“Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him” (2 Samuel 14:14). David banished his son Absalom from Jerusalem...
“May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:74). Perhaps you’ve seen this funny poster, “Everyone brings joy to this office. Some when they enter. Some when they leave.” Major donor work involves face...
Capturing meaningful donor information is critical for your ongoing fundraising success. How can you encourage your team to write meaningful contact reports in your CRM? Submitting visit reports is an afterthought for many development representatives who “will get to it when they have time,” but...
If you’re a racehorse, the starting gate can be a scary place. It’s just barely wide enough to squeeze into. The air is filled with commotion as jockeys and gate crew coax the shy, prod the stubborn, and calm the anxious. When all the horses...
Come on, Pat, you say. This surely cannot be an overarching principle for conundrum-free campaigns. If your organization does not have a real and felt need to raise capital dollars, then your efforts are going to be a bit like pushing spaghetti uphill. I mean...
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green....
Your fundraising calendar is chocked full of urgent things to do, but are they the right things? It’s not enough to be busy, you've got to be productive. So, how do you decide where to invest your time and energy to achieve the greatest results?...
“Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, ‘Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.’ Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern” (Jeremiah 38:12-13). Nebuchadnezzar was knocking on Jerusalem’s door....
A capital campaign is a series of well-planned, well-orchestrated strategies all designed to reach a specific dollar goal within a specific timeframe. Campaigns move forward one conversation at a time. The four phases of a campaign are:1. The pre-campaign survey/ feasibility study - This step...
We have seen many failed campaigns over the years that were launched without feasibility studies. A pre-campaign study is crucial for a successful comprehensive capital campaign to address annual, capital, and endowment funding needs. This vital research will help you avoid campaign conundrums by revealing...
