Do You Want to Be a Master Gift Officer?
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 Case for Gray Hair – Redux
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 Key to Successful Fundraising
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 ...
Introducing Abacus Major Donor Ask Calculator
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 ...
Donor Research and Gift Discussions
You have built a trusting relationship with the donor, who knows about your organization and opportunities and needs that can be addressed through philanthropy. Research has been conducted using a wealth assessment service, google searches down rabbit holes, and discussions with people who know the donor (street research). And you have asked the donor to meet with you and a trusted ...
Education About Mission, Programs, and Initiatives
Research has shown that the more a donor is knowledgeable about a stakeholder organization’s mission and programs, the more they give (Bank of America Private Bank Study of Wealthy Americans). Now that you have a donor pipeline and have assigned the most accessible donors to various portfolios, and discovery visits have been made, it is time to create individualized engagement ...
