Author Archive

A Campaign Deferred Is a Campaign Defeated

by Tony Poderis · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Organizing campaigns 
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Disasters and crises can occur anywhere, at any time. Hopefully they won’t have the impact of mega-disasters such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks or of 2005′s hurricane Katrina. However, even disasters of considerably less magnitude can impede the fund-raising efforts of non-profit organizations located in areas where they occur. Flood, drought, storm, and [...]

In the Beginning

by Tony Poderis · 4 Comments
Filed under: Fund-raising planning 
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All fund-raising campaigns must begin with a realization that the organization needs money, usually voiced to the person charged with fund-raising as, “We need to raise $________.” The amount varies, but once accepted it becomes the Goal. Whether the effort is to be the regular clockwork of an annual campaign or a one-shot designed to [...]

The Fallacy of Financial Ratios: Why Outcome Evaluation Is the Better Gauge of Grant Worthiness

by Tony Poderis · Leave a Comment
Filed under: After the campaign 
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Talk of developing a system to evaluate the sustainability of non-profit organizations has been on the rise. Centered around measuring outcomes in terms of percentages or ratios, the goal of such a system appears to be twofold: To create a filter that will allow grantmakers to quickly assess and compare the overall ability of non-profit [...]

Designing a Communications Plan to Enhance Your Fund-Raising Campaign

by Tony Poderis · 2 Comments
Filed under: Managing campaigns 
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Don’t Confuse a “Communications Plan” with a “Marketing Plan” A well-conceived communications plan will be essential to the success of your campaign, especially in the case of a broad-based effort that is directed to the general public. As components of this plan, the case for support, campaign brochure, and publicity plan will create an awareness [...]

Tapping the Philanthropic Well

by Tony Poderis · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Sources & prospects 
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Principal Fund-Raising Myth It’s common knowledge that corporations and foundations give most of the money to non-profit organizations Principal Fund-Raising Truth You go where money you think you can get is to be found in the greatest quantities and most of the time that means you look to the individual donor No fund-raising campaign should [...]

Nine basic truths of fund-raising

by Tony Poderis · 5 Comments
Filed under: Fund-raising planning 
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The nine basic truths of fund-raising listed below are taken from the introduction to my book It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise, and they are the foundation of my successful career as a development officer for and consultant to nonprofit organizations. Organizations are not entitled to support; they must earn it. Successful fund-raising is not [...]

Corporate Matching of Employees’ Gifts to Your Organization

by Tony Poderis & Joyce Braun Poderis · 3 Comments
Filed under: Sources & prospects 
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A number of resources provide listings of companies having gift programs that match contributions made by their employees to non-profit organizations. According to the grantor’s guidelines, such matching funds could be general in nature for support of almost any type of accredited non-profit favored by an employee, or a company might limit its matching funds, [...]

Making The Development Office a Fund-Raising “Clearinghouse”

by Tony Poderis · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Managing campaigns 
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(It Makes for a More Perfect Fund-raising World) Introduction The fund-raising “left hand” not knowing what the “right hand” is doing when it comes to who is asking whom for how much, for which purpose, and when, has always been a common dilemma for non-profit organizations. So it was with mine. As I began my [...]

Nonprofit Fund-Raising Demystified

by Tony Poderis · 10 Comments
Filed under: Fund-raising planning 
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When it comes to fund-raising, there are truths and myths. The truths illuminate the path to success. The myths speak with the dark voice of “conventional wisdom” of what can’t be done and won’t work. Throughout my career I have had to overcome three myths of fund-raising that would have me give up before I [...]

How to Recruit Your Volunteer Fund-Raising Team

by Tony Poderis · 4 Comments
Filed under: Organizing campaigns 
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Volunteers are the lifeblood of a development operation, and trustees are the most important volunteers of all. The trustees approve an organization’s budget and they must accept personal responsibility for raising called-for contributed income. They are expected to set the pace in giving, recruiting other volunteers, and soliciting major donors. Too often I have been [...]

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