I’m always checking out new resources to see how we can improve.  Today, let me share some new things I learned from a new fundraising guide produced by Network for Good.
25 STEPS TO FALL & HOLIDAY FUNDRAISING SUCCESS: Meet (and exceed!) Your Fundraising Goals offers a wealth of information and is free to download [...]

As we have previously mentioned, Atlas hosted it’s first Think Tank 101 program last week. Below is the program for the conference, as well as power point presentations from several of the speakers. Many of you, in addition to the TT101 participants will find these presentations quite useful.

November 10, 2009   1:30-3:00 – Management [...]

The Resource Alliance is hosting an international video competition – the Gold Star Award for Nonprofit Video Advertising – and the finalists will be shown at the International Fundraising Conference this October 20th-23rd.
Competition rules
All videos should have been premiered within last 18 months
All videos should be under 3 minutes in length
All entries must to be [...]

The State Policy Networks’s latest project, New Media Mania offers live video chats offering insight into everything from Fundraising to online marketing. Watching these live allows you to join in to a conversation with other viewers and have your questions answered in real time. Be sure to check out the below schedule about upcoming episodes.
Sept [...]

Putting aside the constant struggle to find new donors for a moment, how do you keep the ones you already have?
Guidestar recently posted the article, “Are there easy ways to reduce donor attrition?” Most of the points boil down to one thing – are you communicating with your donors enough?  Or really – are you [...]

At Atlas’s  ”nuts and bolts” training programs, we often are asked to include real donors in the presentations so we can better understand “the donor’s perspective.”  Excellent request!  Consequently,  when I came across an article by Tom Ahern which essentially offers a donor’s basic “do’s” and “don’ts” list, I thought it would be useful to [...]

Grant proposal writing is a time consuming and often frustrating process.  A lot of time and energy goes into researching new foundations and their grant guidelines for good tie-ins to your organization’s mission and programs, but the success rate is frustratingly low.  Maybe about 10% of proposals sent to new prospective funders will ellicit a [...]

How many of you remember seeing the surprising Susan Boyle video from Britain’s Got Talent or perhaps you’ve seen the more recent Jill and Kevin Wedding Entrance?  These videos were fun, positive, and inspirational videos that struck a cord with viewers which made them go viral.  The first video helped promote the TV show the [...]

What’s the goal of your next fundraising event?  Is it to raise funds?
This sounds obvious, but these were the questions raised by Annette Meeks of the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota at last week’s Koch Development Exchange Meeting.
Annette presented several challenges to the audience.  If you’re serious about the event raising money, then follow these guidelines:

Be [...]

I had to laugh when I read these words. When you think about it, it is unlikely that anyone has ever died from fundraising!
Carol Weisman, president of  Board Builders indeed confirms that “Members will survive asking someone for money and being turned down.”
Perhaps, if we point that out to our trustees, we all have better luck [...]