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What follows is excerpted from my book “Major Gifts 101.” The heart of your faith-based organization is in the right place. You want to follow the teachings of your religion and apply them to your missions and goals to better the world. Having heart — and faith — behind a mission mean there’s a foundation in […]

Was your outgoing mail tray full this past Valentine’s Day? Did you have bundles of cards going out for Easter? These were perfect days to let others who have helped you in your business or nonprofit know you appreciate them. It goes without saying you remember your clients, of course! But do you also thank

Fundraising is more art than science. Creative relationship building is key to successfully raising major gift support. Overwhelmingly, philanthropists gravitate to organizations based on personal relationships, not because they received an unsolicited appeal in the mail.Working in some of the most competitive fundraising markets in the United States, I have discovered the campaigns surpassing goals

Interacting with business leaders and influential people can be daunting, especially in more formal settings. Brush up on your etiquette before you attend a function that might be out of the norm of your routine. For leaders and representatives of states and nations, there are certain protocols, and they’re usually spelled out for their guests

Here’s a “personal touch” strategy you won’t hear discussed much: Thanking someone’s parents for the great job they did bring up a successful kid. Mother’s Day rolls around every May, followed in June by Father’s Day; those are great times to try it. A real-life example The story has been going around about PepsiCo’s CEO,