Just Ask - Rethinking Development

You asked, you waited. Still no decision. What could be holding up a major donor’s decision? Perhaps you need to suggest a ‘contingent pledge.’ Here’s how it works.

Development can be a grind. When you work for a non-profit, there will never be a time when your mission no longer needs funding. Add on a substantial campaign, and you’re already full schedule is about to expand. The grind can takes it toll. But as Father Henry Nouwen once said, “Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry.” That said, how can we as fundraisers not lose sight of the ultimate end? How can we fundraise without losing our soul?

Have you ever spent considerable time convincing someone of an idea or a beneficial partnership? Chances are, if you’re a fundraiser, this is part of you’re job description. But, you can actually save yourself time and hassle by first asking the question: am I trying to convince the wrong person? Listen as Bryan shares why your proposals might be falling on deaf ears.

A common problem within the fundraising world is the attachment of donors to individuals rather than organizations. Greg highlights the problem a non-profit founder can face when all the best donors are their own direct contacts. How do you build better organizational relationships with donors that go beyond their friendship with any one individual? Listen as Greg shares tangible ways to address this dilemma.

Is diversity always a good thing? It depends upon your definition. Greg talks about what is the actual Catholic understanding of diversity as well as how the distorted modern view of diversity is affecting our Catholic institutions.

Greg and Bryan continue their conversation on the changing Catholic donor base and what this means for your non-profit.

What will happen to the Catholic donor base over the next 15-20 years? It is no secret that younger Americans are becoming less and less religiously affiliated. At the same time, the most supportive Catholic benefactors are getting older. In part one of a two part series, Greg and Bryan discuss why there is an imminent cash flow crisis coming to Catholic non-profits.

When a need to raise considerable funds comes up, you’ll most likely look to hire a consultant. The question then becomes, we do you trust? Before you blindly choose the big shiny firm, Bryan and Greg invite you to stop and ask a few common sense questions. It just might save your non-profit time and money.

How do you know when it’s time to cancel the event? You know the one. It’s the one that comes up annually and your organization has been doing it for years. But, is it really worth the time, energy, and resources to have the event? Bryan and Greg tackle the reasons why you should or should not have a fundraising event.

As fundraisers, we like to ask questions like, “how are we going to raise the money?” Unfortunately, we too often don’t ask a related question: should we raise the money? Bryan and Greg discuss what you need to do in order to be sure you are raising money for the right project.