-to-school season in full swing, it’s time to start taking a close look at your fundraising plans for the fall and year-end.    Are you feeling prepared for the busy months ahead? We know how valuable this time of year is in your fundraising cycle, which is why it’s so important to focus on creating a strong strategic plan for your donors.   In this episod...

It’s the most intimidating part of fundraising: asking someone for a gift.   But that’s not the only thing that fundraisers need to ask for. You’re also requesting meetings, inviting donors to attend events, and asking them to share the personal drivers behind their giving.   So, whatever you’re asking for – how do you do it in a way that honors the donor as a partner in your mission?  We develope...

Did you know that Veritus Group is an international consulting agency, with offices in the UK & Europe (in addition to our US & Canada team)? We often get questions about how The Veritus Way works in different cultural settings, so we wanted to spend some time sharing about our work with international clients and highlighting what’s been working well for them.    In this episode, Jeff is j...

Veritus Group was incredibly honored to be the Presenting Sponsor for the AADO Conference in 2024.    AADO (African American Development Officers Network) is a network of more than 3,500 fundraising professionals of color. Their annual conference is the premier event for fundraising, development, and operations professionals of color, and their allies.     During the conference, our team sat down...

Over the past two decades, our team at Veritus has analyzed hundreds of different non-profits’ data files, and we see the same trends over and over again. While overall revenue may go up year-over-year, many donors give less over time (or go away altogether). But organizations are often unaware this is happening because the loss is covered up by gifts from new donors.   So, what can you do about t...

As a fundraiser, you play two roles in any donor meeting. First, you’re there to be a partner to your donor, which means you’re seeking to learn more about their passions so you can help to match those with your organization’s programs.     And your second role is to act as a facilitator so that everyone is on the same page about the purpose of the meeting and leaves feeling like their time was we...

Building a partnership between mid-level and direct response is crucial to your organization’s success. Yet many organizations are missing out on opportunities to align these groups in a way that will strengthen the donor pipeline.     For this episode, we invited special guests Becca Burgess, VP of Client Services at Moore , and Kara Ansotegui, Senior Director of Leadership Annual Giving at the A...

Many non-profit leaders rely on metrics because it’s easier than sitting down with their frontline fundraisers each week and helping them stay focused and accountable to their strategic plan. But when your fundraising performance metrics are not aligned with building meaningful relationships with your donors, it can cause a whole host of problems.  What are the metrics that really matter in fundra...

Many fundraisers aren’t starting their caseloads from scratch – they’re inheriting a donor caseload that was previously managed by someone else. Whether you’re a new hire, or you’re moving into a new role within the same organization and taking on a new caseload, this transition can be complicated.   How do you introduce yourself to these donors who already know your organization, but not you?   I...

Is your organization set up to support the donor journey? What structures do you have in place to develop your donor relationships from initial acquisition to cultivation, mid-level, major gifts, and planned giving? These are some of the questions you need to consider as you work to build a healthy donor pipeline. In this episode, Richard and Jeff discuss five key focus areas for organizations see...

We’ve all been in meetings where the conversation gets sidetracked. Maybe someone present is very chatty and wants to spend the first half hour catching up. Maybe one individual has another topic they want to discuss, outside of what was outlined in the agenda. Or maybe no one is clear on why they’re there at all, so the conversation wanders until the time is up. How can you make sure your donor m...

In celebration of Women’s History Month, today’s episode is all about how women are shaping and changing the field of fundraising. Our special guest joining us for this conversation is Yolanda F. Johnson , President and Founder of YFJ Consulting and Women of Color in Fundraising and Leadership (WOC)™, which specializes in fundraising, philanthropy, and best practices for equity and inclusion. List...

Asking your donors for gifts isn’t something you should save for the year-end giving season. When you’re tuned in to your donor’s giving preferences and interests, you can bring them additional giving opportunities even outside their regular giving season. For this episode, we invited two guest fundraisers and clients of ours to share their expertise on this subject. Sarah Coen-Frei , Senior Indiv...

When you work at a non-profit organization, just as in any job, there will be times that you feel stuck, discouraged, or uninspired. This work is hard, and it’s not uncommon to experience feelings of burnout or frustration.  If you’re in a space like that, how do you shift your energy so you can bring your best self to your work with donors? For this episode, Karen and Renita share some questions...

When you’re looking for your next fundraising position, how do you evaluate which opportunities are most aligned with your professional goals? What questions should you ask in your conversations with hiring managers to learn more about their culture and evaluate whether the role is a good fit? In this podcast episode, Karen and Matt are joined by special guest Paul Towne, VP of Executive Search wi...

Welcome to January! In these first weeks of the year, you’re likely still finishing out the year-end season, thanking donors for gifts received, and assessing your performance compared to your goals. At the same time, you’re working on communication plans and strategies for the year ahead.  In this episode, Jeff is joined by Theresa Tapocsi and Edie Dahlen, two of our Client Experience Leaders, fo...

When we talk to passionate fundraisers who are deeply committed to their donors, their most common complaint about their work is that they don’t feel supported by their managers. People leave organizations because of it, yet management skills are often undervalued in the non-profit space.  In today’s episode, Karen and Jeff talk through some of the obstacles that may be holding you back as a leade...

When an anonymous check for $100,000 arrived at the American Brain Foundation, their fundraising team was blown away. The organization certainly wasn’t so large that this level of giving was typical. Who was this anonymous person, and what made them decide to give so generously?  In this episode, Jeff and Diana interview two members of the team at the American Brain Foundation (ABF) – Jane Ransom,...

When you have a healthy donor pipeline, there will come a time when you need to transition a donor relationship to someone else. Whether the donor is moving from mid-level to a major gifts portfolio or from a higher level of giving back into mid-level or direct response, you need to have protocols in place so that the transition feels seamless to the donor.  For today’s podcast episode, Karen Kend...

When moves management was first introduced as a strategy to help fundraisers manage their caseloads, it was a step forward in putting some much-needed structure around the donor pipeline.  But now, some non-profits have taken the idea too far. A lot of organizations have gotten stuck on rigid definitions of what “stage” a donor is at. Moves management has led to these metrics that have caused fund...

At the AFP Conference last summer, two fundraisers from the East Texas Food Bank reached out to Jeff. They wanted to share with him how taking our Certification Course two years ago has made a huge difference for them in building deeper donor relationships and bringing in more revenue for their mission. We felt so inspired by the conversation and the long-term results they’re seeing now, two whole...

One of the greatest barriers to your success in relational fundraising is whether or not the rest of your organization understands and supports this work.  We hear stories all the time from frustrated fundraisers who aren’t able to get important program information, can’t easily share the impact, and don’t have donor offers to present.  So for this episode, we’re sharing some guidance, tips, and l...