Givepath - Engage more donors
Solvitur Ambulando That’s the latin phrase for ‘it is solved by walking’ – a phrase that’s been attributed to numerous people over the years, from St. Augustine, Dante, and many others. It seems somehow particularly suited to these troubled times. With millions of people displaced by war, the lingering effects of a deadly pandemic, medical-system […]
Is it ethical for a not-for-profit to accept: Stolen goods or money? Yes/No Donations from laundered or unsourced money? Yes/No A donation from a company that charges onerous interest rates on low income individuals? Yes/No A donation from a company that charges above-market rent, for substandard housing? Yes/No Donations from low income individuals, who fund […]
When we see not-for-profits with a long history of flat-lined revenue – particularly when they exist in growing metropolitan areas – the first question we ask is ‘why’? Often, it’s just a simple case of over-reliance on traditional funding methods, combined with a lean operations approach – but when the population is growing, and funding […]
An ‘Economic Dependence’ statement in audited year-end financial statements is generally inserted as a cautionary note when the auditors notice a high, or increasing dependence on a single funding source or revenue type. If you’re an ED or Director of an organization that’s been advised of an Economic Dependence, Going Concern, or related advisory from your […]
Here’s a tool that we use to help plan promotions for our clients. We use this to get a grip on the market as a whole, to begin to pinpoint opportunities that may be unexplored. While it’s not the only tool we use, it’s a useful starting point – see if it works for you! […]
Quick question: if someone donated $300 to your not-for-profit, how would your Agency respond (not-counting the auto-response receipt and accompanying templated thank you letter)? Would the $300 warrant a personal call from someone, expressing appreciation for the gift? Would the $300 merit a personal email from someone, expressing genuine thanks? …or would the $300 fail […]
The first step in planning a digital fundraising campaign is of course getting a grip on the financial objectives. The second step is understanding and assessing the multitude of options available to you. Third is assessing the do-ability of the various options for the resources and membership composition and biases of your Agency. The worksheet […]
Is your mission statement forcing you to bite-off too much? It’s a common situation that evolves over time, as the mission is adjusted to meet the times and the requirements of the major funders of the day. The challenge is that the broader the mission statement, the greater the service mandate of the organization, and […]
Capital campaigns often begin quietly, with private conversations with high value prospects, and a focus on executing an effective major donor campaign. After key metrics are achieved in this stealth mode, an announcement or two is generally made, and the campaign adds a second track to its major donor development: public engagement. This second track […]
Before developing sophisticated (and potentially expensive) outreach strategies, an analysis of the characteristics of the donors by donation-level can produce a surprisingly clear strategy for growth. Developing substantial growth opportunities starts with a detailed understanding of your donor databases. Here’s how to do it: Separate your major donors from the mix – they’ll be handled […]