Fundraising is Beautiful

Fundraising is a specialized form of communication. It's just plain odd in many ways. In this first part of a three-part series on the conventions and norms of fundraising, we look at the the way fundraising copy is written, and why it contains so much of these things:

• Urgency
• Emotion
• Low-grade reading level
• Repetition
• A P.S.
• Length
• Conversational approach
• Direct style

If you're someone who must okay fundraising copy, if you're writing fundraising copy, or if you hope to do either some day, this podcast will be a goldmine of practical information for you.

It's pretty simple, really: Fundraising works when it's relevant to donors. When it's not relevant, people ignore it. Using the recent Haiti earthquake as an example, we look at what makes a situation relevant, and what you can do to increase that relevance to your donors -- even if you don't raise money for natural disasters.

A look at what's going well, what's not, and what we need to know as the nonprofit world responds to the catastrophic January 12 Haiti Earthquake. Includes ideas for fundraisers who are not connected to the disaster.

Here are four truths about fundraising that can transform the way you approach this beautiful profession:

1. Fundraising is good for donors.
2. Fundraising is a lot like courtship.
3. Fundraising is about your donors, not you.
4. Fundraising is a science.

(The facts we cite about the impact of giving on giver are taken from the book Who Really Cares by Arthur C. Brooks.)

Happy Holidays, and the best to you in the coming year!

Here are ten practical things you can do -- starting today -- that will make you into a better fundraiser:

1. Donate.
2. Send and receive snail-mail.
3. Sign up for lots of email from other nonprofits.
4. Participate in online social networking sites.
5. Hang around with older people.
6. Become aware of the cultural context of your audience.
7. Go to church.
8. Read the popular press.
9. Pay attention to how you ask people for favors.
10. Work at becoming a better writer.

You can start doing some of these things today. Don't miss this super-practical podcast!

In this episode we interview Chris Doyle, President and CEO of American Leprosy Missions, an organization that's leading the fight against leprosy around the world. Back in the mid-90s, when Doyle joined, the organization was in an accelerating downward slide. Learn about the steps Doyle and American Leprosy Missions took to turn the corner and return to health. It's an inspiring story that shows what you can do by getting the basics right.

Okay, you've cried, you've pleaded, you've made your case. But there's no way around it: You have to cut your fundraising budget. Find out the area you can cut with little damage to your program, the areas where cuts would be devastating, and areas where you can make meaningful savings. We can't make the cuts feel good, but we can keep them from hurting your program too much.

Don't miss this interview with fundraising legend Mal Warwick, author of the recent book Fundraising When Money Is Tight (as well as many other books on fundraising). Find out how to survive the recession -- including the biggest mistake you can make.

An interview with Cass Wheeler, former CEO of the American Heart Association and author of the new book You've Gotta Have Heart: Achieving Purpose Beyond Profit in the Social Sector (available at Amazon and at Powell's). Don't miss what this wise CEO has to say about people who are good at fundraising, how to make sure you get the right people, how to set bold goals, and how the right people with audacious goals can radically change a whole organization.

An interview with Troy Stremler, CEO of Newdea, a company that helps nonprofits measure and report the impact of their programs. Troy sees a big change in the new generation of donors: They don't want to be "marketed to" -- they want to be partners with the organizations they support. If he's right (and we think he is), that means we're going to need a radical new level of transparency, being able to report on the impact of their involvement, rather than trying to motivate them with the tired old stream of branding activities and low-involvement fundraising tactics we've relied on. This program will encourage and/or terrify you!