Why Most Major Gift Programs Suck! #5: Management and Accountability
Reason #5: Lack of Management and Accountability Oh boy! This is a big one and a favorite of mine to talk about. In fact, I make most of my living helping non-profits manage their major gift...
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What Great Major Gift Management Looks Like, #2—Accountability
I’m going to be blunt. A lack of accountability is where it all goes wrong in major gift fundraising. Left to their own devices, many major gift officers just do NOT stay focused…and they fail. It’s...
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Six Reasons Non-profits Fail
Another article from Veritus Group to help you succeed at major gift fundraising. What you will learn in this White Paper: How to help your non-profit succeed by avoiding common pitfalls. How to manage...
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Before You Fire an MGO… Do This
He was “this close” (index finger and thumb a millimeter apart) to being fired. “John” had been a major gift officer for five years, and the organization we were about to work with was fed up with his...
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Staying Focused: The Key to Major Gift Success
One of the single most overlooked aspects that create success in major gift fundraising is the ability for the major gift officer to stay focused. Without focus, you will be off in the woods of...
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Remember What It Is All About
It was a little embarrassing to watch, because it made me realize how blessed I was and how much I had. I’m talking about this video that captures the generosity of one man and, more importantly, the...
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Practicing Relationship Fundraising
I found a very helpful graphic and writing from Craig Linton – www.fundraisingdetective.com – and I wanted to pass it on to you because Craig summarizes, in a very succinct way, the why for major...
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Advice for the New MGO
We are often asked for a startup list for a new MGO, to answer the question: “what should a MGO focus on, when starting with a new organization, or starting a new major gifts program?” Either...
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Wishful Thinking in Major Gifts
It is an amazing thing to watch – truly amazing. Some authority figure casually decides to hire a MGO to chase what Jeff and I would call “ghosts and rabbits.” It’s wishful thinking at its best – and...
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When Qualified Caseload Donors Become UNqualified
You’ve done everything right. You’ve accepted the major gift principle that not all donors who meet a financial metric will want to relate to you. You’ve laboriously gone through a larger list of...
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Five Ways YOU Can Delight Your Boss
Over the years Richard and I have been fairly critical (justifiably so) of nonprofit management, especially managers of major gift officers. It’s a tough job, and there are many MGOs out there who...
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How to Work your Plan Successfully
Perhaps there is something in the water, but recently I’ve received a number of emails from MGOs asking an important question, but prefacing it much like this: “I love going out and meeting people,...
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Small Organizations: Where Do You Find Major Donors? Part 1 of 2
Everywhere we go, Richard and I are asked, “Where can I find major donors to support our organization? My answer is to stare at the part of their face just above the upper lip… otherwise known as...
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Finding that Elusive Big Gift
Whenever I attend a fundraising conference there is always at least one major gift seminar about how to find a donor who can give a six or seven figure gift. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago I was...
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Are You Doing Major Gifts ‘Right’?
We are often asked the question “am I doing this major gifts thing right?” You can find the answer for yourself by going through this list of questions; if all of them have a “yes” answer from you,...
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Accountability is Essential
Lately I’ve been with a number of people who are struggling with accountability in their life and work. Here are good people who say they want someone to hold them accountable to either their work or...
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Why Basic Can Be So Boring Yet Necessary in Major Gifts
It has always amazed me that many people, when faced with a challenge or opportunity, immediately get on the hunt for some innovative creative solution, rather than just doing the basic things. Call...
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Working Together – There Is No Other Choice!
Several months ago I was sitting at a conference table, fruitlessly trying to convince the Director of Direct Response Marketing to continue the mid-level program we were working on together. We were...
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The Two Major Donor Segments on Your Caseload
#2 of the series How a Caseload Grows Over Time In my last blog, I talked about your major gift caseload as an incubator for transformational giving. Here is how that works. In our training on...
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Do You Know Where You Are Going?
Almost every morning I drag myself out of bed and drive to my local YMCA to do lap swimming. I like this Y because it’s in a working class neighborhood, and when the doors open at 6am I’m the youngest...
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