Where you need to focus your fundraising this year end
Back in 2007, we were heading into the make-or-break last 8 weeks of the year at the small shop where I was leading fundraising.
Like a lot of organizations, we were dependent on special events and the associated revenues from ticket sales, sponsorships, and silent auctions.
And in every phone call, meeting, letter and email, I heard the same news.
"I’m sorry…we’ve had to cut back”.
“It’s just not in the budget this year.”
“We’ve had to reallocate our spending…”
I was devastated. And I didn’t know it then, we were entering into the first weeks of the Great Recession. And by the end of the year, we’d lose close to 50% of our largest source of fundraising revenue.
But every cloud has a silver lining - because here’s what I started noticing:
Our growing community of individual donors were stepping up to the plate.
Despite tough times – or perhaps because of them – these folks were giving from their hearts, moved to dig a little deeper, and donating more than ever before.
By the time 2007 came to a close, our revenue from individual donors had increased by more than 30% - protecting us from what could’ve been a deadly blow.
I don’t think I’d ever been more relieved – or excited! – in my fundraising career.
This was such a crucial learning experience – because I realized that focusing on individual donors, and doing the right things with individual major donors, was the path to the consistent and reliable revenue we needed for our mission.
Having a proven plan to raise more major gifts for your mission is even more important in times of crisis - and is going to be absolutely critical for your year end fundraising in 2020.
In my program Major Gift Master Plan, I teach the most up to date, high-level strategies behind successful major gift fundraising - and more importantly, you’ll also have it broken down into a step-by-step execution guide that leaves nothing out, and takes nothing for granted.
But here’s the thing: every time I close the doors to Major Gift Master Plan, I inevitably get a bunch of emails from ambitious fundraisers and nonprofit leaders who missed the opportunity to join.
(Even after sending what sometimes feels like more emails than even an organized gal like me can keep track of.)
I don’t want you to miss this opportunity. So even though the doors to Major Gift Master Plan don’t open until September, I’m here to remind you to save the date.
⇒ Open up your calendar, jump to September, and add “Major Gift Master Plan is OPEN” to Wednesday, September 16th.
(And if you want to get first access, be sure to join the waitlist - spots will be limited, and this is the last time I’m opening the program until 2021).
I hope you're one of the first students I welcome in September!
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