Retention is one of the Big 5 KPIs to measure, but why is it so important? A 10 percent improvement in attrition can yield up to a 200 percent increase in projected value, as with lower attrition significantly more donors upgrade their giving, give in multiple ways, recommend others, and, ultimately, perhaps, pledge a planned … Continue reading Donor Retention: What Do We Know & What Can Nonprofits Do about It?
The BIG 5 in fundraising performance metrics
Reinier Spruit discusses how we're in the relationship building business and how we need to measure and register every response. Ironically, we must quantify the relations with our donors, so we can improve the quality of the contact we have with them. There are a ton of metrics we can track, and should track, like … Continue reading The BIG 5 in fundraising performance metrics
Charity governance, finance and resilience: 15 questions trustees should ask
To deliver against their duties, charity trustees need to be able to identify the critical issues - the charity’s purposes and plans, its solvency, its resilience and quality of governance - and to be able to review these at regular intervals. In this post, the Charity Commission has designed 15 questions to help charity trustees … Continue reading Charity governance, finance and resilience: 15 questions trustees should ask
What working on the easy-read Trustee Guide taught me about making trusteeship more accessible
Dan Francis from the NCVO shares key findings from the Good Trustee Guide. Amongst the recommendations, Dan discusses how to make boards more diverse, accessible and make inductions less complex. https://blogs.ncvo.org.uk/2016/12/09/what-working-on-the-easy-read-trustee-guide-taught-me-about-making-trusteeship-more-accessible/
Nonprofit Board Members Have The Potential To Become Great Ambassadors!
Nonprofit board members have the potential to be exceptional ambassadors for the charity. However, finding the time to coach board members in the art of putting the organization’s public face on view can be tricky. In some cases, the CEO simply doesn’t encourage contact between the board and staff. At other times, they fail to … Continue reading Nonprofit Board Members Have The Potential To Become Great Ambassadors!
7 key considerations before you embark on major donor fundraising
Major donor fundraising is not about quick wins. Instead, careful and considered relationship building between key stakeholders can support the process in much more effective terms. How can this be achieved and institutional expectations met? UKFundraising comes to the rescue with 7 key considerations to make. https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/02/03/7-key-considerations-before-you-embark-on-major-donor-fundraising/
How To Get Better At Saying “No”
Do you always find yourself saying "yes" to requests and then wondering what to do? While it is always worth being helpful, not delivering on promises made isn't being helpful either. In this blog, Mikaela Kiner provides helpful thoughts on how to say "no". Food for thought. https://www.fastcompany.com/40561649/how-to-get-better-at-saying-no
The change imperative
When deciding on what to focus your time on, it's also important to understand what makes you or your cause distinctive. The change imperative helps you to manage your competitive position. In this insight written while developing the book "The challenge of being distinctive", Susannah Baker explains her thinking. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-imperative-susannah-baker
Why You Should Try to Be a Little More Scarce
This is a valuable article on how being too busy or scarce makes you more valuable to your colleagues and clients. People want more of what they can't have, thanks to the psychology of "reactance". Cindy Lamothe explains in this article from the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/18/smarter-living/benefits-of-being-scarce.html
Is Your Project Urgent or Important?
How do you cope when others decide which of your tasks take priority? Some tasks seem important and others come by that need your immediate attention. Urgent tasks out us in a reactive mode, so how can we become better at spotting the longer-term important tasks? Fundraising author, speaker and consultant Lynne Wester provides useful … Continue reading Is Your Project Urgent or Important?
Propper Fundraising 