Category: Development Work
Sharing is Not Always Caring: 3 Considerations for Donors’ Contact Information
For better or worse, nonprofit organizations can and do share their mailing lists with other organizations. The decision to share or not is one that should not be taken lightly, and there are at least three major considerations that need to be addressed.
The CFRE: Worthwhile or Not? (Part 2 of 2)
I applaud what CFRE International is trying to do, as I believe in accountability for fundraisers. I also believe in accountability for the certification process, and if the CFRE is to grow in its recognition as an industry standard, and be taken seriously, then it must introduce greater rigor into the process.
The CFRE: Worthwhile or Not? (Part 1 of 2)
There has been a lot of discussion among fundraisers, both online and around the water cooler, about the CFRE credential, whether or not it has merit, whether it is credentialism run amok, or worse, a scam. While @CFREx’s comparison on Twitter of the CFRE to the sinking Titanic is a bit overblown, there are a number of reasoned critiques out there that do make some valid points.
4 Must-Dos to Handle Donor Information with Respect and Confidentiality
The sixth tenet of the Donor’s Bill of Rights says donors have the right “…to be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.” A failure to treat donors with respect and safeguard their information can be disastrous to the relationship. All philanthropy is based on trust, and once the trust is gone there is nothing left. Safeguarding donor information is not just the law, it is vital to the success of the organization.
Don’t be Like Pigs at the Trough, Say “Thank You” To Donors
It ought to go without saying. When someone offers you something, and you accept it, you say, “thank you.” It’s just common sense, and yet it never ceases to amaze how uncommon common sense has become. Sadly, many nonprofits act like pigs at the proverbial trough, greedily snorting up all the resources donors put in front of them without ever acknowledging the generosity of their gifts.
Keep Donors Informed: Open Up the Books
Donors cannot make informed decisions about how and where to give their money if they cannot get a sense of the financial health of an organization. Nonprofits that are on the up and up should have no trouble disclosing basic financial information.
Donor Rights and the Nonprofit Board
Donors can only evaluate an organization’s ability to operate ethically if they have reasonable access to information about who the leaders are, and their operational track record. For this reason, the Donor’s Bill of Rights calls for organizations to be open about the identities of their board members.
Don’t Hide Your Hand From Your Donors
Donors have the right to know an organization’s mission, how it intends to use unrestricted funds, and whether or not it has the capability to follow through on its promises.
Thou Shalt Not Kiss-Off Donor Intent
Alumni/Development work is always and everywhere about relationships. Relationships take time to build and are based on trust. Building trust by honoring donor intent might seem like good old-fashioned common sense. The problem is, common sense isn’t so common anymore.
A Guided Tour of the Donor’s Bill of Rights
Any philanthropy professional worth his or her salt is, or should be, on intimate terms with the Donor Bill of Rights. It outlines the backbone of trust, which lies at the heart of all philanthropy, and organizations who ignore these tenets do so at their peril.
The Value of Margin in Alumni/Development Work (and life!)
One of the most overlooked productivity hacks has to do with the concept of margin. That is, creating space in your workflow for not actively working on a project. That might seem counterintuitive, but building in empty space is actually integral to the overall project management process.
Student Satisfaction and Alumni Giving: 7 Strategies for Engagement
There is a strong correlation between student satisfaction and alumni giving. Here are 7 ways advancment can help ensure greater student satisfaction on campus.
