Intermediate Fundraising

Increase Your Fundraising Knowledge.

You’re in the right place. Let’s increase your fundraising knowledge.

Donors don’t give to institutions. They invest in ideas and people in whom they believe.

G.T. Smith

Who is this site for?

BECOME AN EXCELLENT FUNDRAISER.

YOU can be an excellent fundraiser!

This site is for anyone with a passion for a cause. Perhaps you’ve been fundraising for some time, or maybe you have been working in development but need to learn more about digital marketing, or even, perhaps, you have a passion for a cause and just want to learn how to help raise more money, if so, this site is for you.

I’ve created this site to teach you the art and science of fundraising. Articles and training videos are categorized and rated by level of experience, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. No matter your starting point, you will be able to learn how to be an excellent fundraiser.

Natural born fundraiser is a myth. You can learn the skill of fundraising and raise millions of dollars for your favorite cause. I want to show you how.

What skills will you learn?

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FUNDRAISING.

Fundraising is similar to other industries: there are specific skills you will learn to become a great fundraiser.

From understanding the motivations to why people give to writing fundraising copy that converts, as someone new to fundraising, you’ll need to understand the psychology of the donor and how to present your fundraising campaign. You’ll also need technical skills for managing a donor database, analyzing results, and creating tests to optimize performance.

You will learn how direct mail differs from digital, how to perform direct mail donor acquisition programs and how we’ve adapted those acquisition programs online.

Using the foundation of your existing fundraising skills and knowledge, you will learn how to write better appeals, developer deeper donor relationships, take advantage of cutting edge fundraising techniques, and produce a world class marketing and fundraising program at your nonprofit.

What should I read first?

LEARN MORE ABOUT FUNDRAISING.

Retention Tactics for Midlevel Donors

Discover how to effectively retain midlevel donors by building strong relationships, offering exclusive benefits, and implementing continuous stewardship strategies that ensure long-term support and commitment to your nonprofit’s mission.

Top 10 Tips for Convincing Donors to Commit Monthly

Discover 10 proven strategies to transform one-time supporters into loyal monthly donors, boosting your nonprofit’s impact and financial stability – all without breaking the bank or overwhelming your team.

Get More Donations from Your Nonprofit Leads Through an Email Welcome Series

A well-crafted, 5-part email welcome series is a powerful tool for nonprofit organizations to engage new leads, build trust, and effectively convert them into loyal donors by providing value, sharing impact stories, and making compelling donation appeals.

Write a Great Fundraising Appeal Using ChatGPT

Discover how to leverage the efficiency, creativity, and customization capabilities of ChatGPT to craft compelling fundraising appeals that resonate with diverse donor demographics.

25 “Wow” Moments for Donors

Discover 25 innovative ways to create unforgettable “wow” moments for your nonprofit’s donors that deepen their connection and commitment to your cause. This article offers a variety of ideas to engage, inspire, and show appreciation to your supporters, ensuring they remain enthusiastic partners in your mission.

10 Tips to a Wildly Successful Monthly Giving Program

Monthly donors are an important part of any nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. By committing to give on a regular basis, monthly donors provide a stead source of funding that can be used to support programs and services. Discover 10 tips for a wildly successful monthly giving program.

Create a Case Statement that Converts Donors

A well-crafted case statement is an essential tool for any nonprofit fundraising leader. By following these tips, you can create a case statement that will convert more donors and help further your mission.

12 Best Practices to Help You Write Successful Email Appeals

Email appeals are a vital tool in any fundraiser’s toolkit. They provide an easy and affordable way to reach large numbers of supporters with your message. Here are 12 best practices to help you write great email appeals that will engage and inspire your supporters.

6 Steps to Build Trust with Your Donors

As a fundraiser, one of your primary goals is to build trust with your donors. But what does that mean, exactly? And how can you go about doing it?

Go from Good to Great with Your Fundraising Emails

Let’s explore the basics of writing great fundraising emails that convert.

5 Great Year End Fundraising Ideas

The holidays are on their way, and it’s time to start thinking about the year end fundraising. Whether you want to increase your donations, get new donors involved or create some buzz around your organization with a campaign that will last until the end of the year, there are plenty of ideas that will work for you.

How to Transition Fundraising Events to Virtual Events

For many organizations, the crisis surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus is drastically and negatively impacting our fundraising. For organizations hosting physical fundraising events, many are being forced to cancel the event. Learn how to move a physical fundraising event, such as a race, gala, or fundraising auction, to online.