Andrew Gillette

In fundraising, it is crucial not only to tell but show your donors how their contributions are making a difference within your mission and vision. You must communicate your organization’s impact to your donors regularly and effectively so they are more likely to encourage repeat donations. A donor impact letter is a key tool to accomplish this task. Check out my recent post on how and why you should build donor impact letters into your organization’s communication mix. https://lnkd.in/e_wt2iHK #fundraising #nonprofits

12

Do all capital campaigns need a fundraising consultant? Read on to learn about different types of fundraising counsel and how they can benefit your organization! #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

1

How are you measuring question #2? With budgets getting scaled back given the fundraising performance so far in 2024, getting increased questions on the goal/ambition for the low-dollar program. In this case, giving under $1000. Any questions you’re getting now that you would add to this list? #NonprofitFundraising #fundraising #data

1

📣 Funding/Grant Opportunity. There will be 160 awards of $10,000 for 501c(3)s. Grants For Good: Areas of impact include, but are not limited to: Financial stability, Community Stability, Community health and wellness

4

Hey fundraising friends! Are you CFRE- curious? Join us on May 16 to learn more about what a CFRE can do for you and how you can get yours!

2

Join my team! Orr Group is #hiring a Director of Capacity Building to lead client teams, develop impactful strategies, and drive growth for mission-driven organizations. Let me know if you or something you know would be interested in applying! As a current Director on the Capacity Building team, I'm happy to answer any questions and chat more. #nonprofitcareers

1

Being "good at fundraising" ≠ a great fundraising leader ❌ Successful fundraisers are really great at doing a whole host of things, including asking the following: ::: How do you collaborate with the CEO and understand their strategy? ::: How do you routinely engage with the program leads? ::: How do you leverage the Board of Directors? ::: How do you partner with the Finance Team? ::: How do you set aside time for donor stewardship? ::: How do you manage your fundraising team beyond dollars raised? i.e. other ways to define "success"? Agree? What else is critical for great fundraising leaders to ask? ___________ #nonprofit #charity #nonprofitlife

32

4 Comments

Okay, folks, this is it! If your diocese is looking for some fresh ideas around how to make communicating quick, easy and painless - both for you and your parishes - be sure to attend Monday's webinar. We've learned so much from the first 15 dioceses to bring Catholic Social Media to their parishes in the last year. You're about to discover what really works, what really reaches the most people, and how those 15 dioceses did it. See you there! #catholic #socialmedia #communications https://lnkd.in/gNsXDmSF

13

"Show me the money" is what a lot of nonprofit agencies are saying to funders and donors. Their response is "show me the data!" If you want to increase your funding, you need to share impactful data that represents the people you are serving and the transformation and collaboration in your communities. Learn how our case management software can help prove your impact to funders! 📺 https://lnkd.in/grNmDVAg

2

Create Board-Donor Engagement Opportunities ... Direct involvement with donors can significantly enrich board members' understanding of donor expectations and the impact of personal engagement. Organizing opportunities for board members to participate in donor visits or to make thank-you calls can provide them with firsthand experience in donor relations. Such interactions can also highlight the importance of their role in stewardship and the cultivation of long-term donor relationships. Training in effective communication and donor engagement strategies can further enhance their ability to contribute during these interactions. Regular participation in these activities can help board members become more effective and enthusiastic fundraisers. #fundraising #nonprofits

1

Grants Simplified, Success Amplified With Instrumentl, your grant work becomes effortless. Prospect, track, manage and succeed – all from one user-friendly platform. https://lnkd.in/efwVPvGY

5

Test to Confirm Impact and Eliminate Variables Fundraisers test to determine if changes to their fundraising strategies have the intended impact. Rigorous testing also eliminates external variables that could skew the results. Without testing, fundraisers risk making changes that unintentionally decrease revenue or alienate donors. To test properly, fundraisers must state a hypothesis A hypothesis would be be “adding a $500 option to our donation page will increase the average gift amount.” The null hypothesis is that the change will have no effect or decrease revenue. Statistical testing aims to disprove the null hypothesis with a high degree of confidence, like 95-99%. Measuring results requires determining a margin of error, like +/- 3%, based on the sample size. A larger sample size means a smaller margin of error and higher confidence in the results. For multivariate testing of several variables at once, the sample size must increase to account for more possible outcomes. Back-testing uses historical data to build models that predict future outcomes. Divide donors into groups, building models based on one group and testing them on the other. This confirms the model works for that donor base before applying it broadly. While “best practices” provide a starting point, fundraisers must test them. A tactic that works for some groups could alienate others, gradually eliminating them. Testing also considers donor segments to avoid negatively impacting any group. Though testing sounds complicated, basic tools can run simple A/B tests. Focus on effect size, like whether results exceed the margin of error, more than statistical significance. For small donor populations like major donors, smaller sample sizes may still yield useful insights. Testing requires time and resources, but so does making uninformed changes that reduce revenue. As fundraising becomes more data-driven, testing is key to developing evidence-based strategies tailored to each organization’s unique donor base. Fundraisers must test to determine true impact, eliminate variables, and avoid blindly adopting “best practices” that do not serve their donors or mission. Overall, testing leads to more sustainable growth and impact.

1

1 Comment

I can not say enough about Sarah Staiger and Laura Vitelli and their coaching. Their Values Based Major Giving Academy has been the single most valuable professional development I’ve done. It equipped me to lean into relational fundraising with confidence and authenticity. If you are curious about CCF but struggle conceptualizing it in practice, check out this FREE webinar, and stay tuned for the next iteration of the Values Based Major Giving Academy.

4

2 Comments

Are you considering all the costs involved in your program budget? Don't get caught off guard by unexpected expenses! From marketing to transportation, utilities to staffing, there are many factors to consider. Learn how to properly account for all costs in your program's grant proposal to show funders your agency is intentional and realistic about achieving success. https://lnkd.in/eZDV4dWm #grantproposals #programbudget #nonprofitfunding

2