At first glance, the state of philanthropy in the United States appears strong. The second decade of the century has seemingly proved beyond doubt the resilience and adaptability of the American philanthropic model — one which the rest of the world continues to emulate. While the global financial crisis of 2008/2009 roiled the philanthropic community and severely dented overall … [More]
Optimizing the Role of the CEO in Fundraising
Today’s nonprofit CEOs and presidents are expected to set the strategic direction of the organization, ensure organizational efficiency and accountability, inform and be answerable to the board and key stakeholders, and serve as the public face of the organization. With so much on their plate, it may seem logical to delegate the responsibility for fund development to the chief … [More]
Beyond People and Place – to Purpose
Appealing to aspirational and transformational donors requires moving beyond typical prospect development — moving beyond simply looking at people and place — to purpose. Ask any competent development professional how to enhance fundraising performance, and he will tell you to work prospects from the inside out. Typically, this involves focusing on people — those within an … [More]
Measuring Success
Tracking success is at the core of creating a culture of evaluation within a nonprofit organization, where program decisions are made based on facts rather than impressions, hopes and wishes. When a philanthropic foundation reviews the performance of its investment portfolio, it looks at its financial return on investment, the calculation of which is dollar-based and clear … [More]
Need to Amp Up Your Creativity, Efficiency and Productivity Fast? Outsource!
It takes a lot to keep a nonprofit organization at the top of its game. Just like for-profit companies, not-for-profits are concerned with the financial bottom line, operational efficiencies, human resource regulations — and more. Not-for-profits have an extra layer of scrutiny many for-profits don’t. They report to more than just their shareholders; their performance is … [More]
Communicate the Transformative Impact with Social Return on Investment
For nonprofits, communicating impact and value is crucial. While most businesses answer to a select group of owners, investors and shareholders, nonprofits must justify their existence and performance to a wide range of stakeholders. Donors, program partners, volunteers, board members, legislators, clients and local leaders all want constant assurances that their time, money … [More]
The New Tax Law
The recent overhaul to our nation’s tax code has many of our clients expressing confusion and concern about how these changes will affect their fundraising efforts. Using the analysis provided in a recent whitepaper by Robert Sharpe of The Sharpe Group, and The Phoenix Philanthropy Group’s own perspective, we hope to combat misinformation and provide some clarity for what … [More]
Engaging a Fundraising Consultant – the Why and the How
As nonprofit board members and professionals, it can be hard to ask for help. Emotion, pride and passion can be difficult and often cloud the more practical pursuit of enhanced business performance. Additionally, in a sector that often prides itself on making do with less, the idea of “scaling” programmatic and fundraising performance — and paying an outside consultant to lead … [More]
Philanthropy on the Rise – for a Third Consecutive Year!
As this year’s “Giving USA Annual Report on Philanthropy” notes, 2016 was certainly an unusual year for giving in the United States. Between a tumultuous and all-encompassing election and increasing societal tension, it wouldn’t have been too surprising to see an off-year for philanthropy. Instead, we saw the opposite! Total giving increased for the third consecutive year, … [More]
Avoiding the Operational Black Hole
“There is not enough time in the day to get my job done.” It’s a complaint echoed by a majority of fundraising leaders. For many who have risen through the ranks as chief development officers — or even CEOs — it often boils down to an excess of time spent on operations. Unused to managing people and processes, new leaders can become mired in operations tasks, often … [More]
Cultivating Mobile Philanthropists
Don Budinger, chairman and founding director of The Rodel Foundation of Arizona, supports Arizona’s public K-12 schools through a variety of programs. His philanthropic endeavors extend nationally to the communities where his business, Rodel Inc. — now part of Dow — grew its manufacturing facilities and, more broadly, to national public education issues. Budinger is among a … [More]
Life After a Campaign
Life after a successful campaign is filled with rewards and benefits. New buildings, improved facilities, innovative programming, expanded services, research and scholarships, and working capital infuse nonprofits with a sense of momentum. Campaigns also bring enhanced visibility, strengthened reputation and increased community impact that makes future fundraising less … [More]
Quiet Does Not Mean Silent
Today’s comprehensive fundraising campaigns often include a quiet phase before going public. But what does quiet really mean to executives who sit on nonprofit boards? “The quiet phase is really about growing your circle of influence every quarter and progressively amplifying what you are doing to achieve your strategic plan,” says Lori Bachand, Sacramento State’s associate … [More]
The Art and Science of Fundraising Campaigns
Successful fundraising campaigns don’t happen without planning. In the early stages, they draw heavily upon discipline, rigor, organizational tools and processes — the science of good campaigns. Art also plays a crucial role — the art of adaptation and fluidity. No one knows that more than San Diego State University’s Mary Ruth Carleton, vice president of university … [More]
Transforming the Nonprofit
When Darlene Newsom, CEO of Phoenix-based UMOM, the largest shelter for homeless families in Arizona, tackled a $25 million campaign in 2006, she — along with her board — aimed to reach more families and expand services through the creation of a new facility. What she didn’t expect were the myriad additional benefits a successful campaign could generate. “Not only were we … [More]
Usher Gratitude into the New Year
The year is drawing to a close — a time of reflection for individuals and organizations alike. With that reflection often come resolutions: to focus on health, to raise more fundraising dollars, to make a greater impact on the lives of others. But what about “to be more grateful”? It’s not generally at the top of the resolution list. Science, however, is proving that a focus … [More]
Donor Stewardship Done Right
Stewardship: (noun) stew·ard·ship \ˈstü-ərd-ˌship\ — the activity or job of protecting and being responsible for something. What exactly does stewardship mean to a nonprofit and its donors — and to the corporate executives sitting on the nonprofit boards they serve? Aside from assuming custody of gifts, managing them and applying those resources responsibly toward the … [More]
Discovering Great Donors
Narrow and arbitrary. These terms are best reserved for the Southwest’s meandering streams and deep-cut canyons — not a nonprofit’s donor prospect strategy. And yet many organizations think in narrow and arbitrary terms when it comes to prospect research, screening and qualification. Some nonprofits incorrectly assume wealthy donors are the only donors. They also limit their … [More]
