It’s time for the last post of 2016. It’s very appropriate that this post is all about saying thank you…
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEWARDSHIP
While so much of the work of a development officers is securing a gift, the most important part of the process comes after the gift is made. A good stewardship program is more than saying thank you. It’s about showing the impact a donor’s gift made. It’s about drawing a donor deeper into the mission of an organization. It’s about connecting the donor to your organization’s vision for the future.
How might you shape up your stewardship program in 2017?
Resolution: Think Like a Donor
A lot of the nonprofits we work with are well-established organizations. They have a good grip on best practices and they execute the basic principles of fundraising well. But just as a start up can shake up a whole industry, so can a new nonprofit teach all of us old hands a few things.... Read More.
Checkbooks and Calendars
As some of you may know, this past year has been really rough on the Berglund family and me personally. Over the last seven months I’ve lost both my father and my mother. I was blessed with wonderful parents and enjoyed a great relationship with both... Read More.
A Tale of Two Letters
In this series, the DBD Team will take a deeper look at some of the axioms we use when working with our clients. In today’s blog, Michele Goodrich reflects on our axiom: “The best cultivation is a great gift-giving experience.” Read More
How To Treat a Friend
As we travel the country doing feasibility studies, one thing we encounter almost every time, is a donor who cannot be interviewed because they are upset with the organization for not appropriately recognizing their contribution during the last capital campaign... Read More
Ownership
Few things compare to coming home to a dog so full of love that it makes you feel like the most important person in the world.
For me that dog is Tucker.
His tail starts wagging as soon as I pull into the driveway and he sees me from across the yard... Read More
Do Good Anyway
During this holiday season, I wanted to share an inspiring story that speaks to the heart of leadership.
At the age of 19, a friend of mine was a sophomore at Harvard and made a long-forgotten speech to his classmates... Read More
Thank YOU for being a reader of the Donor By Design blog in 2016. We write these blogs in an effort to share what we’re learning with our clients and friends in the nonprofit world. We hope you find it helpful and we look forward to providing new insights and stories in 2017! Happy New Year!