Twelve Tips From a Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant

Celebrating four year of Altrui and I have tips for fundraising professionals.

I love being in the world of nonprofit fundraising.

It’s been four years since I left my last position in leading a fundraising team.

Altrui has been a dream for me.

In the last four years I have worked with dozens of nonprofits, mostly in missions around domestic violence, youth experiencing homelssness, immigrants, refugees, and animal rights.

Keep this in mind as you review the upcoming tips.

Here are some tips for those on nonprofit fundraising teams:

If you are part of a fundraising team (not solo), be transparent with your challenges and needs.

Do not add revenue to a budget you’re being asked to create unless you know how you can meet that budget, or come close.

Use the phone. Call donors, board members, volunteers; any stakeholders.

Don’t waste peoples’ time with email. Be clear and to the point with why you are emailing and what you need from them or what information you are providing.

Don’t waste peoples’ time in meetings, or with unnecessary meetings.

If you ask for volunteers for an event or project, make sure each volunteer has plenty to do.

If you work with donors, plan face-to-face time with them. It’s amazing.

If you supervise people, remember that their professional growth is your responsibility. Keep them always learning and always growing.

Always remember that data is your friend and collaborator. Do your part in keeping your donor data clean. And spread the word to the importance of this.

Do not compare how you are feeling on the inside to how people are expressing themsleves on the outside. You will almost always come up short.

You do not have to know everything in regards to nonprofit fundraising, but know enough of all of the arenas to be supportive of donors.

Fundraising is about relationships, not money.

I hope you find these helpful!

If you enjoyed this post, check out this one: https://altrui.org/fundraising-tip-the-automatic-thank-you-email-does-not-count/

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your friends and colleagues. Be kind.