Future Fundraising Now

Category: Fundraising

  • The 7 deadly sins of nonprofit storytelling [PODCAST]

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Here are seven common storytelling sins that make your story ineffective: It’s about you, not your donor. It doesn’t have conflict. The problem is too big. It’s a story about success, not need. It’s over-written. It’s too hard to read. It’s aimed at the wrong audience. From the archives of the now-defunct podcast Fundraising Is…

  • What’s wrong with this donor newsletter?

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Let me show you what’s in a nonprofit newsletter I just got. I’ve changed the name of the organization to “Springfield Legal Aid” to disguise its identity, but here are the headlines of the articles in the newsletter that was sent to donors: What’s missing from this newsletter? The donor! This newsletter, like so many…

  • 7 things that make your fundraising junk mail

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Are you sending out junk mail? I hope not. Junk mail is in the eye of the recipient, of course, but it usually means dumb, intrusive, irrelevant mail for causes you don’t want to give to. Here are some common ways your best attempts might be turning into junk mail when they hit mailboxes and…

  • It’s not the election, silly!

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Here’s something that will be happening at nonprofit fundraising and board meetings around the US in the coming weeks and months: The painful truth will be shared: Fundraising results are down. Then a ray of light shines out. No real hope for coming improvement, but much-needed absolution… Giving was down because of the midterm election.…

  • Top 5 blog posts of the month

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Here are the 5 most-read Future Fundraising Now blog posts of the month of October: Looking for some really good (and specific) advice for your fundraising? Book a FREE consultation with Sean Triner of Moceanic. Sean knows his stuff, and can help you find your way forward.

  • 5 secrets to fundraising happiness

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    (This post first appeared on March 18, 2020.)

  • The power of fellowship for fundraisers

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Years ago, I had something of incalculable value. And I didn’t fully realize it until it was gone. I’m talking about my years at The Domain Group, a fundraising agency based in Seattle. What I had was a fellowship — a group of like-minded people with a shared dedication to make something great happen. It…

  • Terrifying your fundraising organization

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Back in the 1960s, there was a sort of “revolution” in advertising. It became more “creative,” more conceptual, less about copy, more about image. One of the mottos that came from that era: It’s not a great campaign unless it makes the blood drain from the client’s face. Is that a good guiding principle? Should…

  • Why we talk about difficult things in fundraising

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    One of the most difficult tasks for fundraisers is vividly describing the problem their organization exists to solve. It almost feels indecent to focus on what is a terrible situation. (It’s even called, by some, “poverty porn.” It also often feels like an admission of their own failure to focus on the problem. And it…

  • 5 questions never to ask in your fundraising

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    Jeff Brooks
    in

    Asking someone as question is a time-honored way to strike up a conversation. What about those Seahawks? or Cold enough for you? People ask questions like these because they can work to start a conversation. I think that’s why so many fundraising messages start with a question. They shouldn’t. Not usually. Here are some question…