Archive for the ‘Get Fully Funded’ Category

Donor-based fundraising is a key to raising big money and it’s a critical factor in the Get Fully Funded system. Here’s a short video where I talk about donor-based fundraising.

Whether they know it or not, everyone in your organization is part of the fundraising process.  So you may as well be purposeful about involving them.

From the person who answers the phone to the volunteer coordinator to the person on the front lines, everyone interacts with the public at some point.  This interaction gives an impression of your organization.  If your staff is friendly and warm, people get a positive impression and they’ll be much more likely to give when the time comes.  If they have a sour impression of your staff as grouchy or uncaring, they may not want to support your organization financially.  Put yourself in the donor’s shoes – how does the overall attitude of the nonprofit’s staff affect your interest in giving?

Train your staff (and volunteers) to look at everyone they interact with as a potential million dollar donor.  It’ll shift their perspective for the better!

Got a great fundraising tip??  Share it here for a chance to win a Kindle.  It’s just part of the launch of my new book “Get Fully Funded:  How to Raise the Money of Your Dreams.”  Catch all the launch party details at www.getfullyfunded.com/launch-party.

Becoming a successful Fundraiser isn’t necessarily easy, but it is simple. I’ve done it and I’ve coached many, many people through it.

The nonprofit clients I work with privately see results within the first few months. Here’s what they do to be successful:

• They take ACTION and implement the steps of the system.
• They get really good at telling their story to lots of people.
• They create a written plan for fundraising.
• They get out there and spread the word about their cause.
• They learn how to say “no” to things that don’t help them raise money.
• They work smarter, not harder.
• They create systems to make their work easier.
• They develop deep and lasting relationships with key supporters and donors.
• They create diverse revenue streams from a variety of fundraising strategies.
• They thank every donor, every time, and do a fantastic job of it.
• They track where their fundraising dollars are being spent and where the most money is being raised.
• They regularly review their fundraising plan and make adjustments as needed.

The most important thing they do?  They take ACTION.  They do.  They implement.  They don’t sit around and think too long or suffer from analysis paralysis.  They try things out.  And they get results.

Want to get results too?  Join us this Friday, Sep 30 as we launch my new book “Get Fully Funded.”  Get the details for the day-long party on my website at www.getfullyfunded.com

Having a compelling mission is a key to Getting Fully Funded. Watch this short video as I explain what a compelling mission is.

It’s tough being a perfectionist. We like everything to be just right before we call it finished. The only problem is that it can take a really long time to get to the finish line. And with some projects, we never do.

In the world of fundraising, it’s lethal. For example, if you’re writing a grant, there comes a point at which it must be submitted. If you’re a perfectionist, it’s tough calling it done when you suspect there may be a tweak or two still needed.

My suggestion? Something I learned from my quilting friends – “Done is better than perfect.” It means that sometimes, it’s better to call something finished than to spend lots of time with the niggly little things trying to make them perfect when in reality they’re already good enough. With a quilt, you can take things apart and re-sew them so many times that the fabric will literally unravel. With a fundraising task, there definitely comes a point of diminishing returns. In other words, the last few tweaks you make probably don’t make much of a difference at all.

To be a successful fundraiser, you need to be able to move fast. You need to be able to get clear about what needs to be done and just do it. Do the best you can in the time you have, let it go, and move on, knowing that it’s good enough.

Are you ready? We launch next Friday! Speaking of being a perfectionist, it’s been tough for me to release details about the party because I want everything to be just right. Here’s some of what you can expect: At 1:00 pm eastern, I’m leading a free webinar called “The Get Fully Funded System: 7 Simple Steps to Raising All the Money You Need.” Beginning at 10 am eastern and going to 8 pm eastern, it’s a Twitter-palooza! We’ll be using the hashtag #GFFBook to talk about the book all day and we’ll be giving away free copies to those who use the tag. Starting Monday here on the blog, we’ll be taking your best tips for fundraising. Next Friday, we’ll draw a winner from the tipsters and give away a Kindle and a copy of the ebook. Cool? There’s more to come, so stay tuned!

One of the gifts I’ll be giving away to those who purchase the new Get Fully Funded book next week is a special report called “100 Best Web Resources for Nonprofits.”  There are SO many great websites out there and I want to be sure my readers know about them and use them.  Here are a few that are included in the report.

https://twitter.com/#!/nptweets  Keep up with tweets about the nonprofit world, including #nonprofit, #charity, #causes, #volunteer, and #philanthropy. 

www.volunteerspot.com  Need an online resource for organizing your volunteers?  Look no further!  Lots of resources here, too.

http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/  Very cool site with resources to help you fund your work in supporting women.

www.501c3university.org  New site with comprehensive offerings for online training.  Very affordable!

www.microgiving.com  Want to try crowdsourcing to fund your work?  Check out this site.

We’re just about a week away from launching “Get Fully Funded: How to Raise the Money of Your Dreams.”  And I can’t wait!  If you’re in East Tennessee, we’re having a special preview party and book signing at the Cedar Bluff Library in West Knoxville on Thursday, September 29 from 5  – 6:30 pm.  Drop by and have a cupcake with us, and get your copy of the book!

If you’re a card-carrying member of the “Ain’t It Awful” club, it’s time to drop your membership. Especially if you want to raise money. Membership in the club is given to people who

• complain about how hard fundraising is
• whine about how bad the economy is
• blame the economy for their lackluster fundraising results
• always compare their nonprofit to others
• see their nonprofit as small (“we’re just a small nonprofit”)

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that mindset and attitude are everything, especially in fundraising.  If you see fundraising as hard or a necessary evil, guess what your experience is going to be?  You’ve got to change your thinking.  Look at fundraising as this:  you’re giving people in the community the chance to partner with your nonprofit to change the lives of the people your organization serves.  Simple, but extremely effective.

So, starting today, drop your membership in the “Ain’t It Awful” club.  Take responsibility for your fundraising results.  Change your attitude. And you’ll see your results blossom and grow.

Want to learn more about mindset and fundraising?  It’s a big part of the Get Fully Funded system.  The book officially launches next Friday and we’re so excited to bring it to you!!  Stay tuned for information about how you can get your copy.  And in the meantime, enjoy the 30 days of tips here on the Get Fully Funded blog.

Let me speak to those of you who are founders for a moment.  You know who you are – you started a nonprofit because you saw a need that needed to be met and felt a spart in your heart to do something about it.

I want you to remember that spark for when times get hard. Sometimes when we are following a dream, we can experience bumpy roads.  Things don’t always go as planned.  Sometimes there are detours and sometimes we get confused about what we’re doing, wondering if we’re doing the right thing.  When you start to feel this way, go back to the spark.  Go back to the reason you started the nonprofit in the first place.

Remember that there are people out there waiting for you to offer services so they can be helped.  In fact, your nonprofit is probably the answer to many prayers.  That’s why you can’t give up and you can’t quit.  When the going gets tough, keep going.

One day, you’ll be able to look back and see your path.  You’ll be so proud of what you’ve accomplished and the many lives you’ve impacted.  And you’ll be glad you stayed focused.

Want help making your nonprofit dreams a reality?  We’re launching my new book “Get Fully Funded:  How to Raise the Money of Your Dreams” on September 30.  In it, you’ll find all the steps you need to take to raise big money for your nonprofit.  Stay tuned for more details. coming very soon!  And until then, enjoy the 30 Days of Tips right here on the Get Fully Funded blog.

Here’s a quick tip that I shared with a group that I worked with this week.  It’s about doing the best you can, no matter what you’re doing.

It comes from a quote that I learned from my business coach Fabienne Fredrickson.  Here it is:

“How you do anything is how you do everything.”

Simple, yet profound.  What it means is that if you are sloppy in one area of your work, you are probably sloppy in every area of your work.  If you are detail-oriented with one thing, you’re probably detail-oriented in everyting you do.

I use this to catch myself doing something I don’t really want to do, like taking shortcuts or procrastinating.  When I catch myself, I ask myself where else am I doing this?  There’s usually somewhere.

Take some time to think about this and how it might apply to you and your work.

We’re less than 2 weeks away from the official launch of “Get Fully Funded: How to Raise the Money of Your Dreams.”  In it, you’ll find all the tips, proesses, and worksheets to help you raise more money than you ever have before.  Stay tuned for more details!

People give for all kinds of reasons. Most new or inexperienced fundraisers believe that people give for the tax benefit. Usually, that’s one of the last reasons why someone gives. Here are some of the most common reasons for giving:

• They want to help someone.
• They feel moved by someone’s story.
• They believe in the organization’s goals.
• They want to give back.
• They want to feel good about themselves.
• They want to belong to a group.
• They give for religious reasons.
• They give because it’s a family tradition.
• They want the tax deduction.

More people give for one single reason than any other – simply, because someone asked.

The most important thing is that you try to uncover the reasons why people give to your nonprofit organization, particularly your major donors. You can do this in lots of different ways like using a written or online survey, a focus group, or simply asking in person. The more you understand why someone gives, the more you can tailor your request to their personal reasons, and increasing the likelihood of receiving a gift.

It’ll be here soon! The day that we unveil my new book “Get Fully Funded.” Enjoy the 30 days of tips leading up the book launch party!