GIFT'S HOLIDAY SPECIALS!

For the holidays and especially in light of the economic meltdown, we're offering some extra special deals to our eNews subscribers. Now until the end of the year you can get a one-year subscription to the Grassroots Fundraising Journal for just $25! For the same price, pick up a copy of Ready, Set, Rai$e!--a 2-hour fundraising training video with Kim Klein and Russell Roybal. Or take advantage of the best deal yet--both for $40!

Grassroots Fundraising Journal subscriptions and the Ready, Set, Rai$e video both make great holiday gifts!

Click here if you're interested but want a little more information or just give us a call toll-free: 888-458-8588.

Please note: International subscribers will have $7 added to their subscription rate.

DEAR KIM KLEIN Q&A COLUMN

Dear Readers:

Needless to say the e-mailbox has been full of questions about this economic meltdown. I am answering a specific question related to this topic, but I have also been reading a number of e-newsletters and talking with colleagues, and everyone is full of advice. I agree with most of what is being advised, which essentially amounts to this: Read more...

APPEAL LETTERS IN TROUBLED TIMES

Dear Kim:

We are preparing to kick off our annual fall campaign, first targeting larger donors with personal solicitations, to be followed by a mailed appeal to the rest of our 650 members. We have had a very successful year-to-date in spite of the economic downturn, and have a lot of accomplishments to be proud of and great plans for the future.

I am going to proceed with our campaign, but am looking for advice on our message. Do we need to acknowledge the economic situation? Do we assume people know about it, and just focus on our good news? I don’t want our appeal to seem like we didn’t mention the elephant in the room, but I also feel like everyone is “acknowledging” the crisis and saying the same thing and it’s boring.

~What News is Fit to Print?

Dear Fit:

I would use the economic reality as the backdrop for your good news: Read more...

CREATING A FUNDRAISING PHILOSOPHY WEBINAR WITH KIM KLEIN: JAN 12, 2009

January 12, 2009 at 10 am PST

Presenter: Kim Klein, Klein & Roth Consulting and Founder of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal

Most organizations know that they should have a gift acceptance policy or investment criteria. But few have an overall written fundraising philosophy—we raise money where we can to do the work that needs to be done. In other words, in order to be the most mission-fulfilling organization that you can be, where should you get your money from? And how can your fundraising promote your mission? What is the role of foundations, corporations, individuals, government, and earned income in helping meet that mission?

Our lack of a coherent fundraising philosophy is leading us down a destructive path as programs that should be funded by taxes suffer cuts and replace their funding with foundation grants, or organizations that should be funded by individuals turn to earned income instead. Many of these organizations wind up going out of business altogether, decreasing the services available to the community. In this webinar, we will discuss how organizations can develop a fundraising philosophy, and how such a philosophy can lead an organization to raise more money.

Click here to reserve your spot!

CHECK OUT OUR NEW AND IMPROVED ARTICLE FINDER!

Looking for articles on specific fundraising topics?

Visit GIFT's new SEARCHABLE article database!

Read descriptions of the articles before purchasing (applies to articles published starting Mar/Apr 2001).

Articles are just $3 each and are available for download within minutes of purchase.

Here are just a few of the titles you'll find:

• 53 ways for board members to raise $1,000
• Making Special Events Work for You
• Dissecting a Fundraising Letter
• The Thank-You Note
• A Fresh Approach to a House Party Pays Off
• Choosing the Right Fundraising Strategy
• 11 Steps to a Great Donor Cultivation Event
• More Askers=More Money: An All-Staff Approach to Major Gifts
• Grant Proposal Makeover: Can This Proposal Be Saved?
• Finding the Perfect Fundraising Database in an Imperfect World

Click here to find the information YOU need!

GIFT'S CONSULTANT CORNER*

*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of GIFT, the Grassroots Fundraising Journal or Kim Klein.

An Annual Quiz for Fundraisers and Board Members~By Deborah Dover

Fundraising trainers rarely list self awareness as a necessary trait for fundraisers. But as in the rest of life, taking a close look at yourself now and then can reveal blind spots and areas needing improvement. Board members and development staff can help keep the momentum going in your resource development program, and continue to grow as fundraisers, by asking yourselves the following questions once a year.

1. Am I comfortable making one-on-one direct asks for big gifts?

In my experience, the number one obstacle to effective fundraising is discomfort with money – especially asking someone else for a gift. This is not a minor attitudinal quirk. Organizations in which Board members and staff don’t want to ask for money one-on-one are likely to raise funds through more indirect methods – which are not as effective as face-to-face requests.

Don’t let fear hamper your organization’s fiscal health.

2. Do I tell my friends and family about my organization’s work in a manner that motivates them to make gifts?

For many people uncomfortable with fundraising – and some who are – friends and family are off limits when it comes to raising money – unless it’s asking them to participate in an event. They fear hurting the friendship, or having their request be denied.

Remember: Fundraising is about spreading enthusiasm for your organization’s great work. So psych up your friends about your work. Then, asking them for a gift will feel less like begging (which should have nothing to do with fundraising anyway), and more like sharing in an exciting endeavor.

Your best prospects are those closest to an organization – that is, those who already know and love the work you do. Since no one is closer than family and friends, make sure they know what your organization does and how it helps change the world.

3. Do we have a fundraising program that includes more than grants and event admissions?

Research shows that one-on-one asks raise more money over time than any other method. Avoid it at your organization’s peril.

4. Do I keep in touch with our major donors as often as I think is necessary?

When I worked as a development director I frequently reminded myself that my number one job was building relationships with donors. Stephen Covey described a quadrant describing tasks, and used it to point out that many of us spend most of our time on the “most important and urgent” tasks like crises, and on the “not important and urgent” tasks like non-important interruptions, Emails and meetings.

If an activity lacks a sense of urgency it often ends up at the bottom of our “to do” lists. These can include “most important and not urgent” tasks like mailing a donor an article you think might interest them, sending a donor a birthday card, or just picking up the phone to tell them about your organization’s latest achievement.

Strive to spend your time on what’s important, not just on what is urgent.

To learn more about Deborah Dover and other consultants in GIFT's Consultant Directory click here.