Skip to content

Key Takeaways – National Association of Charitable Gift Planners 2018 Conference

Last month, I attended the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Conference in Las Vegas. This is the premier national gift planning conference, with three days packed with presentations on all aspects of planned giving. I’ve been happy to see an increasing number of panels and discussions focused on marketing – the main driver for…

Read More

Online Fundraising Best Practices for Nonprofits

Best Practices and Bold Innovations: Recapping the Best of Bridge Lunch and Learn If you missed out on the 2018 Bridge Conference like me, I hope you made a point to attend DMAW’s Best of Bridge Lunch and Learn on October 18th! At this Lunch and Learn, one of the most popular sessions from this…

Read More

How Will Tariffs Impact Your Direct Marketing Program?

Many in our industry are concerned about the trade war between the US and China… but what does it mean for you and your business? Since January 22, 2018 this war has been escalating regularly with Trump and Xi firing salvos back and forth in hopes of gaining the best economic position for his nation. …

Read More

It’s not your grandma’s telefundraising anymore!

When I talk to younger fundraisers, they often say: “Why would I use the phone? I never answer it.”  Not surprising –  they’re just like our sons, who are now 29 and 31 years old. But herein lies the problem. What you as a (young) person may think to be true may not actually be…

Read More

Mastering Metrics to Optimize Your Program

Looking to optimize your direct marketing programs? Start with the data. As Avalon VP of Analytics TJ Hillinger and Integral Principal Kevin Moran shared with their viewers during the DMAW webinar Data-Driven Fundraising: Mastering Metrics to Optimize Your Program: “  The key to maximizing value and sustained growth is getting the right information to the…

Read More

Art Meets Science at 2018 Bridge Conference

You came, you saw, and you hopefully conquered new marketing techniques at this year’s Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference. If you missed it, here’s a quick synopsis: Four great keynote speakers. NPR Science Correspondent and Host Shankar Vedantam wowed attendees with the latest break throughs in social science research, including the “hidden brain”—our…

Read More

Bridging the Gap: Cheers to Our Volunteers

The Bridge Conference. If you made it there this year, you probably are feeling like I am—inspired by great speakers, armed with new ideas and energized by meeting with both old and new colleagues. Well-done conferences, like weddings, appear seamless as an attendee. But for anyone who has worked at one—as a speaker, in a…

Read More

Building a Zipper to the Moon

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find group brainstorming sessions a bit intimidating. I mean, the creative team is there. And they always have the best ideas, right? And yet, here I was, attending a session on brainstorming, led by two top-tier creatives, Prudence Bovee and Steve Fleshman. The tables were set for…

Read More

Beyond the Event; Creative Approaches to Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

As you launch your fundraising campaigns this year, you may be missing out on some creative and effective new ways to use peer-to-peer tools and approaches beyond traditional events. Don’t get me wrong. Traditional run, walk, and ride events are highly effective. But, non-traditional peer-to-peer campaigns have an important place in fundraising, too. They’re typically…

Read More

Merry, Merry or Quite Contrary?

Right before Christmas, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, into law. If you are a non-profit, you must be wondering how it will impact your fundraising—and what to do about it. Let’s break it down into five factors (for a more in-depth look, read the full article here. ​ 1. Uncertainty. The…

Read More