Fundraising & donors for your organization.
Practical articles on fundraising & donors for the everyday work of your organization.
122 articles · 8 topics · For your everyday work
Articles: Fundraising & donors
Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: How Small Nonprofits Start
Start a planned giving program: bequests, beneficiary designations, gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts and DAFs explained, plus a legacy society plan.
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Fundraising Email Templates: Appeals, Sequences and Examples
Six fundraising email templates plus how to segment your list, plan a launch-to-thank-you sequence, write subject lines, follow CAN-SPAM basics and measure.
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Grant Writing for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Funded
Learn grant writing step by step: find the right funders, register for federal grants, write each proposal section, avoid common mistakes and report well.
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How to Ask for Donations: Scripts, Steps and Follow-Up
Learn how to ask for donations with confidence: prepare, ask in person, by phone, email or letter, handle no and maybe, and follow up. Scripts included.
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Major Donors: How to Identify, Cultivate and Steward Them
Build a major donor program: set your major gift level, find prospects in your own data, use wealth screening responsibly, run moves management and steward.
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Donor Acquisition: How to Find First-Time Donors Who Stay
Plan donor acquisition that pays off: pick channels, write a first-gift offer, calculate cost per new and retained donor, onboard new donors and test results.
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How to Run a Silent Auction: In-Person and Online Guide
Run a silent auction that raises more: item procurement, bid sheets, online bidding, checkout, and IRS valuation and acknowledgment rules for buyers and donors.
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Donor Impact Report: What to Include, Formats and a Sample Outline
Create a donor impact report that shows what gifts achieved: structure, data and stories, formats, a sample outline, cadence and a year-end fundraising report.
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Annual Fund Campaign: How to Plan Goals, Appeals and Reporting
Plan an annual fund campaign: how it differs from other campaigns, a goal built from your donor file, the donor pyramid, a 12-month calendar and reporting.
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Nonprofit Fundraising Plan: 7 Steps, Example and Template
Build a nonprofit fundraising plan: set a goal from your budget, choose a revenue mix, segment donors, map a calendar and budget. USD example and template.
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How to Plan a Fundraising Gala: Timeline, Budget and Program
Plan a fundraising gala step by step: a 12-month timeline, a sample USD budget, committees, run of show, paddle raise and IRS disclosure rules for gala tickets.
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Donation Page Best Practices: Anatomy, Amounts and Testing
Build a donation page that converts: page anatomy, suggested amounts, an honest monthly option, trust signals, mobile and accessibility checks, and testing.
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Direct Mail Fundraising: Lists, Letters, Costs and Response Math
Plan a direct mail fundraising appeal: build the list, write the letter and reply device, test, calculate costs and response, and check USPS nonprofit rules.
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Giving Tuesday Ideas: 24 Ways to Plan, Promote and Follow Up
Giving Tuesday ideas for US nonprofits, clubs and associations: how the date works, a 10-week plan, honest matching gifts, 24 ideas and the follow-up after.
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Year-End Giving Campaign: A Plan From October to December 31
Plan your year-end giving campaign: an October to December timeline, donor segments, channels, IRS deadline rules for December 31 gifts and January receipts.
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Donor Data Hygiene: How to Keep Your Donor Database Clean
Keep donor data clean: set data standards, merge duplicates, update addresses with NCOA, honor opt-outs, set record retention rules and run a regular audit.
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Donation Receipt Template: IRS Requirements and Free Samples
Write donation receipts that meet IRS rules: what $250+ acknowledgments must say, quid pro quo disclosures, in-kind gifts, annual statements and templates.
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Sponsorship Request Letter: How to Write One + Templates
Write a sponsorship request letter that gets a meeting: structure, personalization, templates for events, teams and community programs, plus a follow-up plan.
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Donor Recognition: Giving Levels, Donor Walls and a Policy Template
Plan donor recognition that gets every name right: giving levels and societies, donor walls, naming rights, anonymity, soft credits and a policy template.
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Community-Centric Fundraising: Principles and Practice
What community-centric fundraising means, how it differs from donor-centric fundraising, its 10 principles in brief, and practical steps for your nonprofit.
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