I have been an advancement professional for 40 years and have never understood why 501c3 organizations are referred to as “nonprofits” or “tax-exempt.” In addition to not truly reflecting how they work, it is also demeaning and denotes second-class status in our capitalistic society. My 2024 resolution is to refer to 501c3’s as Stakeholder Organizations (STOrgs). STOrgs, like private sector Shareholder ...

Aristotle wisely stated that "excellence is not an act, but a habit." This especially rings true for gift officers. Rather than get bogged down with peripheral tasks, they must habitually focus on building relationships and soliciting major contributions. Kaizen system: The Virginia Mason Foundation provides an excellent model. They have implemented Toyota's Kaizen production system to focus gift officers strictly on ...

A Master Gift OfficerTM focuses on skills and authentic relationship-building in fundraising, breaking away from rigid titles and boundaries. The fundraising landscape emphasizes genuine connections rather than predefined roles like annual gift officer, major gift officer, or principal gift officer. Titles don’t matter: Gift range responsibilities are less relevant, and job titles should be flexible and non-intimidating when optimizing opportunities ...

The advancement profession is rare because there is an advantage to being a member of the “gray-haired” workforce. This designation applies to those 55+ men (who still have hair, of course) and women who sometimes find equally stylish alternatives. The logic goes that most of our best donors are themselves 55+ and find it easier to have rapport with age-peer ...

Leadership is essential for successful fundraising and must come from volunteer, executive, and advancement leaders. The impact of new board members and leadership on a stakeholder organization (SHOrg) can be immediate and significant. That’s why your governance committee must take great care with your organization's leadership continuity planning. When considering new leadership, there are many important variables to consider and ...

With Abacus™ Major Donor Ask Calculator you no longer need to shoot from the hip when deciding how much to ask a donor for a major gift. Abacus picks up where donor philanthropic capacity ratings and other donor research leave off. It uses objective data about the donor and their relationship to your organization to arrive at an aspirational, yet respectful, 3-year ...