The Ultimate Guide to a Successful Capital Campaign
Your capital campaign has the potential to raise huge funds–if you set it up for success. Here’s what you need to know to create a successful campaign. Your organization needs to raise money for a project. Big money. The kind of money that makes or breaks a project. So, you’re preparing to undertake a capital […]
Why Training is Critical for Higher Education Fundraising
As a higher education institution, you already have a steep fundraising challenge ahead of you with resistant Millennial alumni. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And while you may be sending students back to school in person, families are wary of risking their children’s safety, and alumni don’t look kindly on unnecessary health risks. Above all, […]
25 Essential habits of Successful board members
In all your actions, integrity rules. You hold in trust the mission of your organization. You never lose sight that your organization is in the business of changing lives or saving lives. You create an atmosphere of excellence. You continually push for greater success. You’re willing to leave the Comfort Zone. You’re passionate about your […]
6 Ways to Turn Your Board Members into Storytellers
For the boards I have served on and the boards I have coached, it has become self-evident that the more board members become storytellers, the more money they will raise. So how do board members become better storytellers? While serving on boards and coaching other boards toward success, I have found six truths consistently rise […]
The Benefits of Hosting a Virtual Fundraiser
2020 changed the way we think about a lot of things. From spending time with others to the concept of workspace to even setting foot outside our own front doors, the world looks different this year. And in an organization whose fundraising is built on relationships, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, a […]
How to Talk to Donors in Challenging Times
When the going gets tough, your donors are your bedrock. They’re what keeps your organization afloat. The problem is knowing how to communicate with donors successfully at a time when donors are less inclined to give. The good news is you can solicit donations from donors during challenging times. Better still, there are ways to […]
Lessons we can learn from Grandchildren
I am “Papa Bill” to nine grandchildren, age 14 to 1 month. They are all remarkable, of course, and the relationship I have with them is dear to me. The relationship I had with my grandparents was special but different from what I want with my grandchildren. My grandparents were distant in geography and connections. […]
4 truths for leaders to remember about taking action
As BrightDot works with teams during this Covid-19 period, I encounter more and more hesitancy to take action. It is as if many development professionals are paralyzed by limiting beliefs…reasons this is not the right time to act. Act meaning engaging with donors, cultivating them through move management, and asking them to invest. As I […]
15 Ways to Thank Your Donors
When the dust settles on your fundraising campaign and your donors showed up to support you, the next stage of work begins: thanking your donors for their generous contributions. After all, a thank you is the best marketing that isn’t marketing. It shows your donors that you’re paying attention and their contributions matter, no matter […]
