Real Talk for Real Fundraisers

If you think universities have it all figured out with major gift  fundraising, you’d be very wrong. In fact, at most of the higher education institutions where Veritus has conducted data assessments, they’re performing terribly. Universities have resources. They have dozens (if not hundreds) of major gift officers, researchers, and stewardship officers. And yet what we find is that they don’t have real relationships with donors and  alumni. Some of them are still raising millions if not billions of dollars… yet they could be doing so much better! In this episode, Richard and Jeff talk about their experiences with university major gift programs, tell stories about their MGOs, what their challenges are, and ultimately what can be done to turn those programs around.

Are you concerned that the donors on your file are too old? Are you scrambling to get younger donors? Don’t be. In major gifts and planned giving, the vast majority of your revenue will come from donors who are 55 and older. So why is everyone  so enamored with younger donors? This episode teaches you why older donors should be the bread and butter of your major gift program – and why you shouldn’t be anxious about finding  younger donors.

This episode sheds light on some of the craziest misconceptions we’ve heard from leaders and managers about major gifts, and what you can do as a major gift officer to help educate them and set them straight. Major gift fundraising is too important to be left to folks who don’t know what they’re doing. There’s too much riding on your organization’s future not to know how a major gift program should be run correctly. Get inspired to help your manager or non-profit leader understand how major gifts actually works.

Most of the time, when we ask a major gift fundraiser what the Return on Investment (ROI) of their portfolio is, we get nothing but a blank stare – and then a look of panic. Well, you don’t have to panic. In this episode, Richard and Jeff talk about how to calculate your ROI. They tell you what’s acceptable for a new portfolio vs. a mature one. They discuss how it should grow over time, and they let managers and leaders know it takes TIME to develop. Then they list 12 reasons why there is low ROI in many major gift portfolios. Richard and Jeff go over what you can do to avoid these pitfalls so that you can realize net revenue and ROI growth, year after year.

To serve your major donors outrageously, you have to know your programs and projects so well that you’re able to inspire those donors to make a significant gift to your organization. The most effective and best way to do that is to get to know the people behind those programs. These are the program, finance, HR, and executive team that are passionate about your organization’s mission. In this episode, Richard and Jeff have some great tips for how you can do this.

Major gift fundraising has a problem: MGOs are leaving their non-profits after only 1.8 years on the job! How can they build lasting relationships with donors that way? In this episode, Richard and Jeff discuss why people are leaving, and how managers can work with MGOs to keep successful, experienced staff intact.

In the last decade there's been a lot of talk about building a culture of philanthropy. But who's actually doing it? And what does it actually take to do it? In this episode, Richard and Jeff interview Mark Rovner, the founding principal of SeaChange and a much sought-after keynote speaker. Mark will give you some great ideas on how YOU can help change your non-profit’s culture, how to be effective in doing it, and how not to lose hope in the process.

Is your organization considering creating a capital campaign in the near future? Before you spend a bunch of time, energy and money on it, you have to listen to Richard and Jeff talk with Amy Eisenstein, the CEO and Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Toolkit. Amy has a unique approach to capital campaigns, one that could save you thousands of dollars if you heed her advice. She has some really good questions for you to answer as you consider whether or not you should start a campaign. She also gives you tips and advice for what not to do. Please listen closely and alert your CEO and board to what Amy has to say. It could be the best advice you get all year.

Do you wonder what it will take to take your major gift program to another level?  The answer is not about some new strategy or innovation. The answer to bringing more net revenue from your major gift program is to get to know your donors so well you know their passion and interests and why they have them. If you know those and why, you can match that up with everything your organization does to change the world. In this podcast episode, Richard and Jeff talk about your knowing your donor’s passions and interests; they have many stories to share that highlight why it’s so important.

How do you create compelling donor offers that will result in gifts that are significant, or even transformational? In this episode, Richard and Jeff talk with legendary fundraiser, copy-editor and author Tom Ahern about how he helps clients reach donors and motivate them to action.