The fifth and final mistake I see many nonprofits make is not having an annual fundraising plan. They set their budget goals, but don’t actually break down those goals into some kind of action plan. In fact, I see lots of organizations that set a budget goal that’s higher than last year, but then proceed…

“We have to start planning the gala for next year!” These are dreaded words. Many people I know who work in fundraising can’t stand special events. Others see them as a necessary evil. Some of the reasons fundraisers don’t like special events include: they take too much time, they are the same thing every year…

Now I’ve got your attention. How can finding new donors be a mistake? When you spend more time and money on finding those new donors than you spend on cultivating your existing donors. Acquisition of new donors is always more expensive than cultivating the donors you have. Every organization needs to have opportunities for new…