Comments on: Sounds like Life to Me http://www.asmallchange.net/sounds-like-life-to-me/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sounds-like-life-to-me Making Sense of Fundraising Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brenna http://www.asmallchange.net/sounds-like-life-to-me/#comment-696 Brenna Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:40:42 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=788#comment-696 I agree with your post. Wake up and give a little! I agree with your post. Wake up and give a little!

]]> By: Matthew Bregman http://www.asmallchange.net/sounds-like-life-to-me/#comment-695 Matthew Bregman Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:23:14 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=788#comment-695 Right on, Jason. The funny thing is that there is never a moment when anyone in fundraising says "wow, things are easy these days." Fundraising is always hard. And certainly organizations need to be realistic about their goals. But that said, billions of dollars will be given away every year to someone. Those who push forward with resilience will surely do better than those looking for an excuse to give up. Right on, Jason.

The funny thing is that there is never a moment when anyone in fundraising says “wow, things are easy these days.”

Fundraising is always hard. And certainly organizations need to be realistic about their goals.

But that said, billions of dollars will be given away every year to someone. Those who push forward with resilience will surely do better than those looking for an excuse to give up.

]]> By: Steve Sullivan http://www.asmallchange.net/sounds-like-life-to-me/#comment-694 Steve Sullivan Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:48:19 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=788#comment-694 I think we should look at this as a time of opportunity, not of throwing out the wheel as Jason rightly notes. It's a time to get better at what we do, a time to really make the extra effort to get to know our donors, to build relationships, to thank them for support in good times and in bad times, to stick with them like we want them to stick with us, to spend more time giving them concrete examples of what their gifts accomplish, even involving them in the work. Nonprofits who put their shoulder to the grindstone to do the best job they can will be the ones best positioned with the market improves and gifts flow once more. They'll be the first to get the first gifts, they'll stand out as the ones who are the best investment. And make no mistake, when the donors come back they are more and more going to want to know how their gift is going to make a difference. I think by looking at the opportunities we can create and grow a positive energy that will sustain us and weed out those who probably weren't that effective all along. I think we should look at this as a time of opportunity, not of throwing out the wheel as Jason rightly notes. It’s a time to get better at what we do, a time to really make the extra effort to get to know our donors, to build relationships, to thank them for support in good times and in bad times, to stick with them like we want them to stick with us, to spend more time giving them concrete examples of what their gifts accomplish, even involving them in the work. Nonprofits who put their shoulder to the grindstone to do the best job they can will be the ones best positioned with the market improves and gifts flow once more. They’ll be the first to get the first gifts, they’ll stand out as the ones who are the best investment. And make no mistake, when the donors come back they are more and more going to want to know how their gift is going to make a difference. I think by looking at the opportunities we can create and grow a positive energy that will sustain us and weed out those who probably weren’t that effective all along.

]]> By: Joe Garecht http://www.asmallchange.net/sounds-like-life-to-me/#comment-693 Joe Garecht Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:14:38 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=788#comment-693 You're absolutely right - too often, "the economy" is used an excuse when the real answer is "we don't have deep enough relationships with our donors," or "we don't have enough breadth of donors," or "we are special event, bake sale, or gimmick-driven." Stewardship and cultivation really are key. Donors need to feel like they know your organization intimately. If they do, they will count you as family, and family doesn't get cut off, even in a recession. You’re absolutely right – too often, “the economy” is used an excuse when the real answer is “we don’t have deep enough relationships with our donors,” or “we don’t have enough breadth of donors,” or “we are special event, bake sale, or gimmick-driven.”

Stewardship and cultivation really are key. Donors need to feel like they know your organization intimately. If they do, they will count you as family, and family doesn’t get cut off, even in a recession.

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