"The Fundraising Guru"

National Bestselling Fundraising book/ebook

2011-09-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Now available--as a book & an ebook: 30 Days to Successful Fundraising can improve every nonprofit's fundraising strategies. Increase your effectiveness. Get ALL your board members and staff literally "on the same page." More than a book, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising is every nonprofit's fundraising training manual.

Order your standard book version now!

Don't wait! Order your Kindle edition--this minute!

Nonprofits: When to tell donors to go to hell

2011-07-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

Nonprofits: Don't get shafted!
Sometimes a gift ain't worth the grief
by Stephen L. Goldstein, email: trendsman@aol.com

Forewarned is forearmed: Fundraisers are in the business of raising money. But you should never put yourself or your nonprofit at risk of being taken in by a donor. Everyone salivates at the prospect of any contribution. There's nothing like the thrill of telling your boss that you've landed a major contribution--or announcing one at a board meeting. So naturally, you never want to say No to a gift or discourage a potential donor--except when you have to.

Here are some tips to follow so you don't wind up with the short end of the stick:

1. Never take a verbal promise for any gift, especially if an amount is pledged over time. You must have legally binding documents to support your claims to a funder's contribution. If an amount is to be paid after a donor's death, you will be in major trouble if you haven't dotted ever i and crossed every t in your favor.

2. Never publicize a gift until you have received it in full or until you have an unshakable agreement for it's being paid--and I mean UNSHAKABLE. Resist the temptation to talk about or formally publicize a gift until it has been signed, sealed, and delivered. It is only natural for you to want to shout about receiving a gift--particularly a major one. But don't make the potentially fatal mistake of rushing into publicity.

3. Never accept a gift that costs your nonprofit more than its worth. For example, the restrictions that a donor may place on a contribution or the liabilities that may come with it may make it necessary for you to incur expenses that you would not have had otherwise. A gift of a collection of ancient coins to a historical museum may be interesting but impractial to receive because of prohibitive insurance costs. Sometimes, you must say No.

4. When a donation clearly benefits the donor more than your nonprofit, sometimes a simple NO isn't the answer. If someone tries to pressure you, someone higher up in your organization, or a board member, sometimes, you've got to tell them to go to hell. People who would try to use a nonprofit for their financial advantage don't deserve better.

Fundraising is hell! Donors can be DEVILS!

2011-07-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

Put "donors from hell" through hell
by Stephen L. Goldstein

It was December, the time of year when “donors from hell” look around for every piece of junk they can find to dump on nonprofits and turn into tax deductions solely for their benefit. They are officially called gifts-in-kind and may really be anything—even good stuff from truly generous and caring people, a far cry from junk. But too often, they are the philanthropic equivalent of road-kill and a rip-off on the IRS.

The phone call, one of several in an unusually busy year for end-of-year garbage donations, came from a long-time friend and supporter of the university for which I was working. The prominent entrepreneur told me that his company could no longer use one of its computers and he wanted to donate it to us.

I immediately knew what he was up to, of course, and I wasn’t in the mood to indulge him or anybody else. We needed all the help we could get and I was offended that he was playing us for suckers.

So, I decided to jerk him around. I asked him if we were talking about giving us a relatively new, usable piece of equipment. He replied euphemistically that it was “vintage.” “Oh, well then, does it have historic value?” I continued, tightening the noose around his tight-wad neck. “Not really,” he answered, sheepishly.

I then told him that the only way we could accept an old (forget vintage) computer was if it had historic value—one of the first PCs, for example. But even then, I added, we didn’t have a technology museum and, from the sound of it, even if we did, it didn’t have exhibit value.

Then, like a bullfighter leveling a mortal blow, I said, “Old equipment is of no value to an educational institution. We need state-of-the-art computers on which to teach students.” But then I told him that if he were willing to write a check so that we could buy at least one new computer for our computer lab, I would be happy to take his old one. As I expected, he said that he wasn’t interested.

I handled this dumper ad hoc. But nonprofit boards need to have clear policies on the acceptance of gifts, especially gifts-in-kind. They need to make abundantly clear that they are not in the garbage business—unless they are—and that the only gifts they will accept are those that are legitimate. Unless they do, they are party to a fraud—no less culpable than self-serving donors.
Labels: board policies, donor fraud, gifts-in-kind

Most board members fail nonprofits as fundraisers!

2011-01-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Train your board members in how to be successful fundraisers. Don't fall into the trap of letting your board members off the hook when it comes to supporting your nonprofit. The need to Give and GET the moneys you need to accomplish your mission.

Do your board members a favor and TRAIN them in fundraising. Get them ALL on the SAME page by ordering a copy of the nationwide bestseller 30 Days to Successful Fundraising for each of them: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=30+days+to+successful+fundraising.

Then, proceed through the program TOGETHER to increase your fundraising success! Order right now!

Fundraising is hell! Donors can be DEVILS!

2010-12-29T07:55:00.000-08:00

Put "donors from hell" through hell
by Stephen L. Goldstein

It was December, the time of year when “donors from hell” look around for every piece of junk they can find to dump on nonprofits and turn into tax deductions solely for their benefit. They are officially called gifts-in-kind and may really be anything—even good stuff from truly generous and caring people, a far cry from junk. But too often, they are the philanthropic equivalent of road-kill and a rip-off on the IRS.

The phone call, one of several in an unusually busy year for end-of-year garbage donations, came from a long-time friend and supporter of the university for which I was working. The prominent entrepreneur told me that his company could no longer use one of its computers and he wanted to donate it to us.

I immediately knew what he was up to, of course, and I wasn’t in the mood to indulge him or anybody else. We needed all the help we could get and I was offended that he was playing us for suckers.

So, I decided to jerk him around. I asked him if we were talking about giving us a relatively new, usable piece of equipment. He replied euphemistically that it was “vintage.” “Oh, well then, does it have historic value?” I continued, tightening the noose around his tight-wad neck. “Not really,” he answered, sheepishly.

I then told him that the only way we could accept an old (forget vintage) computer was if it had historic value—one of the first PCs, for example. But even then, I added, we didn’t have a technology museum and, from the sound of it, even if we did, it didn’t have exhibit value.

Then, like a bullfighter leveling a mortal blow, I said, “Old equipment is of no value to an educational institution. We need state-of-the-art computers on which to teach students.” But then I told him that if he were willing to write a check so that we could buy at least one new computer for our computer lab, I would be happy to take his old one. As I expected, he said that he wasn’t interested.

I handled this dumper ad hoc. But nonprofit boards need to have clear policies on the acceptance of gifts, especially gifts-in-kind. They need to make abundantly clear that they are not in the garbage business—unless they are—and that the only gifts they will accept are those that are legitimate. Unless they do, they are party to a fraud—no less culpable than self-serving donors.

Nonprofits: When to tell donors to go to hell

2010-11-17T05:43:00.000-08:00

Fundraising without Words

2010-10-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

Who could say No to a face like this?

It's your visuals, stupid!

by Stephen L. Goldstein

1. The biggest mistake fundraisers make is to depend upon words to get their message across.

2. Do you want to inspire, intrigue, and motivate your donors? Say it in pictures!

3. Try this exercise. Find 3 visuals that sum up your fundraising message.

4. Next, ask 5 different people what they "say" to them.

5. If their perceptions of the visuals match what you're trying to "say," put their, and your, thoughts into words to go with the visuals.

6. If they don't, find other visuals and repeat the process until the visuals suggest what you want them to.

2010-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

Self-Taught/Fundraising™

The 5 Formulas
for Fundraising Success

Level I-1

A “patented,” self-paced program
specially designed for
nonprofit board members,
fundraising staff,
& volunteers

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
The Nonprofit Fundraising Institute
Educational Marketing Services, Inc.

Copyright, 2008, Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced
in any form without the written consent of the copyright holder.

e-mail: trendsman@aol.com

Self-Taught/Fundraising™:
The Concept

I.1 Self-Taught/Fundraising™ meets the unique needs of nonprofit fundraisers.

I.2 It saves you time and money. Your board, staff, and volunteers get “on the same page” cost-effectively.

I.3 The program pinpoints proven formulas, strategies, and tactics for nonprofit success.

I.4 You will find down-to-earth, practical advice.

I.5 Self-Taught/Fundraising™ is 100% interactive.

I.6 You master the material at your own pace.

I.7 To ensure your success, you benchmark yourself and your nonprofit through constructive self-assessments.

I.8 Self-Taught/Fundraising™ consists of guided experiences intended to lead to concrete action-plans—specifically to benefit you and your nonprofit.

I.9 You can tailor the material to your unique situation and needs.

I.10 Self-Taught/Fundraising™ is designed to help nonprofits implement positive change—on their terms.

II. Introduction:
Use the 5 formulas to power
your fundraising success

II.1 Don’t let anybody kid you. Fundraising is an art, but it is also a “science.” The most successful fundraisers follow powerful formulas—consciously or unconsciously.

II.2 People who aren’t “clued in” think of fundraising primarily as activities. They fall into 3 categories: “scribes,” “orchestrators,” and “friend-makers.” Mistakenly, all of them just DO fundraising. They make their jobs harder by not consciously using the 5 formulas to make their “doing” wildly successful.

II.3 For example, “scribe” fundraisers “do” fundraising by looking for “the right” words.

II.4 “Scribes” spend countless hours racking their brains for the phrase or phrases to convince others to make contributions to their favored cause.

II.5 At other times, they believe their “open sesame,” magic phrase, visited them in a moment of inspired illumination.

II.6 Either way, once they find their words, they test them out on others.

II.7 You know the process. Together, everyone involved drafts and redrafts “the” message.

II.8 “Orchestrator” fundraisers look for the perfect event.

II.9 Orchestrators spend their time debating whether a golf tournament or a tennis match will raise the most money.

II.10 Other orchestrators opt to hold ambitious galas. For them, doing/finding the right combination of hotel, invitation, honoree, and food is the key to raising the most money.

II.11 “Friend-maker” fundraisers insist that fundraising is about relationships.

II.12 Friend-makers spend their time getting to know as many people as they can personally, building a network of potential contributors—one by one.

II.13 Scribes, orchestrators, and friend-makers are all correct: At the secondary level, successful fundraising is based upon activities: words, events, and personal relationships.

II.14 But at the primary, or “foundational” level, 5 powerful formulas make it easier to find the right words, events, and personal relationships.

II.15 Just as there is a formula for calculating the circumference of a circle and another for gravitational pull, there are numerical formulas for successful fundraising.

II.16 Master the 5 power formulas and your words, events, and personal relationships will achieve the greatest power.

Power Formula 1: B x 10 = FT

“Never be involved in a cause that has weak leaders.”
--Dr. David Salten

“A nonprofit will only be as successful as its board.”
--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Question: “What are the 5 traits of effective nonprofit leaders?”
1________________________________________________________

2________________________________________________________

3________________________________________________________

4________________________________________________________

5________________________________________________________

Power Formula 1: B x 10 = FT
Create a board that “tens”!

1.1 Ask (too) many people associated with (too) many nonprofits how much money they think they can raise in a fundraising cycle and usually they’ll smile and answer, “As much as we can.” How silly!

1.2 Typically, nonprofits operate on a wing-and-a-prayer and live out of hope—that “the money will somehow come.” After all, they think, “we’re doing good so somehow good things should happen to us.” Right!

1.3 In addition, my guess is that even if they know better, most nonprofit boards resist anything to do with establishing realistic goals for fear of under-motivating paid staff—or boxing themselves in.

1.4 Even worse, too often, when boards put a number on how much they need or want to raise, they set an unrealistic, “stretch” goal.

1.5 Then, having set pie-in-the-sky parameters for their success, they give marching orders to paid staff to meet it. And staff are afraid to challenge their board’s unrealistic expectations.

1.6 In other words, fundraising is typically based upon unrealistic assumptions and expectations. No one thinks that there may actually be a formula to apply to answer the question, “How much money CAN we raise?”
.7 So here is a standard against which every nonprofit can set a realistic yearly fundraising goal: An organization’s “Fundraising Threshold” (FT) is equal to the amount of money its board personally donates annually times 10.

1.8 In other words, if the board of nonprofit X collectively contributes $100,000, it is reasonable to expect that it can raise $1.1 million yearly.

1.9 Of course, in some years, an organization may have a windfall—a major gift from an estate, for example. That’s always good, just not predictable. By contrast, an organization’s FT establishes the parameters of its ongoing activities, putting it on a reliable, solid footing.

1.10 The FT formula is based upon two important assumptions.

1.11 First, the board of every nonprofit must understand that IT is the key to the organization’s successful fundraising. The buck and the bucks start and stop with them.

1.12 As fiduciaries, board members are responsible for their nonprofit’s financial health and well-being. They are its prime fundraisers. Paid staff guide and assist them in their fundraising role; they cannot and should not replace board members as prime fundraisers.

1.13 Second, board members “worth” anything should be able to get at least 10 others to donate as much as they do.

1.14 Of course, they may have to approach many more than 10 people to reach their goal, so they have to be willing to pull out the stops. They agreed to be on the board presumably because they were committed to the mission and goals of the organization. So what’s the big deal?

1.15 Before even considering making a major gift, potential donors should ask the board member asking them how much he or she gives, how much the board donates as a whole, and at what levels board members give, without naming names.

1.16 Before approaching a major gift prospect, representatives of a nonprofit should be armed with the giving history of the board.

1.17 The reason is simple: Why should a potential donor bankroll an organization if the people who are supposed to be committed enough to it to be on the board don’t ante up?

1.18 Effective board members exhibit five traits that are gauges of their ability to multiply themselves by 10: (1) knowledge of their nonprofit’s purpose, (2) commitment to that purpose, (3) willingness to make financial contributions, (4) willingness to get others to contribute, (5) willingness to be held accountable.

1.19 So, to increase your fundraising goal, determine your current FT, motivate your board to give more—then score a perfect 10!

1.20 Formula 1: Fundraiser’s Self-Assessment
From 0 (Not at all) to 10 (I’m gung-ho!), how willing are you to use Formula 1:

1.21 I am willing to determine board members’ knowledge of my nonprofit’s purpose…………………...……..0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.21.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.21.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.22 I am willing to determine their commitment to that purpose…………………………………….…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.22.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.22.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.23 I am willing to get them to commit in writing to their personal “contract” for support
of my organization…………………………. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.23.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.23.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.24 I am willing to determine their willingness to get others to make similar commitments…………......…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.24.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.24.b How willing are you to improve it?.........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.25 I am willing to hold board members accountable for their leadership of my nonprofit…………..…….…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.25.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.25.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Your TOTAL Score: _______ out of 100
1.26 Formula 1: Board Member’s Self-Assessment
From 0 (Not at all) to 10 (I’m gung-ho!), how willing are you to use Formula 1:

1.27 This is how I would assess my knowledge of my nonprofit’s purpose…………………...…………………..0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.27.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.27.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.28 This is how I would assess my commitment to that purpose…………………………………….…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.28.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.28.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.29 I am willing to put in writing my commitment for my personal support of my organization………. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.29.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.29.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.30 I am willing to determine the willingness of others to make similar commitments……………….........…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.30.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.30.b How willing are you to improve it?.........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.31 I am willing to hold other board members accountable for their leadership of our profit……………....…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1.31.a What would it take to improve your score? _______________________________
1.31.b How willing are you to improve it?..........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Your TOTAL Score: _______ out of 100

Swift-kick your nonprofit board into action--or fail!

2010-09-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

“The Fundraising Guru”
Nonprofit Board x 10 = “Your Fundraising Threshold”
by Stephen L. Goldstein

Ask (too) many people associated with (too) many nonprofits how much money they think they can raise in a fundraising cycle and usually they’ll smile and answer, “As much as we can.” How silly!

Typically, nonprofits operate on a wing-and-a-prayer and live out of hope—that “the money will somehow come.” After all, they think, “we’re doing good so somehow good things should happen to us.” Right!

In addition, my guess is that even if they know better, most nonprofit boards resist anything to do with establishing realistic goals for fear of under-motivating paid staff. Even worse, too often, when boards put a number on how much they need or want to raise, they set an unrealistic, “stretch” goal. Then, having set pie-in-the-sky parameters for their success, they give marching orders to paid staff to meet it. And staff are afraid to challenge their board’s unrealistic expectations.

In other words, fundraising is typically based upon unrealistic assumptions and expectations. No one thinks that there may actually be a formula to apply to answer the question, “How much money can we raise?”

So here is a standard against which every nonprofit can set a realistic yearly fundraising goal. An organization’s “Fundraising Threshold” (FT) is equal to the amount of money its board personally donates annually times 10. In other words, if the board of nonprofit X collectively contributes $100,000, it is reasonable to expect that it can raise $1 million yearly.
Of course, in some years, an organization may have a windfall—a major gift from an estate, for example. That’s always good, just not predictable. By contrast, an organization’s FT establishes the parameters of its ongoing activities, putting it on a reliable, solid footing.

The FT formula is based upon two important assumptions. First, the board of every nonprofit must understand that it is the key the organization’s successful fundraising. The bucks begin and end with them. As fiduciaries, board members are responsible for their nonprofit’s financial health and well-being. They are its prime fundraisers. Paid staff guide and assist them in their fundraising role; they cannot and should not replace board members as prime fundraisers.

Second, board members “worth” anything should be able to get at least 10 others to donate as much as they do. Of course, they may have to approach many more than 10 people to reach their goal, so they have to be willing to pull out the stops. They agreed to be on the board presumably because they were committed to the mission and goals of the organization. So what’s the big deal?

Before even considering making a major gift, potential donors should ask the board member asking them how much he or she gives, how much the board donates as a whole, and at what levels board members give, without naming names. The reason is simple: Why should a potential donor bankroll an organization, when the people who are supposed to be committed enough to it to be on the board don’t ante up?

So, to increase your fundraising goal, determine your current FT, motivate your board to give more—then score a perfect 10!

E-mail your questions and comments to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. Buy your copy of his national bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising, at www.amazon.

Find Your Burning Desire--to fundraise successfully

2010-03-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

highlights from Find Your Burning Desire--Day 1

from bestseller 30 Days to Successful Fundraising

Order full text from http://www.amazon.com/Successful-Fundraising-Research-Success-Library/dp/1555716369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269530458&sr=8-1

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

You cannot succeed in life or in fundraising if you have an anemic goal, mission, or vision statement.

Successful fundraising is NOT about asking for money; it's about MUCH MORE than that.

Thought rules the world.

Too often, in the process of anticipating the search for funds, fundraisers forget or take for granted the underlying idea that inspired their purpose or porject, focusing only on the acquisition of dollars.

In fundraising, as in business, money follows great ideas.

Sometimes, an idea that started as a burning desire burns out over time and needs to be rekindled.

Free Webinar for Nonprofit Fundraisers: How to turn Twitter into dollars!

2010-03-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

For NONPROFIT Fundraisers: How to turn Twitter into dollars!
Join us for a Webinar on March 24

Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/388164328

Do you have Twitter-jitters? Are you afraid to use it because you haven't a clue about how it can expand your fundraising universe?

Are you a Twitter-fritter? Do you waste your words on Twitter because you don't know how to use it to dynamize your fundraising?

Are you a Twitter-quitter? Have you already given up on it because you never figured out how to maximize its power for fundraising?

Well, this webinar is designed for YOU! It takes ALL of the mystery out of Twitter. It will show you how to "fire up" your Twitter account. It will explore powerful strategies you can use to find potential donors and lead them to your "Selling Space."

Recommended for Twitter virgins, novices, and everyone else. Presenters: Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein & Brian Ross Lee

Title:
For NONPROFIT Fundraisers: How to turn Twitter into dollars!
Date:
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Time:
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System RequirementsPC-based attendeesRequired: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000
Macintosh®-based attendeesRequired: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

FREE WEBINAR 3/17: Social media/fundraising: Doesn't have to take FOREVER

2010-03-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

Raise More Money with Social Media NOW! You Don't Have to Cultivate Donors Forever
Join us for a Webinar on March 17

Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/911628680

The buzz about using social media for fundraising is WAIT and be patient. Sometime in the future, ask for a donation. But the same people who tell you to wait can't tell you exactly when the time will be right. In the meantime, you could be out of business. The fact is: You DON'T have to wait forever to approach potential donors to support your cause. You just need to use 7 powerful strategies to maximize your online communication and MONETIZE your "selling space." Presenters: Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein and Brian Ross Lee identify and discuss the 7 strategies so you can put them to work for you TODAY!
Title:

Raise More Money with Social Media NOW! You Don't Have to Cultivate Donors Forever
Date:
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Time:
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System RequirementsPC-based attendeesRequired: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000
Macintosh®-based attendeesRequired: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Fundraising is selling!

2010-03-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

“The Fundraising Guru”
Fundraising only gels if you sell well
By Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

I know that people who work on behalf of nonprofits like to think of themselves as doing something for the common good. I know that because, whenever I hold workshops, the first question I ask participants is, “What is a nonprofit?” And invariably, their answers accentuate an altruistic angle. “It’s an organization that serves society,” they say, or one “that helps the needy,” or it’s “a group of individuals who hold events to raise money for worthy purposes.”

The last thing in the world that supporters of nonprofits like to think they are is salespeople; they consider themselves a cut above schnooks selling shoes or used cars. I know that because when I ask my second question—“What is fundraising?”—no one ever answers “sales.” Instead predictably, the answers have a mushy quality equal to the definition of a nonprofit. Fundraising is the “ability to raise capital for an entity,” “stewardship, relationship-building in order to raise funds for an agency,” “an effort to generate funds for a good cause.”

So, it’s time for a major reality check for everyone who works on behalf of nonprofits. From doctors and plumbers to entrepreneurs and artists, successful people know how to sell--well. Fundraising is “nonprofit sales,” pure and simple. If you don’t know how to sell, you’ll never be an effective fundraiser. And if your first reaction to the idea of “nonprofit fundraising as selling” is to hold your nose, you’re probably holding back whatever cause(s) you support. So, here are some basic tips to help you increase your effectiveness in fundraising sales:

1. Selling is the quintessential skill. It’s not about getting others to do something they don’t want to or to buy something they don’t need. At its best, selling is the highest form of communication: It’s about making the perfect match between what you have to offer and what someone else wants. It’s an art.

2. Rejection isn’t rejection. So what if someone says no to you. It’s not the end of your life nor should you punish them on your voodoo doll. Think of how many times you may have said no to someone without meaning any ill towards them—and move on to someone else.

3. Fundraising is not about “the ask,” but about “the listen.” Remember the lyric, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Consider your customers before you chew their ears off about your cause. Too many do-gooder fundraisers have a “prima facie, ipso facto attitude.” They think that all they have to do is blurt out the basics of their case and their prey will open their wallet. Ain’t so! Do your homework: Find out about people you approach. Take an interest in them. You’ll be amazed at how interested they’ll become in you.

4. Commit to selling 24/7. The best/most successful fundraisers even dream about raising money. Fundraising is a frame of mind, an all-consuming passion, not a 9-to-5 job. From a check-out line in Publix to a tuxedo-filled ballroom, fundraiser-salespeople know that there are six degrees of separation—or less--between them and the next contribution they receive.

5. Multiply your donors’ gifts. Donors who are treated well beget other donors. The most successful fundraiser-salespeople know that fundraising only gels if you sell well.
Dr. Stephen Goldstein if the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and the host of the broadcast radio program, “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which is also available 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

Another surprise philanthropist story

2010-03-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Amazing Grace:
Lake Forest secret millionaire donates fortune to college
Woman who lived frugally donates $7 million to alma mater
By John Keilman, Tribune reporter
11:25 AM EST, March 4, 2010
Like many people who lived through the Great Depression, Grace Groner was exceptionally restrained with her money.

She got her clothes from rummage sales. She walked everywhere rather than buy a car. And her one-bedroom house in Lake Forest held little more than a few plain pieces of furniture, some mismatched dishes and a hulking TV set that appeared left over from the Johnson administration.

Her one splurge was a small scholarship program she had created for Lake Forest College, her alma mater. She planned to contribute more upon her death, and when she passed away in January, at the age of 100, her attorney informed the college president what that gift added up to.

"Oh, my God," the president said.

Groner's estate, which stemmed from a $180 stock purchase she made in 1935, was worth $7 million.

The money is going into a foundation that will enable many of Lake Forest's 1,300 students to pursue internships and study-abroad programs they otherwise might have had to forgo. It will be an appropriate memorial to a woman whose life was a testament to the higher possibilities of wealth.

"She did not have the (material) needs that other people have," said William Marlatt, her attorney and longtime friend. "She could have lived in any house in Lake Forest but she chose not to. … She enjoyed other people, and every friend she had was a friend for who she was. They weren't friends for what she had."

Groner was born in a small Lake County farming community, but by the time she was 12 both of her parents had died. She was taken in by George Anderson, a member of one of Lake Forest's leading families and an apparent friend to Groner's parents.

The Andersons raised her and her twin sister, Gladys, and paid for them to attend Lake Forest College. After Groner graduated in 1931, she took a job at nearby Abbott Laboratories, where she would work as a secretary for 43 years.

It was early in her time there that she made a decision that would secure her financial future.
In 1935, she bought three $60 shares of specially issued Abbott stock and never sold them. The shares split many times over the next seven decades, Marlatt said, and Groner reinvested the dividends. Long before she died, her initial outlay had become a fortune.

Marlatt was one of the few who knew about it. Lake Forest is one of America's richest towns, filled with grand estates and teeming with luxury cars, yet Groner felt no urge to keep up with the neighbors.

She lived in an apartment for many years before a friend willed her a tiny house in a part of town once reserved for the servants. Its single bedroom could barely accommodate a twin bed and dresser; its living room was undoubtedly smaller than many Lake Forest closets.

Though Groner was frugal, she was no miser. She traveled widely upon her retirement from Abbott, volunteered for decades at the First Presbyterian Church and occasionally funneled anonymous gifts through Marlatt to needy local residents.

"She was very sensitive to people not having a whole lot," said Pastor Kent Kinney of First Presbyterian. "Grace would see those people, would know them, and she would make gifts."
Groner never wed or had children — the sister of one prospective groom blocked the marriage, Marlatt said — but with her gregarious personality she had plenty of friends. She remained connected to Lake Forest College, too, attending football games and cultural events on campus and donating $180,000 for a scholarship program.

That allowed a few students a year to study internationally, including Erin McGinley, 34, a junior from Lake Zurich. She traveled to Falmouth, Jamaica, to help document and preserve historic buildings in the former slave port. The experience was so satisfying that she is trying to get Lake Forest to create a similar architectural preservation program.

"It affected my (career ambitions) in a way I didn't expect," she said.

But Groner was interested in doing more, so two years ago she set up a foundation to receive her estate. Stephen Schutt, Lake Forest's president, knew of the plan for the past year, but had no idea how large the gift would be until after Groner passed away Jan. 19.

The foundation's millions should generate more than $300,000 a year for the college, enabling dozens more students to travel and pursue internships. Many probably wouldn't be able to pursue those opportunities without a scholarship: 75 percent of the student body receives financial aid, Schutt said.

But the study and internship program is not the end of Groner's legacy. She left that small house to the college, too. It will be turned into living quarters for women who receive foundation scholarships, and perhaps something more: an enduring symbol that money can buy far more than mansions.

It will be called, with fitting simplicity, "Grace's Cottage."
jkeilman@tribune.com
Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Announcing! FREE Webinars on Fundraising with "Social Media"

2010-03-01T07:24:00.001-08:00

FREE Webinars will reveal the 7 Steps all nonprofits can take to turn "social media" into successful fundraising
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

There's a lot of mystery, fear, confusion surrounding what are now called "social media"--inhibiting people from using them. In addition, they got a "bad" name early on: Facebook began by being used mostly by college kids; Twitter started with people posting daily trivia--I'm stuck in the airport, Just got home from the gym.

Eventually, they rose in status by being branded "social media." In fact, I'm sure that whoever coined the phrase thought him/herself very clever, indeed. I can just hear the cry of eureka! What a compelling way to label so disparate a bunch of Internet venues as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.! Problem is: It's meaningless; every form of communication--from the telephone to TV--is "social" at some level, fosters relationship(s). And it's also a misleading designation, especially as these platforms have evolved into some of the most powerful ways to reach and influence people--and FREE at that!

For nonprofit fundraisers, the "social" in the term puts the emPHASIS on the wrong SYLlable; they are all very aware of the need to build bridges to potential donors; but they also have bottom lines to deliver. How long, they justifiably ask, before I can convert my friends on Facebook and my followers on Twitter into donors to my cause--and how do I do it? The answers to those and other questions about turn "social media" into successful fundraising platform will be discussed in an ongoing series of webinars. To participate int he webinars, email Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. Put webinars in the subject and provide your name, title, organization, address, and phone number.

The best fundraising is selling, pure and simple

2010-02-10T23:51:00.000-08:00

“The Fundraising Guru”
Fundraising only gels if you sell well
By Stephen L. Goldstein

I know that people who work on behalf of nonprofits like to think of themselves as doing something for the common good. I know that because, whenever I hold workshops, the first question I ask participants is, “What is a nonprofit?” And invariably, their answers accentuate an altruistic angle. “It’s an organization that serves society,” they say, or one “that helps the needy,” or it’s “a group of individuals who hold events to raise money for worthy purposes.”

The last thing in the world that supporters of nonprofits like to think they are is salespeople; they consider themselves a cut above schnooks selling shoes or used cars. I know that because when I ask my second question—“What is fundraising?”—no one ever answers “sales.” Instead predictably, the answers have a mushy quality equal to the definition of a nonprofit. Fundraising is the “ability to raise capital for an entity,” “stewardship, relationship-building in order to raise funds for an agency,” “an effort to generate funds for a good cause.”

So, it’s time for a major reality check for everyone who works on behalf of nonprofits. From doctors and plumbers to entrepreneurs and artists, successful people know how to sell--well. Fundraising is “nonprofit sales,” pure and simple. If you don’t know how to sell, you’ll never be an effective fundraiser. And if your first reaction to the idea of “nonprofit fundraising as selling” is to hold your nose, you’re probably holding back whatever cause(s) you support. So, here are some basic tips to help you increase your effectiveness in fundraising sales:

1. Selling is the quintessential skill. It’s not about getting others to do something they don’t want to or to buy something they don’t need. At its best, selling is the highest form of communication: It’s about making the perfect match between what you have to offer and what someone else wants. It’s an art.

2. Rejection isn’t rejection. So what if someone says no to you. It’s not the end of your life nor should you punish them on your voodoo doll. Think of how many times you may have said no to someone without meaning any ill towards them—and move on to someone else.

3. Fundraising is not about “the ask,” but about “the listen.” Remember the lyric, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Consider your customers before you chew their ears off about your cause. Too many do-gooder fundraisers have a “prima facie, ipso facto attitude.” They think that all they have to do is blurt out the basics of their case and their prey will open their wallet. Ain’t so! Do your homework: Find out about people you approach. Take an interest in them. You’ll be amazed at how interested they’ll become in you.

4. Commit to selling 24/7. The best/most successful fundraisers even dream about raising money. Fundraising is a frame of mind, an all-consuming passion, not a 9-to-5 job. From a check-out line in Publix to a tuxedo-filled ballroom, fundraiser-salespeople know that there are six degrees of separation—or less--between them and the next contribution they receive.

5. Multiply your donors’ gifts. Donors who are treated well beget other donors. The most successful fundraiser-salespeople know that fundraising only gels if you sell well.
Dr. Stephen Goldstein if the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com. He is the host of the broadcast radio program, “The Forum for Nonprofits” (www.forumfornonprofits.com), which is also available 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

Nonprofit Boards Fail "The Fundraising Test"

2010-02-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

“The Fundraising Guru”
Nonprofit Board x 10 = “Your Fundraising Threshold”
by Stephen L. Goldstein

Ask (too) many people associated with (too) many nonprofits how much money they think they can raise in a fundraising cycle and usually they’ll smile and answer, “As much as we can.” How silly!

Typically, nonprofits operate on a wing-and-a-prayer and live out of hope—that “the money will somehow come.” After all, they think, “we’re doing good so somehow good things should happen to us.” Right!

In addition, my guess is that even if they know better, most nonprofit boards resist anything to do with establishing realistic goals for fear of under-motivating paid staff. Even worse, too often, when boards put a number on how much they need or want to raise, they set an unrealistic, “stretch” goal. Then, having set pie-in-the-sky parameters for their success, they give marching orders to paid staff to meet it. And staff are afraid to challenge their board’s unrealistic expectations.

In other words, fundraising is typically based upon unrealistic assumptions and expectations. No one thinks that there may actually be a formula to apply to answer the question, “How much money can we raise?”

So here is a standard against which every nonprofit can set a realistic yearly fundraising goal. An organization’s “Fundraising Threshold” (FT) is equal to the amount of money its board personally donates annually times 10. In other words, if the board of nonprofit X collectively contributes $100,000, it is reasonable to expect that it can raise $1 million yearly.

Of course, in some years, an organization may have a windfall—a major gift from an estate, for example. That’s always good, just not predictable. By contrast, an organization’s FT establishes the parameters of its ongoing activities, putting it on a reliable, solid footing.

The FT formula is based upon two important assumptions. First, the board of every nonprofit must understand that it is the key the organization’s successful fundraising. The bucks begin and end with them. As fiduciaries, board members are responsible for their nonprofit’s financial health and well-being. They are its prime fundraisers. Paid staff guide and assist them in their fundraising role; they cannot and should not replace board members as prime fundraisers.

Second, board members “worth” anything should be able to get at least 10 others to donate as much as they do. Of course, they may have to approach many more than 10 people to reach their goal, so they have to be willing to pull out the stops. They agreed to be on the board presumably because they were committed to the mission and goals of the organization. So what’s the big deal?

Before even considering making a major gift, potential donors should ask the board member asking them how much he or she gives, how much the board donates as a whole, and at what levels board members give, without naming names. The reason is simple: Why should a potential donor bankroll an organization, when the people who are supposed to be committed enough to it to be on the board don’t ante up?

So, to increase your fundraising goal, determine your current FT, motivate your board to give more—then score a perfect 10!
E-mail your questions and comments to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He’s the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and the blog www.fundraisingguru.com. You can listen to the radio program he hosts, “The Forum for Nonprofits” 24/7 at www.forumfornonprofits.com.

For Nonprofits: Fundraising with social media

2010-02-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

For immediate release

For Nonprofits Only!
2010 Florida Fundraising Conference:
How to raise more money with Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube & other social media

Contact:
Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
Educational Marketing Services
1448 NE 55th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
954-772-7868 Email: trendsman@aol.com

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)—The 2010 Florida Fundraising Conference: “How to raise more money with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & other social media” will be held February 19, 2010 at the Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek, 555 N.W. 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. Program details, including nationally recognized presenters and registration information, are available at the conference website, http://www.socialmediafundraising.org/.

“The full day program is designed to take all the mystery out of using social media for fundraising success,” says Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, one of the event organizers. “So many people in nonprofits hear all the buzz about using social media, and they genuinely want to get on board. But they don’t know where to start. And while they’re waiting on the sidelines and missing opportunities, others are actually raising money. We’ve designed the conference to give every participant a solid grounding—from the basics to more sophisticated uses of social media.”

Katya Andresen of Network for Good (Washington, D.C.) lays the groundwork for the program. She opens the conference presenting “What to do before you even think of tweeting: The 11 steps to success with social networking and the six most miserable mistakes of social marketing.” Skip Kimpel, author of the forthcoming Social Networking for Nonprofits: Making it work and making it matter, will take participants through a “social networking boot camp”—giving the nuts and bolts of venues from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to others. After that, he’ll reveal his formulas for creating a social networking fundraising strategy. Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy will discuss a number of case studies, proving that nonprofits are using social media for fundraising—with success. Social media consultant Brian Ross Lee will reveal ways to take the guesswork out of using social media by showing how to monitor nonprofits’ success with social media through Google analytics and other programs. And finally, Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and http://www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com/, will present “Social media and high tech fail without high touch: How to turn the 7 expectations of social media users into dollars!”

For further information, visit http://www.socialmediafundraising.org/ or call 954-772-7868.#

Peter Panepento The Chronicle of Philanthropy, to speak at Feb. 19 conference on using social media for nonprofit fundraising Feb. 19, Ft. Lauderdale

2010-02-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Peter Panepento presents case studies of successful social media fundraising Feb. 19 in Fort Lauderdale

Feb. 19 Fundraising with Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)

Attention NONPROFITS: At the Feb. 19 day-long conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL on how to fundraise using social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy (Washington, D.C.) will present one part of the program--giving case studies of nonprofits' successful use of social... media for fundraising. He's one of five experts on the program who'll be covering ALL aspects of fundraising with social media. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org for details--and to register online or by mail.

Feb. 19 Social media fundraising conference will show you the in's and out's of using Google Analytics and similar tracking programs

2010-01-31T03:54:00.000-08:00

You're flying blind on the Internet--unless you're tracking visits to your website with Google Analytics, Piwik, or something like them

At the Feb. 19 Fundraising with Social Media Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Brian Ross Lee will discuss the in's and out's of monitoring the effectiveness of your fundraising with social media by using Google Analytics and Piwik, for example. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org for conference details--and to register online or by mail.

Attention Nonprofits: Do you retweet--or even tweet? Register for the social media fundraising conference

2010-01-25T09:47:00.001-08:00

Are you now, or have you ever been, tweeting, let alone retweeting? That's the question you need to be answering! It's another of the powerful ways that you can harness social media to increase the success of your nonprofit fundraising. Register for The 2010 Florida Fundraising with Social Media Conference: How you can raise (more) money using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org for details--and to register online or by mail.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein will be featured speaker at 2010 Florida Conference on Fundraising with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media

2010-01-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein will speak at the 2010 Florida Fundraising Conference: How to raise more money with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org for details and to register online or by mail.

Goldstein's presentation: "Social media and high tech fail without high touch: How to turn the 7 expectations of socia-media users into dollars!"

"My presentation closes the workshop to bring participants back to terra firma," Goldstein says. "I'm as excited about social media as anyone else, but I also know that people make sales not computer mouses. Social media venues are means to an end--engaging people to close 'the sale'--not ends in themselves. When web sites first became "the thing," people rushed to get online--and mistakenly thought that was all they had to do to create a successful effort. The same giddiness has accompanied social media venues, with the same discouraging results. It takes time, creativity, and commitment to use social media effectively. I share my take on the 7 ways to do that."

Columnist, author, consultant, TV and radio personality, and workshop leader--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is a nationally recognized marketing, communications, and fundraising executive, as well as a trends analyst and forecaster. For more than 30 years, he has developed strategies for nonprofit success.

Dr. Goldstein is now the co-producer and host of “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which airs and may be heard 24/7 at http://www.forumfornonprofits.com/. He was the producer and host of “Fundraising Success,” a weekly radio program on WXEL, 90.7FM/National Public Radio.

Dr. Goldstein's "Fundraising Guru" columns have appeared in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and have been a regular feature of the Scripps papers on Florida’s Treasure Coast. He is the author of You Can't Go Wrong by Doing It Right: 50 Principles for Running a Successful Business and the bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising (http://www.amazon.com/).

His Self-Taught/Fundraising Success System is the basis for the workshops he offers around the country. Stephen Goldstein has also contributed fundraising advice segments for nonprofits on Wealth and Wisdom on WXEL-TV, Public Television. Dr. Goldstein works with individual nonprofits all across America to increase their fundraising success. His website is http://www.fundraisershotline.com/, and he is the author of the blog http://www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com/ which is now available in Spanish at http://www.recaudaciondefondos.blogspot.com/. Dr. Goldstein earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Chronicle of Philanthropy's Peter Panepento featured speaker at 2010 Florida Social Media Fundraising Conference

2010-01-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy . . . featured speaker at 2010 Florida Fundraising Conference on using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media to increase contributions

Peter Panepento is Web editor for The Chronicle of Philanthropy in Washington, D.C., the leading source of news and views for the nonprofit sector. In that role, he manages The Chronicle's Web-site, philanthropy.com and its active presence in social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

He also follows the use of social networks by nonprofit groups and foundations and is a frequent speaker on how cutting-edge organizations are using these tools to advance their missions.

Panepento is the creator and manager of several Chronicle blogs, including Prospecting, its popular blog about nonprofit fundraising, and Give & Take, which chronicles the nonprofit blogosphere. He is also the publisher of GlobalErie.com, a blog network that includes commentary and news centered around Erie, PA.

Skip Kimpel to be featured at 2010 Florida Fundraising with social media conference

2010-01-14T07:02:00.001-08:00

Social media "guru", Skip Kimpel, will be a featured speaker at the 2010 Florida Fundraising with Social Media Conference in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 19, 2010

Skip Kimpel has been actively involved in the Internet since the Internet first started and has owned his own website marketing and software development company for over 10 years. Currently, he serves as IT director for a nonprofit, which serves as a hands-on "laboratory" for his social media theories and practices.

His forthcoming book, Social Networking for Nonprofits: Making it work and making it matter, addresses the special challenges--and opportunities--that nonprofits face in tough economic times. The good news is that social networking is a way to attract millions of new individuals and organizations that share a similar passion related to worthy causes. Kimpel asks the $64,000 question: You've heard of Facebook and Twitter, but do you really know how to use these widely acceptable forms of communication to raise money for your organization? And he gives the answer: Fundraising 2.0.

In Kimpel's words, "From consistent branding to approaching these new concepts with the passion that is needed to succeed, my book will explain to you the steps that need to be taken to make sure your efforts are not wasted. Not only will I enlist you in a Social Networking boot camp, I will explain how it all works together. Once all the elements are in place, you will have an easy-to-use system that is simple to update and keep your followers engaged in your content and your organization. I will also explain the tools involved to make this process work and break it down into simple terms. You will learn little known industry secrets to stay ahead of your competition. This book is for anybody who wants to succeed in today’s Internet market and create a consistent brand. It also explores in detail how an ambitious nonprofit can explore new techniques, new ideas and engage in a fresh attitude of fundraising efforts for very little marketing dollars."

2010 Florida Fundraising with Social Media Conference

2010-01-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

For Nonprofits Only!
2010 Florida Fundraising Conference:
How to raise more money with Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube & other social media

Contact:
Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
Educational Marketing Services
1448 NE 55th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
954-772-7868 Email: trendsman@aol.com

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)—The 2010 Florida Fundraising Conference: “How to raise more money with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & other social media” will be held February 19, 2010 at the Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek, 555 N.W. 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. Program details, including nationally recognized presenters and registration information, are available at the conference website, http://www.socialmediafundraising.org/.

“The full day program is designed to take all the mystery out of using social media for fundraising success,” says Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, one of the event organizers. “So many people in nonprofits hear all the buzz about using social media, and they genuinely want to get on board. But they don’t know where to start. And while they’re waiting on the sidelines and missing opportunities, others are actually raising money. We’ve designed the conference to give every participant a solid grounding—from the basics to more sophisticated uses of social media.”

Katya Andresen of Network for Good (Washington, D.C.) lays the groundwork for the program. She opens the conference presenting “What to do before you even think of tweeting: The 11 stops to success with social networking and the six most miserable mistakes of social marketing.” Skip Kimpel, author of the forthcoming Social Networking for Nonprofits: Making it work and making it matter, will take participants through a “social networking boot camp”—giving the nuts and bolts of venues from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, to others. After that, he’ll reveal his formulas for creating a social networking fundraising strategy. Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy will discuss a number of case studies, proving that nonprofits are using social media for fundraising—with success. Social media consultant Brian Ross Lee will reveal ways to take the guesswork out of using social media by showing how to monitor nonprofits’ success with social media through Google analytics and other programs. And finally, Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and http://www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com/, will present “Social media and high tech fail without high touch: How to turn the 7 expectations of social media users into dollars!”#

Brian Ross Lee to present at 2010 Social Media Fundraising Conference

2010-01-13T05:32:00.000-08:00

Brian Ross Lee, social media consultant, will be a featured presenter at the 2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Feb. 19.

"Google analytics/piwik/godaddy and other ways to monitor your social media fundraising success."

Brian Ross Lee is president and CEO of AdRage Media, which focuses on online lead generation--how to get people online to clients' sites and bridge the gap from social media buzz to profit-generating leads, allowing for maximum ROI.

He now consults on a full range of strategies to get people online to clients' sites. Lee knows the special needs of nonprofits and their online strategies; he worked with MicroGiving.com's founder John Ferber, who also founded Advertising.com, later to be acquired by AOL Time Warner.

Lee has had extensive training in all forms of Pay Per Click and Search Engine Optimization management by one of the top affiliate marketing companies in the industry. His unique blend of experience combined with enthusiastic ambition has lead to a paramount level of success in Internet marketing for himself and his clients.

Katya Andresen to speak at Florida Social Media Fundraising Conference

2010-01-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Florida Fundraising with Social Media Conference: How to raise more money with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media

Feb. 19 in Fort Lauderdale, FL

visit http://www.socialmediafundraising.org/ for details--and to register online or by mail

Katya Andresen will speak from 9 to 10 a.m.: "What to do BEFORE you even think of tweeting

The 11 steps to success with social networking and the six most miserable mistakes of social marketing"

Katya Andresen is Chief Operating Officer of Network for Good, as well as a speaker, author and blogger about nonprofit marketing, online outreach and the basics of social media. In addition, she is an adjunct professor of communications at American University’s Key Certificate Program and serves on the board of EarthShare.

Katya has trained thousands of causes in effective marketing and media relations, and her marketing materials for non-profits have won national and international awards. She is the author of the book, Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes and was featured in the e-book, Nine Minds of Marketing. She is also a co-author with Network for Good CEO Bill Strathmann of a chapter in the book, People to People Fundraising - Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities.

Fundraising Success Magazine named her Fundraising Professional of the Year in 2007. Before joining Network for Good, she was Senior Vice President of Sutton Group, a marketing and communications firm and a marketing consultant overseas in Ukraine. She also worked for CARE International. Katya traces her passion for good causes to the enormous social need she witnessed as a journalist prior to her work in the non-profit sector. She was a foreign correspondent for Reuters News and Television in Asia and for Associated Press and major US newspapers in Africa.

High Tech & Social Media Fail without High Touch

2009-12-30T05:30:00.000-08:00

The Internet and related technologies are means to an end--connecting with people so that they'll make donations to nonprofits--not ends in themselves.

Like prospectors after gold in California, hordes rushed to get their website on the Internet. It looked like the cure for everything that ails organizations: the ability to reach millions and millions of people anywhere and everywhere.

So what happened? Most websites produce little or nothing. Merely posting words in cyberspace isn't successful marketing.

The same headiness now surrounds social media--FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. But the same promise and disappointment will emerge from all the talk about fundraising with social media, unless people know how REALLY to capitalize on their strengths and avoid pitfalls. Find out how to make social media work for your nonprofit at the 2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference on Feb. 19. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org for details--and to register online.

Register ONLINE for Feb. 19 Fundraising with Social Media Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL

2009-12-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

Now, you can register ONLINE for the 2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Feb. 19, 2010. Visit www.socialmediafundraising.org. Don't delay. Fundraisers are ALREADY registering! This program is extremely popular, but space is limited. So, don't lose out.

2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference

2009-12-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

Announcing!

The 2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference

How you can raise money with FaceBook, Twitter,

YouTube, & other social media

Feb. 19, 2010

Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek, 555 NW 62nd Street

For program details and to register, visit www.socialmediafundraising.org

How to Run a Successful Capital Campaign

2009-12-16T05:28:00.000-08:00

Talking Points
by Stephen Wertheimer

Note: The following are points of departure for more discussion and analysis. They represent key concepts in the management of capital campaigns. Further discussion on each of the topics raised here can be had by contacting the writer, Stephen Wertheimer, at bocasteve@aol.com or 561-362-4020.

The Capital Campaign:

In the Beginning

Four critical elements

Case: Does our objective present a convincing reason for a thoughtful prospect to make a generous gift?

Prospects: Are there enough prospects with means sufficient to give at the amounts required to reach the goal?

Leadership: Are there leaders ready to do what it takes to cultivate and ask prospects for major financial gifts?

Support: Is there an administrative support system in place to help the volunteers successful? Is the chief executive officer ready to reach out to prospects and ask for gifts?

Set goals that are realistic manner

Define the programmatic outcome of the campaign, set metric

Determine if the campaign/goal is for a one-off or part of a long term development program

(development program, develop concept)

Seek counsel, especially if no prior campaign experience

Study

Audit

Campaign management and services (writing, prospect research, etc.)

Determine what role/relationship with annual fund

Establish policy on naming opportunities

Establish policy on gift acceptance (cash, stock, pledge pay period, real estate, insurance, etc.

Running the Campaign

Seek Board commitment first – All Give At Top Level

Create a powerful assessment/rating/evaluation committee

Identify the top 100 prospects in rank order

Identify “enabler” who can begin cultivation/solicitation process

Create a powerful campaign executive committee

Begin solicitation in sequential order, not a collection

Rule One: 90 percent of goal comes from less than 10 percent of prospects; most of that will come from top ten gifts

Take time: campaign schedule is a combination of solicitation schedules for 10-100 key prospects.

Rule Two: Wait for the time when prospect can make best decision, not to meet an arbitrary calendar deadline

Expect that the campaign can run for twelve to eighteen months; avoid campaign fatigue

Do not make campaign public until goal is in sight, usually when between two-thirds to halfway to goal; Rule Three: publicity does not win campaigns

Have good briefings for solicitor/cultivators, arm them with informative, attractive, not flashy written and visual materials; do not go Hollywood; avoid gimmicks (internet, social media – not suitable for capital giving process)

Create cultivation events and dynamics, e. g., site visits, principals/leaders/clients/personalities meet-and-greet

Celebrating Victory

Establish a solid stewardship program: thank donors, show them what they made possible, and bring them closer to the organization

Create a business-like pledge payment collection program

Evaluate all outcomes: what worked, what failed, what was still undone, who was never solicited and why, who was discovered as a prospect not on original roster

Consider non-board campaign executive committee members and other campaign leaders for further assignment, e.g., board

Strengthen support system, per records, research, follow-up development (estate planned gifts, annual fund up-grade, special “mini-campaigns” for needs that emerge later); create standing capital development committee (or as sub-committee of such regular development committee) to swing into action promptly as needs arise

Successful fundraising with social media

2009-11-30T04:49:00.000-08:00

For Nonprofits ONLY!

The future of fundraising is now . . . at your fingertips
"How you can raise money
with Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube & other social media"

The 2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference sponsored by “The Forum for Nonprofits”
February 19, The Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek
555 NW 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

8-9: Registration and continental breakfast
9-10: Katya Andresen of Network for Good, Washington, D.C.
What to do before you even think of tweeting: “ The 11 steps to success with social networking & the 6 most miserable mistakes of social marketing”

10-11: Skip Kimpel, author of Social Networking for Non Profits: Making it work and making it matter!
Social networking “boot camp”—the nuts and bolts of blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Ping.fm

11-noon: Skip Kimpel:

How to create your social networking fundraising strategy: to http://www.firstgiving.com/ and beyond!

Noon-1: lunch

1-2:30: Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy
“Case studies: Nonprofit fundraising success using social media”

2:30-3: Brian Ross Lee, social media consultant
“Google analytics/piwik/godaddy and other ways to monitor your social media fundraising success”

3-4: Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and http://www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com/
Social media & high tech fail without high touch:
“How to turn the 7 expectations of social media users into dollars!”

You may register in just a few easy steps!

2010 Fundraising with Social Media Conference--Feb. 19, 2010--Sheraton Suites, Fort Lauderdale, FL

1: Fill out the form for each participant:

Name: _____________________________________________

Title: ______________________________________________

Organization: _________________________________________

Street address: ________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________

State: _______________________________________________

Zip: ________________________________________________

email: _______________________________________________

office phone: __________________________________________

cellphone: ____________________________________________

Your check number:________________________________

2. Paste the form into an email and send it to trendsman@aol.com. Indicate that your check is in the mail.

3. Registration $145 check for each participant payable to Educational Marketing Services, Inc.

4. Mail your check with a copy of the registration form to: Educational Marketing Services, Inc.; 1448 NE 55th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334

5. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your check and registration form. Do not consider yourself registered until your registration has been confirmed.

Still have questions? Email trendsman@aol.com or call 954-772-7868

True spirit of giving!

2009-11-26T08:23:00.000-08:00

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Retired scientist endows scholarship at PBCC
By Kevin D. Thompson, The Palm Beach Post
November 25, 2009
BELLE GLADE
Last year, Victor Guzman was reading a newspaper article about low graduation rates among African-American males in Belle Glade.

The story detailed the low wages, high incarceration rates, meager job prospects and bleak outlook for so many black men in that western Palm Beach County community.

The article so touched the 95-year-old Guzman, it inspired the Belle Glade resident to help.
A retired agricultural research scientist at the University of Florida, Guzman donated most of his life savings — $100,000 — to establish a scholarship fund for the Palm Beach Community College Foundation.

The Lake Okeechobee Muck Rat Nation Scholarship Fund will now enable more Belle Glade residents to enroll in PBCC. The "Muck Rat Nation" refers to people who make their living in the fields within the Everglades Agricultural Area.

Applicants must be accepted by the school, be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits per term, live in Palm Beach County, attend the Belle Glade campus and demonstrate financial need. Two $500 scholarships will be available for eligible students per semester.

"This is an incredible gift," said Suellen Mann, the foundation's executive director. "Dr. Guzman realized, having lived in Belle Glade for almost 60 years, that there were a lot of folks who didn't have the economic backing to go to school."

Guzman wasn't available to comment on his gift, but he was quoted in PBCC's newsletter as saying that "the scholarship is only a drop of water in a vast ocean of need. It is my hope that it will become a vast river of hope."

Guzman, a native of Peru, is no stranger to Belle Glade.

In 1951 he was hired by UF to help improve crop production of local farmers. For nearly 60 years, Guzman has developed chemicals for weed control as well as virus-resistant strains of lettuce that thrive in the rich, organic soil surrounding Lake Okeechobee.

He put down roots in the community as well and raised a family of five with his wife, Ruth, a teacher and librarian for 25 years at Grove Elementary School.

To this day, Guzman can still be seen working the fields and talking to plants.
"It's probably why he's 95," Mann said.

A reception to honor Guzman's donation is scheduled to be held Tuesday at PBCC's Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center in Belle Glade.
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Nationwide bestselling fundraising book/program

2009-11-17T06:36:00.000-08:00

Nationwide bestselling fundraising book/program

30 Days to Successful Fundraising
The 10-minute-a-day fundraising training!
Now, you can master the essentials--and more--of fundraising in just 10 minutes a day. Read a quick-and-easy couple of pages, then answer a couple of question to tailor your day's material to your nonprofit's fundraising needs.
Before you know it, you will have mastered everything you need to know about raising money--in bad times and good. Go to http://www.fundraisersbooks.com/ for more information--and to order your copy or copies today!

Free Personal Consulting Hotline for Nonprofit Fundraisers

2009-11-17T06:30:00.001-08:00

Free Consulting Hotline for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Totally free, personalized fundraising consulting is now available for nonprofits 24/7 from anywhere in the U.S. and around the world at www.fundraisershotline.com.

“Nonprofit fundraisers may ask anything they want—like How can I find donors? or How can I get my board to give more and to ask others to give? It’s absolutely one-on-one attention. They won’t be getting boilerplate answers,” says Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, creator of the hotline and president of The Nonprofit Institute, Educational Marketing Services.

“Nonprofits always have a hard time raising money. But many are really struggling in today’s bad economy. They need immediate professional advice tailored to their specific needs. But most nonprofits cannot afford to hire an expert to give them quick answers to their pressing questions.

So, www.fundraisershotline.com gives them personal access to an experienced professional to be their sounding-board to increase their fundraising success,” Goldstein adds.

That’s what’s so unique about the hotline. It’s quick, efficient, direct—and free, of course. Getting answers from the hotline is simple.

Go to www.fundraisershotline.com, fill out the short user form, ask a question, then send it to Dr. Goldstein. There is absolutely no cost or obligation.

Every question is answered personally and within 24 hours.

Columnist, author, consultant, TV and radio personality, and workshop leader--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is a nationally recognized marketing, communications, and fundraising executive, as well as a trends analyst and forecaster.

For more than 30 years, he has developed strategies for nonprofit success.

Dr. Goldstein is now the co-producer and host of “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which airs on WNN & WSBR and may be heard 24/7 at www.forumfornonprofits.com. He was the producer and host of “Fundraising Success,” a weekly radio program on WXEL, 90.7FM/National Public Radio and still available at any time from anywhere in the world at www.wxelpodcasts.org.

Dr. Goldstein's "Fundraising Guru" columns have appeared in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and have been a regular feature of the Scripps papers on Florida’s Treasure Coast. He is the author of the bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. Goldstein is also the developer of the “Self-Taught/Fundraising” series, the basis for the workshops and tailored consulting programs he offers nationwide.

Fundraising radio: http://www.forumfornonprofits.com

2009-11-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Fundraising Radio: http://www.forumfornonprofits.com/
Listen to "The Forum for Nonprofits" at http://www.forumfornonprofits.com/.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is the host; Ellen Schulman is the producer.

Each week, we focus on a worthy nonprofit--and encourage listeners to make financial contributions to it. Programs are available 24/7 365 on the Internet--and may be heard from anywhere in the world.

If you want to suggest an organization to be interviewed, contact "The Forum for Nonprofits." We can contact them by phone worldwide. One recent interview originated in Dubai.

How to raise money in bad times--for FREE!

2009-11-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

“How to raise money in bad times”—for FREE!

When the economy in general is in a funk, nonprofits tend to sing the “woe-is-me” chorus, along with everyone else. But never try to raise money in “bad” times by telling potential donors that’s the reason you’re asking for support. The reason should be obvious: Everyone’s saying it.

Fortunes are made in “bad” times and lost in “good" times. The “times” don’t make your success: You do. So, use the “bad” times to prove to donors and potential donors that you have been and continue to be worthy of their support—a wise investment.

Here are 5 Formulas to make your fundraising successful in “bad” times—for FREE, without your having to spend an extra penny:

1. B x 10 = FT (Energize your board)--Too many nonprofits have dead wood boards of directors. Use “bad” times to energize your board. Get rid of people who are holding you back. Add dynamos. In the formula B x 10 = FT, B stands for board and FT is your fundraising threshold. Get each of your board members to commit to raising 10 times the amount they personally contribute to your nonprofit. Get their commitments in writing.

2. 1 x 10 = 110 (Create your “Circle of 10”)--The key to successful fundraising is getting doors to key people opened for you. Create a “Circle of 10,” an informal group of advisors who are willing to help you increase your fundraising success—especially by getting you to at least 10 others like themselves: for example, a lawyer specializing in wills and estates, a financial planner, an accountant.

3. 1 x 5 = 6 (Create a tsunami)--Create a positive tsunami—a marketable idea so compelling donors can’t resist making a contribution.--The 5 elements of a tsunami/marketing idea are: it is gut-wrenching, turns a negative trend positive, seems doable, makes financial sense, and is measurable.

4. 1 + 1 = 3 (Create desire)--People always have money for what they want to have money for. But you have to give them “their” reason. That may mean different things for different people. So, be prepared to “read” prospective donors and to vary your approaches.

5. 1 x 365 = $365,000 (Set word-of-mouth in motion)-- Fundraising is selling—and selling is a numbers game: The more people you reach, the greater your sales. Make sure that people know what they’re “selling.”--Get people to commit to doing the outrageous—telling at least one other person something positive about your nonprofit every day, 365 days a year.

Fundraising Ethics Starts with YOU

2009-10-29T07:13:00.001-07:00

Fundraising Ethics: Can YOU answer the question, "When do YOU have the guts to blow the whistle?"
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, author of the bestselling 30 Days to Successful Fundraising (available at www.amazon.com) and www.fundraisershotline.com.

Ethical is as ethical takes responsibility for preventing or cleaning up an unethical situation. But who's got the guts?

First, some observations about unethical behavior from an Associated Press article of Jan. 29, 2008 by Pete Yost. They create a backdrop to the kinds of situations in which fundraisers may find themselves--along with the kinds of questions they too often need to answer:

1. "Overall, three out of five government workers acknowledge witnessing violations of ethical standards, policy or law over the past year, according to a survey released . . . by the Ethics Resource Center. The Washington-based nonprofit research group has studied organizational ethics trends for several decades.

2. "At the local level, 63 percent of government employees observed at least one type of misconduct, ranging from abusive behavior by superiors to bribery. At the state level, the comparable figure was 57 percent; at the federal level, 52 percent.

3. "The trend lines in government point toward more misconduct in the future, not less, said Patricia Harned, the center's president.

4. "The center says 30 percent of the incidents go unreported and there are too few systems in place for combatting misconduct when it is exposed.

5. "One reason for the low reporting figure is that 17 percent of employees who did report misconduct said they experienced retaliation. One in four government workers believe that leaders tolerate retaliation.

6. "The state of ethics in the public and private sectors is comparable, in some cases worse. For example, the study said that 8 percent of those surveyed reported witnessing alteration of documents; a similar survey among private sector workers showed 5 percent of business employees had witnessed such misconduct.

7. "The center says the proven solution to the problem is what experts in the field refer to as a strong ethical culture. When employee believe that leaders can be trusted and when supervisors set a good example of ethical behavior, misconduct is reduced by 52 percent and retaliation is as much as 89 percent lower, the survey found.

8. "The problem, however, is that less than one in five government workplaces have comprehensive, well-implemented ethics and compliance programs.The center's findings were based on polling 774 government employees, 1,929 business employees and 558 nonprofit employees.

So, the questions for today are: "Do you have the guts to blow the whistle on unethical behavior? And if yes, when would you?" Email your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

The most successful fundraisers learn from beggars

2009-10-28T07:22:00.001-07:00

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Successful fundraisers never think of themselves as mere beggars. The complete reverse! But as it turns out, the MOST successful beggars sound remarkably like highly effective fundraisers. An Associated Press article on panhandling by Adam Goldman opened the world of begging to me. Here are seven strategies from the streets that can benefit every nonprofit organization—from fundraiser to board member.

1. Tell the truth: Goldman identifies a subgroup of successful, New York City “truth-teller” beggars: “They don’t sell pirated movies or stolen candy. They don’t strum old guitars, blow into tarnished saxophones or screech country songs off key.” Their stories are real. In the words of one panhandler he interviewed, “Telling the truth will set you free.” For organizational fundraisers, telling the truth is sine qua non. And yet, how many times do nonprofits unfortunately obfuscate the compelling reality of their message by looking for some glitzy, Madison-Avenue way of making a pitch?From The Beggar’s Handbook by the pseudonymous M.T. Pockets, here are additional, choice bits of panhandler wisdom, which I’ve turned into strategies for successful fundraising:

2. Have a plan: “The successful beggar picks the time and place as much as he selects the person to approach. At all times, the successful beggar is aware, coherent, and in full control of the situation, even though his intended giver is usually not aware of this.” Would-be fundraisers who think they can send a cold letter or make a cold phone call to some well-known philanthropist and strike it rich should warm up to some good beggarly advice.

3. Use psychology: “When you look at someone as a potential giver, you have to ask yourself some questions. You cannot make assumptions . . . you have to ask yourself questions and get some concrete answers based upon observation and your experience. So choose an intended benefactor and size him or her up.”

4. Persist: “Just be sure to keep rejection in its proper perspective; everyone is rejected from time to time. Try, try again; even the people who once rejected you might give to you later on when your routine is more polished.” Learn to tell the difference between a No (We can’t give to your worthy project at this time) and No (Forget it!). Foundations and corporations often make donations at specified times of the year. Knowing their cycle of giving may be the key to your success.

5. Be creative: “Always experiment with new ideas and routines; discard those that don’t work and keep those that do.” Too often, fundraisers don’t know what they’re doing right. For example, few fundraising events are worth all the time and effort that goes into them—if volunteer and planning hours were figured into the mix of true costs.

6. Make your donor feel good: “The most successful business transactions are those that leave both parties happy after the transaction is complete.” Key word: both!

7. Be upbeat and thankful: In Street Sense, here's how George Siletti, who was homeless off and on for 25 years, advises beggars: “And most of all you should smile at the person and if money is given always say thank you or a kind word.” Fundraisers who haven’t mastered the art of giving genuine thanks will become beggars for real themselves!

Send your questions and comments to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising.

Fundraisers: Make it real or really flop

2009-10-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

Fundraisers: Move into the world of real-time reality
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

It goes without saying that, these days, more and more people in nonprofits have caught the social media bug, regularly on Twitter, YouTube, and FaceBook. Such venues have opened up the world to everyone, creating incredible opportunities to connect with the world.

But there's another, even more powerful, dimension waiting for all of us to enter: real-time reality. It will transform our ability to appreciate what nonprofits really accomplish--and it will dramatically increase fundraising success.

Imagine this scenario: You want to raise money for schools in Africa or for a children's center in Africa. You spend hours looking for the right words, stills, and even videos to capture the distant reality and spark contributions. You create Twitter about it in real-time, you're on YouTube and FaceBook. But nothing quite does it--because they aren't really real.

The answer is in a simple web-cam, creating your own "be here now," "you are there" experience. Imagine the possibilities and email me your thoughts at trendsman@aol.com.

Nationwide bestselling fundraising book/program

2009-10-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

30 Days to Successful Fundraising

The 10-minute-a-day fundraising training!

Now, you can master the essentials--and more--of fundraising in just 10 minutes a day. Read a quick-and-easy couple of pages, then answer a couple of question to tailor your day's material to your nonprofit's fundraising needs.

Before you know it, you will have mastered everything you need to know about raising money--in bad times and good. Go to http://www.fundraisersbooks.com/ for more information--and to order your copy or copies today!

No more nonprofits!

2009-10-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

We need to do away with nonprofits in America
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, "The Fundraising Guru"

1st published in The South-Florida Sun-Sentinel, August 23, 2004

Hardly anyone knows what a nonprofit really is. Most people will tell you that it's a charity that does good things for society, so they can deduct contributions to it from their taxes. Others will admit to thinking that nonprofit implies something second-rate in America--a cut below for-profit businesses, in which making money, not asking for it, is the name of the game. To them, the big players are in the rough-and-tumble business world. Lesser mortals work in nonprofits--taking handouts, frequently trying to solve social problems that seems never to get fixed.

The longtime head of one prestigious cultural group even told me that a nonprofit is an organization that, "because of what it does, cannot make money." (The surprise is not that he was constantly in debt, even on the verge of bankruptcy, but that he could continue to bamboozle donors into supporting her year after year.)

I guess that only about one in 10 people knows that nonprofits certainly can "make" money, but that what defines and distinguishes them from for-profit businesses is simply what they do with any money they generate above expenses.

Nonprofits call their extra dollars "surplus," not profit, and they reinvest them in their organization. They don't distribute their excess funds to shareholders who are entitled to a dividend, as businesses may. My cultural chief aside, nonprofits not only can make money, they should. The term really means "not having profit for investors to share in."

So, we need to do away with nonprofit organizations. Well, not with them per se, but with the term nonprofit and replace it with a clear, positive one--like Community Reinvestment Organization or CIO.

First, the word "investment" in CIO might help remind people working with them that the donated dollars they allocate to doing good in their community should produce a documentable return. For example, a cultural program might tout the dollars it generates by attracting out-of-town visitors and positive press. A program for teen substance abusers could estimate the cost to society of their continuing to be on drugs, track successful graduates of its program, and total the money it saved the public by rehabilitating them.

Creative CIOs can find compelling ways to prove that they use contributions prudently to produce a financial, not just a "feel good," return. Like public companies, every CIO should publish an annual report that documents the return on its community investment.

Second, renaming nonprofits could help invigorate the fundraising process. CIOs could make a strong case to potential donors to give money to efforts they can show make a positive difference, instead of approaching them for what too often may appear to be hopeless causes. Contributors to CIOs wouldn't receive dollar dividends as they might from their stock portfolio, but they should be shown how their donations paid dividends to society in general and to the organization they support, in particular. Informed donors are likely to contribute more money and more often.

Needless, to say, the IRS is not going to change nonprofit to CIO anytime soon, and nonprofits themselves may be slow to redefine themselves. But savvy nonprofits can have the best of both worlds by explaining why they really are Community Investment Organizations. A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but a nonprofit smart enough to market itself as as CIO might truly blossom.

Email your comments and questions to Dr. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.
Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein's websites are:
http://www.floridafundraisingresources.com/
http://www.fundraisershotline.com/
http://www.onlinefundraisingbooks.com/
http://www.recaudaciondefondos.blogspot.com/
http://www.mexicofundraisingresources.com/
http://www.fundraisingassessments.blogspot.com/
http://www.hawaiifundraisingresources.com/

Fundraising & Nonprofits = Business

2009-09-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

When just "doing good" does "nobody" any "good"

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein,

"The Fundraising Guru"

Before I say anything about people who do nonprofits no good, let me underscore how much I respect the many men, women, and even children who give tirelessly of their time, money, and energy to help worthy organizations and their causes. The world is undoubtedly a better place because they are enlightened--empathetic--enough to think and act beyond their own personal interests and work for the greater good. I can't imagine where we would be without such individuals.

That said, I am genuinely troubled by a persistent mantra that I hear from too many people who work, volunteer, and fundraise for nonprofits: It's that they occupy some rarefied air, above the dog-eat-dog world of business, where high-minded ideals prevail. Recently, someone involved with a community organization told me that her friends "are more spiritual oriented and less business oriented" and that she's "not interested in doing business anymore," which is presumably why she's involved with a nonprofit.

I told her a truth she probably didn't want to hear: You cannot excape doing business; it is not a dirty word. Community organizations doing good must operate like businesses, for without a steady flow of money, they will not survive.

Unfortunately, she's not alone in thinking unrealistically. The first question I ask participants in my workshops is: What is a nonprofit? And invariably, people answer with variations on the same theme--that it's an organization that works for the common good. In an incredible number of instances, people say that "it's an organization that, because of what it does, cannot make money."

Eek! That response sends me up a tree. At that point, I pass out copies of the IRS regulations on 501(c)3 charitable organizations. I've underlined the section dealing with surplus funds. It's then for the first time that it registers on some people that their organization(s) may indeed "make" money. But what distinguishes them from for-profit businesses is that excess funds are reinvested in the organization, not distributed to shareholders or owners. In other words, there's absolutely no escape: Nonprofits are businesses.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein's websites are:
www.floridafundraisingresources.com
www.fundraisershotline.com
www.onlinefundraisingbooks.com
www.recaudaciondefondos.blogspot.com
www.mexicofundraisingresources.com
www.fundraisingassessments.blogspot.com
www.hawaiifundraisingresources.com

2009-09-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Fundraising websites filled with free advice!
www.fundraisershotline.com
www.onlinefundraisingbooks.com
www.fundraisershelpline.com
www.fundraisingassessments.blogspot.com
www.recaudaciondefondos.blogspot.com

2009-09-24T02:31:00.000-07:00

For All Nonprofits:
Free Fundraising Consulting Hotline

Totally free, personalized fundraising consulting is now available for all nonprofits 24/7 at www.fundraisershotline.com. Don't believe it? Test it for yourself

“Large, small, any size in between--all nonprofit fundraisers may ask anything they want—like How can I find donors? or How can I get my board to give more and to ask others to give? It’s absolutely one-on-one attention. They won’t be getting boilerplate answers,” says Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, creator of the hotline and president of The Nonprofit Fundraising Institute, Educational Marketing Services in Fort Lauderdale.

“Nonprofits always have a hard time raising money. But many are really struggling in today’s bad economy--everywhere. They need immediate professional advice tailored to their specific needs. But most nonprofits cannot afford to hire an expert to give them quick answers to their pressing questions. So, www.fundraisershotline.com gives them personal access to an experienced professional to be their sounding-board to increase their fundraising success,” Goldstein adds.

That’s what’s so unique about the hotline. It’s quick, efficient, direct—and free, of course. Getting answers from the hotline is simple. Go to www.fundraisershotline.com, fill out the short user form, ask a question, then send it to Dr. Goldstein. There is absolutely no cost or obligation. Every question is answered personally and within 24 hours.

Columnist, author, consultant, TV and radio personality, and workshop leader--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is a nationally recognized marketing, communications, and fundraising executive, as well as a trends analyst and forecaster. For more than 30 years, he has developed strategies for nonprofit success.

Dr. Goldstein is now the co-producer and host of “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which airs on WNN & WSBR and may be heard 24/7 at www.forumfornonprofits.com. He was the producer and host of “Fundraising Success,” a weekly radio program on WXEL, 90.7FM/National Public Radio.

Dr. Goldstein's "Fundraising Guru" columns have appeared in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and have been a regular feature of the Scripps papers on Florida’s Treasure Coast. He is the author of the bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising.

Goldstein is also the developer of “Self-Taught/Fundraising,” the basis for the workshops and tailored consulting programs he offers nationwide--and available at www.onlinefundraisingbooks.com.

Here are words that make people want to give!

2009-09-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Power-Words Prompt Prosperous Philanthropy
by Stephen L. Goldstein
"The Fundraising Guru"

Every fundraiser knows the shibboleth “People give to people.” But you can’t successfully reach them with any old “words, words, words,” in Hamlet’s lingo. Use powerful bons mots to propel people’s giving and to thank them with panache. Here’s a selection of particularly potent, pre-packaged phrases for solicitation letters and thank-you notes that you can massage to your advantage in your own text.

Edward R. Murrow, as he said farewell to his British listening audience on the BBC at the end of the Second World War, thanked them for living "a life, not an apology."

Thiruvalluvar, poet (c. 30 BCE): “The only gift is giving to the poor;/All else is exchange.”

Sharon K. Yntema: “You are rich enough to give small amounts of money to worthy causes when you can buy all the groceries you need.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little.”

Sanskrit proverb: “He who allows his day to pass by without practicing generosity and enjoying life’s pleasures is like a blacksmith’s bellows—he breathes but does not live.”

Friedrich Nietzsche: “Nothing ever succeeds which exuberant spirits have not helped to produce.”

Ancient proverb: “One hand cannot applaud alone.”

Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Simone de Beauvoir: “That’s what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.”

Marya Mannes: “Generosity with strings is not generosity; it is a deal.”

Confucius: “To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.”

Sir Francis Bacon: “In charity there is no excess.”

Scottish proverb: “Charity begins at home, but shouldn’t end there.”

Thomas H. Huxley: “I have no faith, very little hope, and as much charity as I can afford.”

Jewish proverb: “If charity cost nothing, the world would be full of philanthropists.”

Stephen L. Goldstein: “Angels rush in where fools fear to tread.”

W.J. Slim: “When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of action you should take, choose the bolder.”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge: “The lamentable difficulty I have always experienced [is] in saying ‘no.’”

Herman Melville: “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and along those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.”

Albert Pine: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

Sydney Smith: To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can.”

Phoebe Low: “Someone said of nations—but it might well have been said of individuals, too—that they require ‘something sufficiently akin to be understood, something sufficiently different to provoke attention, and something sufficiently great to command admiration.’”

Kevin Kelly: “The only factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention.”

W.M. Paxton: “Ideas go booming through the world louder than cannon. Thoughts are mightier than armies. Principles have achieved more victories than horsemen or chariots.”

E-mail your questions and comments to Stephen Goldstein through www.fundraisershotline.com . He’s the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and the host of the radio program, “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which you may hear 24/7/365 at www.forumfornonprofits.com.#

Does your nonprofit board fail fundraising?

2009-09-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

Nonprofit Board x 10 = “Your Fundraising Threshold”
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
"The Fundraising Guru"

Ask (too) many people associated with (too) many nonprofits how much money they think they can raise in a fundraising cycle and usually they’ll smile and answer, “As much as we can.” How silly!

Typically, nonprofits operate on a wing-and-a-prayer and live out of hope—that “the money will somehow come.” After all, they think, “we’re doing good so somehow good things should happen to us.” Right!

In addition, my guess is that even if they know better, most nonprofit boards resist anything to do with establishing realistic goals for fear of under-motivating paid staff. Even worse, too often, when boards put a number on how much they need or want to raise, they set an unrealistic, “stretch” goal. Then, having set pie-in-the-sky parameters for their success, they give marching orders to paid staff to meet it. And staff are afraid to challenge their board’s unrealistic expectations.

In other words, fundraising is typically based upon unrealistic assumptions and expectations. No one thinks that there may actually be a formula to apply to answer the question, “How much money can we raise?”

So here is a standard against which every nonprofit can set a realistic yearly fundraising goal. An organization’s “Fundraising Threshold” (FT) is equal to the amount of money its board personally donates annually times 10. In other words, if the board of nonprofit X collectively contributes $100,000, it is reasonable to expect that it can raise $1 million yearly.

Of course, in some years, an organization may have a windfall—a major gift from an estate, for example. That’s always good, just not predictable. By contrast, an organization’s FT establishes the parameters of its ongoing activities, putting it on a reliable, solid footing.

The FT formula is based upon two important assumptions. First, the board of every nonprofit must understand that it is the key the organization’s successful fundraising. The bucks begin and end with them. As fiduciaries, board members are responsible for their nonprofit’s financial health and well-being. They are its prime fundraisers. Paid staff guide and assist them in their fundraising role; they cannot and should not replace board members as prime fundraisers.

Second, board members “worth” anything should be able to get at least 10 others to donate as much as they do. Of course, they may have to approach many more than 10 people to reach their goal, so they have to be willing to pull out the stops. They agreed to be on the board presumably because they were committed to the mission and goals of the organization. So what’s the big deal?

Before even considering making a major gift, potential donors should ask the board member asking them how much he or she gives, how much the board donates as a whole, and at what levels board members give, without naming names. The reason is simple: Why should a potential donor bankroll an organization, when the people who are supposed to be committed enough to it to be on the board don’t ante up?

So, to increase your fundraising goal, determine your current FT, motivate your board to give more—then score a perfect 10!

E-mail your questions and comments to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He’s the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. He is also the host of the radio program, "The Forum for Nonprofits," devoted to nonprofit success, which is available 24/7 at http://www.forumfornonprofits.com/.

Fundraising only gels if you sell well

2009-09-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein
"The Fundraising Guru"

To increase your fundraising salesmanship, contact Stephen Goldstein through his Fundraisers Hotline using the address at the end of this article.

I know that people who work on behalf of nonprofits like to think of themselves as doing something for the common good. I know that because, whenever I hold workshops, the first question I ask participants is, “What is a nonprofit?” And invariably, their answers accentuate an altruistic angle. “It’s an organization that serves society,” they say, or one “that helps the needy,” or it’s “a group of individuals who hold events to raise money for worthy purposes.”

The last thing in the world that supporters of nonprofits like to think they are is salespeople; they consider themselves a cut above schnooks selling shoes or used cars. I know that because when I ask my second question—“What is fundraising?”—no one ever answers “sales.” Instead predictably, the answers have a mushy quality equal to the definition of a nonprofit. Fundraising is the “ability to raise capital for an entity,” “stewardship, relationship-building in order to raise funds for an agency,” “an effort to generate funds for a good cause.”

So, it’s time for a major reality check for everyone who works on behalf of nonprofits. From doctors and plumbers to entrepreneurs and artists, successful people know how to sell--well. Fundraising is “nonprofit sales,” pure and simple. If you don’t know how to sell, you’ll never be an effective fundraiser. And if your first reaction to the idea of “nonprofit fundraising as selling” is to hold your nose, you’re probably holding back whatever cause(s) you support. So, here are some basic tips to help you increase your effectiveness in fundraising sales:

1. Selling is the quintessential skill. It’s not about getting others to do something they don’t want to or to buy something they don’t need. At its best, selling is the highest form of communication: It’s about making the perfect match between what you have to offer and what someone else wants. It’s an art.

2. Rejection isn’t rejection. So what if someone says no to you. It’s not the end of your life nor should you punish them on your voodoo doll. Think of how many times you may have said no to someone without meaning any ill towards them—and move on to someone else.

3. Fundraising is not about “the ask,” but about “the listen.” Remember the lyric, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Consider your customers before you chew their ears off about your cause. Too many do-gooder fundraisers have a “prima facie, ipso facto attitude.” They think that all they have to do is blurt out the basics of their case and their prey will open their wallet. Ain’t so! Do your homework: Find out about people you approach. Take an interest in them. You’ll be amazed at how interested they’ll become in you.

4. Commit to selling 24/7. The best/most successful fundraisers even dream about raising money. Fundraising is a frame of mind, an all-consuming passion, not a 9-to-5 job. From a check-out line in Publix to a tuxedo-filled ballroom, fundraiser-salespeople know that there are six degrees of separation—or less--between them and the next contribution they receive.

5. Multiply your donors’ gifts. Donors who are treated well beget other donors. The most successful fundraiser-salespeople know that fundraising only gels if you sell well.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. He is also the host of the broadcast radio program, “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which is also available 24/7 from anywhere in the world. To increase the "gelling" of your fundraising, contact him at http://www.fundraisershotline.com/. He'll answer you personally!

Down with fundraisers! They are NOT fundraising.

2009-09-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

In most cases, it's a no-brainer: "Fundraisers" aren't worth the effort. After you read this entry, contact Dr. Goldstein through his "Fundraisers Hotline," and he'll personally help you increase the success of your "fundraisers."

On any given day, all across America, well-meaning people attend what are popularly called "fundraisers"--golf tournaments, car washes, runs, black-tie affairs, for example--put on for the benefit of nonprofits. They cost organizers tremendous amounts of time, energy, and money. They cost sponsors and participants varying amounts of dollars.

Year after year, event-oriented nonprofits get caught in a vicious cycle: They compete with themselves and with other organizations to put on the next-best event or lose potential supporters--and revenue. If they don't find something to surpass the novelty of last year's "Casino Night in Casablanca," they're afraid that they'll fall into charitable oblivion.

Caught in a trap of their own making, few, if any, nonprofits are honest enough with themselves to break out of the pattern, however. Grateful whatever for money they make and afraid of alienating volunteers who typically orchestrate "fundraisers," they rarely do real cost-benefit analyses of the profitability of events, including the cost/value of volunteer hours spent on managing them that could have been spent more productively. If they did, they'd come to the inescapable conclusion that "fundraisers" are really shills for businesses: The worthy purpose for which events are held gets what's left over AFTER greens fees, meals, flowers, printing, and other logistical necessities have been paid. Too often, that's relatively little; sometimes, it's little or nothing.

Worst of all, most "fundraisers" typically fail because they violate the first principle of REAL fundraising: relationship-building. Truly successful nonprofits know that the ONLY way to raise substantial amounts of money is to establish a meaningful connection between donors and themselves. But event-oriented "fundraisers" too often attract people who come for the night out, not for the worthy purpose. Perhaps someone they knew enticed them to come to "join my table" and they felt obligated--for that one time. In other words, they experienced good (or bad) food, a good (or boring) group of dinner or golf partners, but little else. They might just as well have gone to a restaurant.

I'm not suggesting that nonprofits simply pull the plug on their "fundraisers." You NEVER want to throw the baby out with the proverbial bath water. Held with care and serious, strategic forethought, they have a LIMITED, PROPER place in organizations' overall development plan.

So contact Dr. Goldstein through http://www.fundraisershotline.com/ and he'll personally give you some tips on how too make any "fundraiser" into a REALLY successful event.

Free Fundraising Consulting Hotline

2009-09-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

If you've read this, you're entitled to go to http://www.fundraisershotline.com/. Ask "the fundraising guru," Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, any question about how to increase your nonprofit's fundraising success--and he'll answer you personally!

Are your board members bored or boring? Stephen Goldstein will tell you how to get your board booming.

Are you out of ideas for raising money? Stephen Goldstein will show you how to energize your efforts.

Do you have lots of people helping you fundraise--or are you "out there" alone? Stephen Goldstein will share the formula for creating your own fundraising "army".

So, go to www.fundraisershotline.com now and get your answers.

2009-08-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

30 Days to Successful Fundraising was developed as a workbook and training manual. Nonprofits around the country have used it to get their board, paid staff, and volunteers "on the same page."

Take the "30 Days" to master the program. Don't rush the process.

Each "day," read 2 to 4 pages filled with practical advice; then answer the questions at the end of the "day" to create powerful strategies to meet your specific needs.

Order 30 Days to Successful Fundraising today. To find out more about the book and program go to: http://www.fundraisersbooks.com/

Now, you can determine your nonprofit's Fundraising Threshold (FT)

2009-05-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Your nonprofit's Fundraising Threshold (FT) is your most important benchmark. The key to successful fundraising is the energy, commitment, and generosity of your board members. They set the pace for others to become involved--and give.

Now, you can actually determine your nonprofit's Fundraising Threshold using a powerful, numerical formula. It tells you where you are and where you need to be in fundraising. Start by going to www.fundraisingassessments.blogspot.com. Then, download the Fundraiser's and Board Member's Self-Assessments.

Once you benchmark your FT, you'll know precisely what you need to do to increase your fundraising success.

Successful fundraisers have discovered the Law of Completion

2009-05-25T15:35:00.001-07:00

Apply the Law of Completion--Day 8
Successful fundraisers tap into a donor's micro-emotional level
from 30 Days to Successful Fundraising
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Note: Be sure to complete "Applying this principle to my fundraising success" at the end of Day 8

The little-known "law of completion" may be the most powerful piece of information in your arsenal of successful fundraising strategies. Pay particular attention to the nuances that it reveals about every donor--actual or potential.

No matter how reasonable your proposal for funds may be or how rational you are in making the case for giving to support your effort, never lose sight of the fact that a determining factor in successful fundraising is emotion or irrationality. Ultimately, people give not because you have convinced them to but because you have awakened an emotional connection to something about which they feel strongly.

You can have all the facts and figures you need and the most convincing arguments, but unless you touch upon the deep seeded motivators--the emotional well-spring--of your potential donors, you will never reach them with your message.

Despite the defenses of sophistication, skepticism, and hesitancy, deep down everyone wants to make a positive difference in the world. At the broadest level, they want to see physical suffering mitigated, poverty reduced or eliminated, illiteracy overcome; in short, they want the world to be a place in which the lives of people of all ages can be fulfilling. This macro-emotional appeal may move them; however, it is not the most important or motivating part of a person's emotional make-up.

The micro-emotional level is where passion originates. Everyone on planet earth has some positive or negative, incomplete or unfulfilled experience in their personal history that motivates them to act. For example, a young man who suffered from polio in his youth becomes obsessed with physical achievement in order to compensate for it and becomes an Olympic gold medalist. An illiterate parent works as a maid so she can educate her children, and they can enjoy a better life. The ugly duckling, wallflower, or female nerd in high school becomes Miss America. Some people spend their lives trying to become what they think and feel they are not, and others want to abate some type of suffering.

As you might suspect, the law of completion not only applies in fundraising, it rules. People give to compensate for what they feel is incomplete in their lives. The successful entrepreneur who could not go to college because he couldn't afford to may be just the person to donate money to provide scholarships for needy students. A woman who was not able to bear children of her own may be the perfect donor to contribute to adoption or fertility programs. Having unexpectedly lost a daughter who was a teacher, a husband and wife might find comfort from contributing a fellowship in her name to memorialize her and help perpetuate her professional efforts.

Ignore the hot-button issues at your own peril. They are truly the ones that will open philanthropic doors and pockets for you. Of course, one reason people give money is because they can save money on taxes. But ultimately, people give money so they will feel better about themselves and about the world in which they live. Set out to reach them at their emotional, as well as their rational, level.

To ask Dr. Goldstein more about "The Law of Completion" or any other fundraising matter, go to www.fundraisershotline.com
To find out more about 30 Days to Successful Fundraising," go to www.fundraisersbooks.com.

"Applying this principle to your fundraising success"
List 5 current and/or potential donors to your nonprofit and (what you suspect may be) their hot-button issues, the ones you can help them "complete" by supporting your cause.
1___________________________________________________________
2___________________________________________________________
3___________________________________________________________
4___________________________________________________________
5___________________________________________________________

Fighting Charity Fraud

2009-05-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

from the Miami Herald
National effort fights charity fraud
BY NIRVI SHAH nshah@MiamiHerald.com

Do your homework before donating money to a charity claiming to collect money to help police, firefighters or military veterans, the Florida attorney general's office warned Wednesday.
Florida joined a national effort to fight fraud committed by groups claiming to collect money on behalf of protection agencies and veterans, but they give misleading information about how much of the money would actually be given to those groups.

''Operation False Charity'' includes 76 actions against 32 fundraising companies, 31 individuals and 22 nonprofits -- or groups claiming to be nonprofits. The effort is led by the Federal Trade Commission, 61 attorneys general, secretaries of state and other law enforcers in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

The FTC says the money collected was used overwhelmingly to support the charity administration, not the causes they said they were collecting for. Among the organizations targeted: American Veterans Relief Foundation Inc., Coalition of Police and Sheriffs Inc. and Disabled Firefighters Fund. Another target of the effort is on its way to making amends.

Florida and other states filed a lawsuit against Community Support Inc., a company that solicited funds on behalf of 35 charitable clients but generally kept more than 80 percent of donations, or in some cases, 90 percent of money collected.

The lawsuit also alleges Community Support harassed people who were called, sometimes falsely claimed to be members of law enforcement or veterans, or claimed someone had made a pledge when they had not.

The company has agreed to cease all improper or illegal contact, the attorney general's office said, and has agreed to regularly report information to states about its actions and improve employee training. They will reimburse $200,000 to states for the cost of the investigations.
Some tips from the FTC before you donate to any charity:

• Check out an organization before donating. Some phony charities use names, seals and logos that look or sound like those of respected, legitimate organizations.
• The words veterans or military in a charity group's literature or sales pitch doesn't necessarily mean veterans or members of the military or their families will benefit from a donation.
• Donate to charities with a track record. Charities that spring up overnight may disappear just as quickly.
• Don't make cash donations. For security and tax record purchases, pay by check -- making the payment in the name of the charity -- and get a receipt.

Free Personalized Consulting Hotline for Nonprofit Fundraisers

2009-04-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

Free Consulting Hotline for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Contact: The Nonprofits Institute
Educational Marketing Services
954-772-4455

Totally free, personalized fundraising consulting is now available for nonprofits 24/7 from anywhere in the U.S. and around the world at www.fundraisershotline.com.

“Nonprofit fundraisers may ask anything they want—like How can I find donors? or How can I get my board to give more and to ask others to give? It’s absolutely one-on-one attention. They won’t be getting boilerplate answers,” says Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, creator of the hotline and president of The Nonprofit Institute, Educational Marketing Services.

“Nonprofits always have a hard time raising money. But many are really struggling in today’s bad economy. They need immediate professional advice tailored to their specific needs. But most nonprofits cannot afford to hire an expert to give them quick answers to their pressing questions. So, www.fundraisershotline.com gives them personal access to an experienced professional to be their sounding-board to increase their fundraising success,” Goldstein adds.

That’s what’s so unique about the hotline. It’s quick, efficient, direct—and free, of course. Getting answers from the hotline is simple. Go to www.fundraisershotline.com, fill out the short user form, ask a question, then send it to Dr. Goldstein. There is absolutely no cost or obligation. Every question is answered personally and within 24 hours.

Columnist, author, consultant, TV and radio personality, and workshop leader--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is a nationally recognized marketing, communications, and fundraising executive, as well as a trends analyst and forecaster. For more than 30 years, he has developed strategies for nonprofit success.

Dr. Goldstein is now the co-producer and host of “The Forum for Nonprofits,” which airs on WNN & WSBR and may be heard 24/7 at www.forumfornonprofits.com. He was the producer and host of “Fundraising Success,” a weekly radio program on WXEL, 90.7FM/National Public Radio and still available at any time from anywhere in the world at www.wxelpodcasts.org.

Dr. Goldstein's "Fundraising Guru" columns have appeared in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and have been a regular feature of the Scripps papers on Florida’s Treasure Coast. He is the author of the bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising.

Goldstein is also the developer of “Fundraising Briefing Books,” the basis for the workshops and tailored consulting programs he offers nationwide.#

An inspiration for nonprofits!

2009-01-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

From The New York Times
January 20, 2009
Brooklyn Academy Thinks Big, Despite All
By ROBIN POGREBIN
Even as cultural organizations across the city are contracting in a grim economic climate, the Brooklyn Academy of Music has embarked on a $300 million expansion effort that calls for a new theater, three or four spaces for screening films, new festivals for opera and Muslim culture and a shored-up endowment, officials say.

Karen Brooks Hopkins, president of the Academy, acknowledged that the move might seem surprising to donors and to struggling arts institutions.

“Announcing this campaign is not meant to be arrogant,” she said in an interview. “It’s meant to be thoughtful. We cut our budget by $1.4 million this year.” (Last year’s budget was $40 million.) “At the same time, we want to be forward-thinking.”

The five-year campaign, to be announced on Wednesday, actually started quietly last year, Ms. Hopkins said. More than half of the money — $160 million — has already been raised, including $22.5 million from the city and a $10 million gift from Jeanne Donovan Fisher, the widow of Richard B. Fisher, who served as chairman of the Academy’s endowment trust.

Ms. Hopkins acknowledged that the institution faced an enormous challenge, given the recent plunge in so many New Yorkers’ and corporations’ investment portfolios. “It’s going to be very hard; we have a huge job to do,” she said. “It’s a 5-year campaign, but it may take 10 years.”

But she added that the Academy had a list of potential donors that she had yet to approach. “Some of them will give, and some of them won’t,” she said, adding that the institution remained “committed and focused.”

The new 263-seat theater, planned for a former Salvation Army building next to the Academy, on Ashland Place in Fort Greene, will be named after Mr. Fisher and designed by the architect Hugh Hardy. Construction is to begin in the fall, with performances starting in 2012, the Academy said.

The plan reflects the Academy’s recognition of how essential the organization, founded in 1861, has become in recent years as an economic and cultural anchor for Brooklyn, and for Fort Greene in particular.

“BAM is so important to the success of the whole community,” Ms. Hopkins said. “When we are dark, the whole block starves.”

Ms. Hopkins said the institution was already one of the borough’s leading employers. The new building project would use 125 construction workers daily and involve more than 800 tradesmen. “That’s one of the reasons we’re doing this now,” she said. “The other reason is that history demands it in a certain way.”

For nearly a decade the city has been working to create a BAM Cultural District by converting vacant and underused properties in the area into spaces for arts organizations. The Theater for a New Audience, for example, is completing plans for a new home in the district, also designed by Mr. Hardy. A new building adjacent to the BAM Harvey Theater is to house UrbanGlass, a nonprofit center devoted to glass blowing, and BRIC, another nonprofit arts organization, which provides public access television and arts programming for the borough, including the Celebrate Brooklyn! summer concert series. That project is also to begin construction this year.

Joe Chan, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, which is overseeing the arts district’s development, said he thought the Academy’s new theater would play a critical role in advancing the district’s growth. “It will add a new type of venue which is smaller, less costly to operate and more accessible,” he said.

The Academy currently operates two stages, the Howard Gilman Opera House, which has about 2,000 seats, and BAM Harvey, which has 874.

“BAM needs a new, small, intimate, completely flexible theater that can respond to the art-making of the 21st century,” said Joseph V. Melillo, the institution’s executive producer. In addition to the theater auditorium, whose seats will be removable, the building is to include a large rehearsal space, classrooms, offices and a green roof. Much of the new complex has already been named after donors: the Peter Jay Sharp Lobby, the Judith R. and Alan H. Fishman Space, the Samuel H. Scripps Stage.

“The roof is not named yet, but hopefully it will be,” Ms. Hopkins said.

The Academy will use the theater for half the year. It will be available for rental to local organizations the rest of the year at subsidized rates, a policy made possible by a $2 million grant from the Independence Community Foundation, which supports development, education and the arts in Brooklyn. The Academy has organized a community council to develop a business plan to address neighborhood needs and provide technical assistance and training in areas like marketing.

The new film-screening spaces will be in another building in the district that has yet to be identified, Academy officials said. That space will also include room for exhibitions and events.
The broader plan also includes upgrading the BAM Harvey Theater — new seats, a reconfigured lobby and improved food service — and bolstering the Academy’s endowment to $110 million from the current $67 million.

The Academy seems to be starting on more solid ground than it has for past ventures. In its last fiscal year the organization had no deficit for the first time in decades, after a shortfall that peaked at $4 million in the late 1980s.

On the programming front, the Academy plans to introduce a biennial opera festival in March 2010, with William Christie as curator. The first program will include Henry Purcell’s “Fairy Queen,” directed by Jonathan Kent; Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s “Actéon”; and Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas.”

Plans also call for a 2011 revival of Mr. Christie’s production of Jean-Baptiste Lully’s “Atys,” previously presented at the Academy in 1989 and 1992 and jointly produced this time with Opéra Comique of France. “This Baroque music was lost for 200 years, and Christie rediscovered and reinvented it,” Ms. Hopkins said.

The Academy will also continue its Bridge Project, a three-year collaboration with the Old Vic in London, in which two new plays directed by Sam Mendes are to be presented each year. The first of the plays, “The Cherry Orchard,” adapted by Tom Stoppard, opened this month.

With Asia Society and the New York University Center for Dialogues as partners, the Academy will take part this year in “Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas,” which seeks to celebrate the range of artistic expression in the Muslim world. The festival and conference will unfold across the city from June 5 to 19, with performances, films, exhibitions, lectures and an outdoor souk.

The Academy has an advantage envied by some other venerable performing arts institutions: its audiences are getting younger. The proportion of spectators under 35 increased to 37 percent in 2008 from 30 percent in 2004. Last year, for the first time, the Academy also saw a tipping of its so-called borough balance: more audience members from Brooklyn than from Manhattan.
Still, even as it proceeds with these ambitious plans, the Academy will have to grapple with the day-to-day exigencies of the economic downturn. Despite the one-time city gift, its annual city financing has been trimmed by $800,000, Ms. Hopkins said. Should hard times worsen, the Academy will probably have to make additional cuts in its operating budget.

But Ms. Hopkins emphasized that the institution had weathered adversity in the past. “BAM has been around since 1861 and endured fire, flood, the Great Depression,” she said. “We are not in this for the short haul.”
Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

Fundraisers: Don't Count Your Donations Until They Hatch

2008-10-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-oklahoma-state-donation-pickens,0,1335045.story
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Economic downturn affects Pickens' donations to Oklahoma State
By ROCHELLE HINES
Associated Press Writer
8:48 PM EDT, October 22, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma State University officials cheered when oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens gave a record-setting gift of $165 million to his alma mater two years ago for athletic programs and then invested it in his BP Capital hedge fund so that it would grow even more.

But now the fund has dropped so low amid the national economic downturn that university officials won't say how much is left and the fancy athletic village it was supposed to pay for has been put on hold. Pickens himself has lost "well in excess of $1 billion" as oil and natural gas prices have plummeted, said Jay Rosser, Pickens' spokesman.

In 2007, Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder trumpeted growth in the school's athletic facilities construction fund. Pickens' generous contribution, together with other donations and market appreciation, had allowed the fund to mushroom to $288 million.

OSU spokesman Gary Shutt on Wednesday declined to say how much is left." Construction on facilities in the athletic village area will begin when the economic climate improves," Shutt said. "Like all investors in these uncertain times, we are exploring all options as we consider our future plans."

Shutt said he couldn't specify what those options are. Pickens, whose fortune was pegged by Forbes magazine at $3 billion in 2007, had hoped investing his money and contributions from others into BP Capital would provide enough money to cover the costs of the athletic village.The project is expected to include a new indoor practice facility, stadiums for baseball and softball and venues for baseball, tennis, soccer, equestrian, and track and field. Work on the west end zone project of the football stadium, named Boone Pickens Stadium after its benefactor, continues and remains on target for completion in 2009. Rosser said the company is no different than "any other industry, business or household in America."We've been hit hard by the economic downturn."

Rosser said the company is in contact with the school and they're "working together" on the funding issue, but he referred questions about the fund's value to Oklahoma State officials.Oil prices fell below $67 a barrel on Wednesday, 55 percent from its peak of $147.27 in mid-July.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Fundraisers Beware: Wrong Words Can Dink Appeals

2008-10-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

http://news.aol.com/article/college-uses-blah-blah-in-money-pitch/219893
1
College’s ‘Blah’ Money Pitch Falls Flat
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (Oct. 21) - An attempt
to reach younger donors with a
breezily written letter that uses the word
“blah” 137 times has some Framingham
State College alumni questioning the
school’s professionalism, judgment and ...
blah, blah, blah.
The Sept. 5 letter, signed by the president of
the school’s alumni association, was sent to
about 6,000 recent graduates who hadn’t
donated to the school. It used standard
fundraising pitches, interspersed with sentences
of nothing but “blah.”
“With the recent economic downturn and
loan crisis, it has become even more important
for Framingham State College to receive
your support. Blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah,” one part of the letter
read.
Christopher Hendry, the school’s vice president
of college advancement, told the
MetroWest Daily News of Framingham he
approved the letter, which he said was written
in a marketing style expected to appeal
to younger donors.
Alumnus Ken Shifman, a 2003 graduate,
said the letter “insults the intelligence” of
alumni.
“It just doesn’t seem like something from a
legitimate university,” Shifman said.
After several complaints, Hendry sent a letter
of apology a month later in which he
called the first letter a “misguided and embarrassing
attempt to connect with alumni
in a different way.”
However, Hendry notes that after the
“blah” letter was sent, the school collected
about $2,000 from nearly 40 alumni who
had never previously given money.

Fundraising Radio: www.forumfornonprofits.com

2008-10-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

Listen to "The Forum for Nonprofits" at www.forumfornonprofits.com.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is the host; Ellen Schulman is the producer. Each week, we focus on a worthy nonprofit--and encourage listeners to make financial contributions to it. Programs are available 24/7 365 on the Internet--and may be heard from anywhere in the world.

If you want to suggest an organization to be interviewed, contact "The Forum for Nonprofits." We can contact them by phone worldwide. One recent interview originated in Dubai.

2008-05-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

from The New York Times
May 26, 2008
Tax Exemptions of Charities Face New Challenges
By STEPHANIE STROM
RED WING, Minn. — Authorities from the local tax assessor to members of Congress are increasingly challenging the tax-exempt status of nonprofit institutions — ranging from small group homes to wealthy universities — questioning whether they deserve special treatment.

One issue is the growing confusion over what constitutes a charity at a time when nonprofit groups look more like businesses, charging fees and selling products and services to raise money, and state and local governments are under financial pressure because of lower tax revenues.
And there are others: Does a nonprofit hospital give enough charity care to earn a tax exemption? Is a wealthy university providing enough financial aid?

In a ruling last December that sent tremors through the not-for-profit world, the Minnesota Supreme Court said a small nonprofit day care agency here had to pay property taxes because, in essence, it gave nothing away.

The agency, the Under the Rainbow Child Care Center, charges the same price per child regardless of whether their parents are able to pay the full amount themselves or they receive government support to cover the cost.

“We were shocked,” said Michelle Finholdt, who founded the center in 1994 and scraped together the money to buy a building in 2002. “There are a lot of other organizations in our area that we’re similar to, and they are exempt from property taxes.”

The tax-exempt status of charities costs local governments $8 billion to $13 billion annually, according to various rough estimates.

And local assessors are not the only government officials scratching their heads over which groups deserve privileged tax status. Congress has threatened to impose a requirement that wealthy universities make minimum payouts from their endowments and raised questions about whether nonprofit hospitals are really all that different from their for-profit — and tax-paying — competitors.

And, concerned about the way some churches are spending money, the Senate Finance Committee has asked for detailed financial information from six evangelical ministries asking them to justify their tax exemptions.

Others are questioning whether some tax-exempt nonprofits, primarily universities and hospitals, have accumulated so much wealth that they should no longer be considered charities. In Massachusetts, where Harvard’s endowment has reached $35 billion in assets, legislators are weighing whether to impose a 2.5 percent annual assessment on universities with endowments of more than $1 billion.

The idea behind tax exemptions is that the organizations provide a public service or substantially reduce the burdens of government. Standards from property-tax exemptions are set by the states, while the federal exemption means charities are not taxed on their income.

Almost 88 percent of overall nonprofit revenues in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available, came from fees for services, sales and sources other than charitable contributions, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. Nonprofit health care providers, day care centers and retirement homes, among others, are often difficult to distinguish from their tax-paying competitors.

“We’re all seeing the growth of revenue in this area we call earned income,” said Audrey R. Alvarado, executive director of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, adding that the Minnesota court decision “is saying, ‘Wait a minute, charities are supposed to give things away for free.’ ”

“It goes to the core of how nonprofits are classified and defined,” she said, “and I think it is an example of the confusion in the public, and even among folks in the sector itself, about what a nonprofit is.”

Evelyn Brody, a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law and an expert on nonprofits and property taxes, said that, in studying the issue in 2002 and revisiting it last year, she had seen an explosion of cases across the country in which charities were challenged to say why they deserve their property tax exemptions.

As universities charge high tuitions, and pay large salaries to administrators, they have become prime targets. For example, New London, Conn., assessed property taxes on a skating rink owned by Connecticut College. Local assessors tried to tax Smith College in Northampton, Mass., arguing that the women’s college engaged in sex discrimination and thus was not charitable.
Smaller organizations that provide services like day care or drug treatment are being challenged, too. The Oregon tax court denied property tax exemption to a residential substance-abuse treatment center because it catered to “addicted professionals” and, like Under the Rainbow, did not give away its services.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue and county tax assessors say the uproar over the court ruling here has surprised them.

“From the assessors’ standpoint, the Under the Rainbow ruling didn’t change anything for us,” said Thomas J. May, the tax assessor for Hennepin County and a spokesman for the state’s assessors.

In determining which organizations qualify for exemption, assessors in Minnesota rely on the State Constitution, which explicitly exempts things like public burial grounds, seminaries and colleges and universities from taxation, and on six criteria set out in a 1975 State Supreme Court decision.

Mr. May said that the determination process had become increasingly difficult, however, noting that the Mall of America, a major tourist attraction, was seeking tax exemptions as part of its plans to expand, arguing that it aids the state economy by drawing visitors.

“From our perspective in the assessment field, it’s harder to define what’s a nonprofit these days because there are so many different types, and many of them are doing the same thing for-profit groups that aren’t exempt are doing,” he said.

Some 95 percent of Under the Rainbow’s $550,582 budget in 2006 came from fees for services paid by families or by county and tribal governments. The court concluded that because the center charged all families the same amount, regardless of their ability to pay, and because its rates were not lower than those of its competitors, it was not an institution of “purely public charity” under the law and thus was subject to thousands of dollars in property taxes — $16,000 in 2006 and in 2007.

“The extent to which the recipients of the charity are required to pay for the assistance received tests for a value that is fundamental to the concept of charity — that is, whether the organization gives away anything,” Chief Justice Russell A. Anderson wrote in the decision.

Additionally, the court ruled that government payments were not evidence of charity — those payments were not a gift.

These two elements of the ruling have profoundly alarmed nonprofit groups in Minnesota and elsewhere.

“There are between 300 and 500 nonprofit groups in this state that could lose their property tax exemptions under that ruling,” said Jon Pratt, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, which represents about 2,000 of the state’s roughly 3,400 charities.

RSI Inc. in Duluth is among those at risk, said Jon Nelson, its executive director. The organization was founded 30 years ago by parents of mentally disabled children when the state closed the last of its homes for the disabled. More than 93 percent of its $11 million budget this year will come from government, and 6 percent will come from clients. “For-profit businesses aren’t going to take on these clients, and the state long ago recognized that as a nonprofit, we could provide better care at a lower cost than it could,” Mr. Nelson said.

“This court ruling is just ripe with unintended consequences,” he said. “The state is cutting off its nose to spite its face.” RSI owns real estate valued at $5.5 million and would pay an estimated $110,000 in property taxes if it lost its exemption.

“The nonprofit sector is being pressed to be more business-like and to find new ways to fill the gaps between what government will pay and what services cost, but then assessors want to treat us like businesses, which pay taxes,” said Jan Malcolm, chief executive of the Courage Center in Minneapolis and a former state health commissioner.

The Courage Center, which provides services and facilities for physically disabled people, estimates that a change in its tax exemption would cost it $1.7 million — $1.4 million in property taxes and $300,000 in sales taxes, which are linked to payment of property taxes in Minnesota.
That, Ms. Malcolm said, would force the center to cut programs and services. This month, the Minnesota Legislature passed a tax bill that establishes a one-year ban on reversing property tax exemptions held by existing nonprofits.

The bill requires legislators to set criteria to define what is “purely public charity,” a phrase included in many state statutes on charitable property tax exemption, in an era of nonprofit groups that charge for their services and receive only negligible amounts of donations.

“We need to figure out what we mean by ‘purely public charity’ because, frankly, we can’t afford as a state to lose nonprofits providing these kinds of services,” said State Representative Paul Marquart, chairman of the property tax subcommittee. “But it isn’t going to be easy.”

New column every Monday: June 9, 2008

2008-05-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

The Miami Herald
Posted on Sun, May. 25, 2008
Web charities help teachers equip classrooms
BY HANNAH SAMPSON

Elana Militzok started the school year at Oakland Park Elementary with a bare kindergarten classroom -- and a secret weapon to fill it.

By spring, the room was teeming with brightly colored educational toys, art supplies, markers, puzzles, writing journals, recess equipment and books. The supplies, worth thousands of dollars, came from strangers who saw Militzok's pleas for funding on a website called DonorsChoose.org.
''You can be a great teacher, but unless you have the materials to teach with, it's hard,'' Militzok said.

On the site, educators write detailed proposals about items they need and explain how they will be used. Online philanthropists can fund a portion or all of the project, and the charity buys the supplies and ships them to the school. All donors get an e-card from the teacher, and those who give more than $100 or who give the last amount to fulfill the need get photos and handwritten thank-you cards from students and the teacher.

Donors have fulfilled 11 projects for Militzok's class this year.

At a time when school budgets are tight, educators say the website -- which received the highest rating from Charity Navigator -- provides an opportunity to give students resources that schools, parent groups and the teachers themselves couldn't afford. All donations to DonorsChoose.org are tax deductible.

Founder Charles Best, a former teacher in the Bronx, was frustrated by the meager resources available when he and colleagues came up with the idea more than seven years ago.
''Most of us would spend our own money on basic copy paper and pencils,'' said Best, 32. ``For the most part, we saw our students going without the materials they needed for a good education.''

The site was first available only to New York City public school teachers, then spread to a handful of states. It expanded to the rest of the country in the fall; so far, Florida teachers have received about $165,000 worth of goods from donors in 38 states.

By early May, 95 proposals had been funded in Miami-Dade for almost $36,000. In Broward, 27 had been funded for more than $8,300.

''There are so many things that we have to buy as teachers,'' said Melody Gutierrez, a Miami Park Elementary teacher who also uses the site. ``It's allowed me to do a lot more fun things and be more creative with my kids during lessons. It makes the classroom a nicer place.''
Thanks to the charity, Gutierrez has outfitted her second-grade classroom with a giant carpet that bears a map of the United States, seat covers that hold kids' books, a listening center so students can practice reading aloud, a Dr. Seuss library, miniature whiteboards for kids to write on and even pencils and crayons.

''The first day of school, we didn't have any good stuff,'' said 9-year-old Taurrian Stafford. But, he said, after Gutierrez went online and asked for supplies, ``we got a lot and a lot of new stuff and our room got good.''

The website has given Gutierrez, who like Militzok found out about the website while teaching in New York, the chance to talk to her students about giving.

Other sites, including iLoveSchools.com and Miami-based http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/, offer services similar to DonorsChoose.org. Experts say these organizations are examples of how online social interaction is connecting people with needs to those who want to help.
''It's another magical solution to some of the nation's persistent problems with inequity,'' said Claire Gaudiani, a professor of philanthropy and fundraising at the Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University. ``It's driven by the young generation, and that's a very good sign for America.''

She said the kids who receive the donated supplies ``are learning the power of generosity.''
Donors say they like being able to choose specific projects to fund, and getting feedback after students have received the supplies.

Wendy Cole, office manager at MBR Construction in Fort Lauderdale, said the family business has funded two proposals, including buying safety goggles for students to use in science class at Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary in Miami. The thank-you notes from the students were ''one of the greatest things about it,'' she said.

''They were so sweet and honest,'' Cole said. ``Truly, we all had tears in our eyes when we were reading the letters.''

Andrew Navratil is the Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary teacher who wrote the proposal for the safety goggles, which his students have since used many times.

''It makes you feel like somebody really cares about my school and my students because they chose our project,'' he said.

Militzok and Gutierrez, both former teachers in New York who moved to South Florida this school year -- have spread the word to their colleagues about the website, and several other teachers have since gotten supplies.

''Nobody really understood how incredible it was and how worth it it was until they saw me every day walking out of the office with huge boxes,'' Militzok said.

The children who learn the lesson of philanthropy aren't only recipients.

Matthew Nadel, a third-grader at Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, is allowed by his parents to pick a charity every month for a $100 donation. Recently, he split the money between a few projects on DonorsChoose.org and got pictures and thank-you letters back.

''It made me feel like I was proud of myself that they really appreciated it,'' said Matthew, 9.
''It really brought home the message to my son that you're making a difference,'' said his father, Phil Nadel. ``You don't get that feedback with very many charities.''

New column every Monday: June 2, 2008

2008-05-24T19:53:00.001-07:00

The Miami Herald
Posted on Sat, May. 24, 2008
For famed artist Botero, there's joy in giving
BY DANIEL CHANG
Colombian artist Fernando Botero is renowned for rendering rotund figures in his paintings and monumental bronze sculptures. He is lesser known as a guardian of the aged and the hungry, and a benefactor to museums in Colombia, Venezuela and the United States.
Botero's philanthropy, in fact, was often low-profile -- until spring 2000, when the artist donated his personal collection of paintings and sculptures valued as high as $200 million to museums in his hometown of Medellín and the Colombian capital, Bogotá.
In March, the breadth of Botero's beneficence was detailed by the artist's son, Miami resident Juan Carlos Botero, in an address at the PODER Magazine Philanthropy Forum.
From his first donation of 16 oil paintings to the Museum of Antioquia in Medellín in 1976, to his gift of monumental sculptures to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1985, to his funding of kitchens to feed the hungry and nursing homes to care for the aged, Botero has cut a philanthropic legacy to rival his status as Latin America's best-known living artist.
Speaking in Spanish by phone from his home on the Greek island of Evia, Botero -- whose monumental sculptures are on exhibit at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden through next Saturday -- shared his thoughts on philanthropy, art, and the way he wants to be remembered.
Q: Why do you give?
A: My pleasure, I've found, is to help as much as I can . . . especially my country.
It was not my idea to publicize these things, but I realized that if you don't publicize this, then you don't give somebody the idea to do the same. By participating in the PODER forum, Juan Carlos planted the idea in people's minds to help others. . . . I've been involved for a number of years.
The first thing I did [philanthropically] was because my little son died and I wanted to do something to honor his memory.
When Pedrito died [in 1974], I donated 10 or 12 paintings, and I created a room in the museum in Medellín. And that was very rewarding. Many people now remember Pedrito because they saw this room. That was the beginning of my interest in helping and doing things.
I felt very good to see that people were enjoying this, were remembering Pedrito, and I realized that I got a lot of pleasure by giving, more than receiving.
As a matter of fact, I feel kind of uncomfortable when somebody gives me something. I don't need anything. But when I give, it's pure giving and that gives me pleasure.
Q: The world knows your art. But few know about your philanthropy. Which is more important to you?
A: The truth is that my time is 99 percent dedicated to my work. And I should say that these other things that I do, I do with a minimum of time on my part. That's to say, for example, I created a retirement home [in Colombia], very big, for 300 people. What I did was I told my brother, 'You look for the place.' . . . He put himself in charge of looking for all this. I gave the money to buy the site, construct the building. Then he found a religious order that took charge of all that is in this retirement home.
Time is what I don't have a lot to give. I'm terribly busy, and my time is very precious to me. I don't even have a secretary or even an assistant. . . . I know how to do [philanthropy] without it taking a lot of my time.
For example, somebody told me that there's an institution in Colombia called Nutril that feeds poor children. I saw in the newspaper that some children had died of hunger in Chocó, the poorest part of Colombia. I got in touch with Nutril. These people need only money. I told them, `There's a grave need in Chocó. Open some restaurants for children, and obviously, I'll pay for everything.'
Since they're very good people and were enthused by the idea, then I, with a single telephone call, did something that can help a lot of people. There are 200 children who now eat every day, twice a day. All I had to do was tell the bank to send so much money to Nutril, and they send me a report card of what it costs and pictures of the children.
My work takes so much time, and I'm 76 years old. I can't dedicate myself to anything else. So these things that I do I think look like they take an enormous effort, but they don't.
I gave away my art collection. I paid a company to pick up the pieces in France, Switzerland, New York and send them to Colombia. First I spoke with the Banco de la República . . . to give them my ideas of how I wanted the museum to be, to be restored like a contemporary art museum.
Then I sent all the works. . . . If you look at the result, it's so enormous that one would imagine you spent two or three years on that. But in reality, it was just making a decision.
One day, I was in Mexico, and I thought, `Why don't I give this collection to Colombia? There is no great museum there where people can go see the masterworks.'
I spoke to a friend, asked her how I could do this in reality. She said she would speak to a friend who is president of the bank and tell them your idea. The bank president got in touch with him, and they toured buildings in Bogotá until we found a building that was palatial. I accepted. We spoke to architects. It's tremendously satisfying, but it's all about making the decision. Don't spend all day thinking about it. Just do it.
Q: Why give away your most precious possessions, like your art collection?
A: You can't keep everything for yourself. If you're fortunate enough to make a lot of money, you need to share with others who aren't as lucky. It's OK to help people who have nothing. There are people who with nothing are happy. . . . I see people with grave problems and all they need is $10,000 to take care of it. I give them the $10,000 and their problems are gone. It's fantastic.
When someone has the good luck of making money and they can help people solve problems that seem like mountains with a small effort, that's marvelous.
I feel a great pleasure doing that. . . . With such little effort, you can do a lot. Obviously, the truth is, generosity is when someone gives what they most want. . . . My collection was something I cared about a lot. But at the same time, I feel great pleasure knowing that all these people can see these paintings and at the same time help my country.
I used to wake up every morning and see a Monet by my bed. That gave me great pleasure. But now it is seen by so many people, so many poor people, 1,000 of them a day. It's one pleasure for another.
Q: What keeps you painting every day?
A: Painting is a habit, a passion. I've been a professional artist since I was 17 years old. I've made my life as a painter. I do it first and foremost for pleasure. When I started painting, part of my interest was to make a living as an artist because I had to pay the rent. I didn't come from a family with money.
First you make your living, but now that I don't need it, it's the passion that drives me. Since I see it from the point of view of admiration that I have for the great masters and the history of art, it's something that doesn't have an end to what you can learn about art. Every day, you can learn a little. And that desire to learn more keeps you involved with painting. It's a curiosity to see what you can accomplish.
When I go to the studio in the mornings, I don't know what I'm going to do. I have an idea. But doing it, seeing it in front of me, I see something that I didn't see before. That curiosity to see what you can create is wonderful.
Q: How do you want to be remembered?
A: Obviously, I want people to remember me as a painter and sculptor. Of course, I want my works to endure, that they be appreciated tomorrow and beyond. That's a desire for every artist. And well, yes, that's a natural desire.
Q: Do you want to be remembered as a philanthropist?
A: No, not really as a philanthropist. My interest most of all is in my work.
I should say I'm publicizing this because if you don't tell the story, nobody will tell it. Otherwise, it's easy to be generous. People think being generous is difficult. But it's not. It's about making decisions and making a phone call. You can do so much just by making a decision and picking up the phone. Two phone calls can accomplish a lot of good if I really want to help.
Philanthropy is part of my life today, but my interest is that my works as a painter and sculptor endure beyond my lifetime.
Q: Where did you learn the tradition of giving? Isn't philanthropy uncommon in Latin America?
A: It doesn't exist. Very few people give in Latin America. The country is there to help the person but not for the person to help their country. . . . I don't know if I learned it. I've lived outside Colombia for 50 years. . . . So I have an idea of life that's a bit different than the person who has lived there all his life.
People want to see their dreams realized. They want to see their country have things, and to help its poorest people.
Throughout all the United States, where there is a lot of philanthropy, I guess I learned it here. I don't know. There's no tax deduction. I don't do it for that. I do it because it gives me pleasure. You just tell them what to do. That's an idea of power. I imagine that politicians have it.
Another part of the pleasure of giving is that you can execute your desires. That's important. It's power in a certain way.
Q: Where do you live now?
A: I just bought a new house here in Greece, on the island of Evia. It's a house in front of the ocean.
I miss Colombia a lot. I left because of my work. I went to the United States and Europe. . . . The foundries where I make my sculptures are in Italy. I need those things for my work. I go to Colombia and stay 8 to 10 days.
My problem is that for a famous person like myself, it's dangerous to go there. For a tourist, there's no problem. But if you're famous, you're a target, an attractive target for kidnapping.
I had a house in Colombia. About 12 years ago, eight men came at 6 a.m. looking for me. I wasn't there that day. They stole everything, 22 paintings; they killed the dogs. I never returned to that house.
So, I go to Colombia with precautions now. I enter and leave without making too much noise.

New column every Monday--May 19, 2008

2008-05-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

From The Miami Herald
Posted on Mon, May. 19, 2008
Fraternity brothers ride with purpose: charity
BY JONNELLE MARTE

Phillip Hamilton will never forget meeting Kevin, a 3-year-old boy who could not hold himself up or walk until he had a breakthrough moment while Hamilton and his fraternity brothers were visiting his clinic a year ago.

''I saw him take his first steps ever,'' Hamilton said Sunday morning before kicking off an 800-mile cycling trip from Miami to Tallahassee aimed at raising funds and awareness for people with disabilities.

Gear Up Florida is one of several events put on across the country by Push America, a philanthropic organization established by Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Hamilton is a brother at the Florida International University chapter.

Cyclists will travel an average of 70 miles per day for two weeks, passing through citrus fields and major cities, reaching both the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast before ending up in the state capital.

Along the way, the team will make friendship visits and give donations to local organizations that serve people with disabilities -- what most members say is the most moving aspect of the trip.
''Friendship visits are the key to the trip, where we get to visit kids with disabilities and they help us to understand that kids with disabilities are just really kids with abilities,'' said Trey Flowers, 23, a cyclist from Texas.

Like Hamilton, many Gear Up participants are touched by the kids they've met and can retell their accomplishments without missing a beat. Hamilton worked as a crew member for the cross-country ride last year, and began training in November for his first cycling trip.
''I had such an amazing time . . . touching so many people's lives,'' Hamilton said. ``So I thought why not make a difference in my home state?''

This is Alex Ravelo's second time working with the Gear Up crew, which travels alongside the bikers in vans transporting their belongings, food and medical supplies.
Ravelo, also of the fraternity's FIU chapter, said he loved ``meeting the people with disabilities and making them smile for a few hours.''

It was stories like these that inspired Andres Peñalver, 20, to sign up as part of the crew.
''Some of my older brothers had done this, and they told me what a great experience they had,'' Peñalver said. ``It's a privilege.''

The team of 29 cyclists and seven crew members gathered at dawn Sunday in front of the Panther Hall dormitory at FIU to stretch and have breakfast before the trip. Their first stop: Clewiston, a small Florida town 90 miles north of Miami.

Smoke and haze from the Everglades wildfire lingered in the air as the bikers prepped for their first day, which also threatened to bring record high temperatures.

Organizers said they would use caution with the smoke and heat, but ride on nonetheless. ''I'm pretty sure the smoke will exhaust them, so we have to be careful,'' said Cody Bourque, the public relations coordinator for Gear Up Florida. ``But nothing's going to stop us from getting to Clewiston.''

New column every Monday: Students raise $300,000 for Darfur

2008-05-12T17:10:00.000-07:00

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Boca high school club raises $300,000 to help Darfur poor
By Stephanie Horvath
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
12:40 AM EDT, May 6, 2008

When five students started the For Darfur club at St. Andrew's School in Boca Raton last year, they just wanted to raise awareness for the suffering African region.Sixteen months later, they've raised $300,000, assembled an advisory board of nonprofit movers and shakers, and hired a New York public relations rep.

Tonight they're conducting a fundraiser at Kanye West's concert in Miami. West is donating $1 from every ticket sold to For Darfur. With 11,000 seats and the strong possibility of selling out, For Darfur is looking at a potential blockbuster."I don't think we expected it to happen that quickly," said Gabriel Schillinger, the group's president and a senior at St. Andrew's. "A year ago we were barely an organization, and look where we've come. It shows when teenagers put their minds together momentum starts to grow."

For Darfur might be an example of extreme success, but high school students across South Florida — some not even old enough to vote — are trying to make a difference on a global scale. Kids are canvassing for Barack Obama, raising money for food relief in Haiti and starting recycling programs.While Both Palm Beach and Broward counties require their students to complete a certain number of hours of community service, these teenagers are doing much more."They're not satisfied with making a small difference. They want to take a big plunge," said Carlos Barroso, a St. Andrew's spokesman.That's certainly happening at St. Andrew's. In addition to the huge success of For Darfur, the school's chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society raised $17,000 in its first fundraising event, just two months after the club started. Samantha Leder, 16, started the club, because her uncle died of leukemia. She was able to recruit 40 other students and get her dad's company to match what they raised.

It's not just at St. Andrew's, though. At the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, students organized letter writing campaigns and awareness concerts to support Amnesty International."

We've been raised to think we can do anything and since you can do anything, you should. People feel a pressure to live up to something but in this case it's a good thing," said senior Sabina Ibarrola, the chapter's president. "It leads us to give more of ourselves."

Melissa Oppenheim, 18, cared about community service and wanted to make it easier for her peers to participate. So as a freshman at the Pine Crest Preparatory School in Fort Lauderdale she started www.opp-guide.com, a Web site for rating community service groups, so students could find a good match."

There's a lot of causes right now," said Oppenheim, who also canvassed for Obama in Texas over Spring Break. "Just through the media, teens are more aware of the social and political problems in the world, like the energy crisis and the global food pandemic. There's more ways to get information and more ways to do things because of the Internet."

One group at Boca Raton Community High School has raised $5,000 to help children in Uganda. A class studying the Holocaust started a program to raise money for Darfur by selling $1 triangles commemorating Holocaust victims. The idea: donors can't help the Holocaust victims, but they can help people in Darfur from suffering a similar fate."I know here it's definitely been the most active year I've seen," said Geoff McKee, Boca Raton High's principal.

"I'm not sure why. I think it's partly how smart they are and aware they are." The school has sold $12,000 worth of triangles and given the money to the Save Darfur coalition and the Genocide Intervention Network." There's no more space in the school, they're in every window, on every wall," said Sharona Kay, the group's adviser.

"My students are making a difference. It's wonderful."Danny Bricknell, 17, started out overwhelmed by the idea of protecting the environment. He set up a recycling program at Boca Raton High this year and recruited 60 students."

We needed to go green and the way to start that was with recycling," said Bricknell, a junior. "This is the planet we need to live on. If what we all do will help stop future problems, we have to take charge of that." And even though students are in the throes of exams this week, Bricknell is taking the time to raise money for another cause: sending food packages to starving people in Haiti. But For Darfur has had explosive success. In addition to the Kanye West concert, the group held a fundraiser in November with Palm Beach designer Lilly Pulitzer that raised $100,000. That donation to Doctors Without Borders was the largest raised at a single event that year, said Jennifer Tierney, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit." We have adults who haven't raised this amount of money," she said.

For Darfur now has 150 members that include local high school students and far-off college students, and about seven other chapters have formed across the country. As their group has exploded, so have their responsibilities. Schillinger carries a cell phone just for the organization and they've hired a public relations representative. On Monday, they'll be featured in a Time magazine story about kids and philanthropy. The kids have had some help. Their advisory board includes Jack Healy, former president of Amnesty International; Mark Sunshine, the president of First Capital and the father of one of the founders, and the Rev. George Andrews II, the former headmaster of their school. But Schillinger said they provide encouragement and not much more." We're the ones making all the decisions. It's kind of scary sometimes," Schillinger said. "It's really teaching us and others involved in social consciousness causes that one day we'll be the generation in charge of the world." Staff Researcher Barbara Hijek and Staff Writer Marc Freeman contributed to this story. Stephanie Horvath can be reached at smhorvath@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6643.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru," May 5, 2008

2008-05-05T11:22:00.001-07:00

Take the 5 formulas test!

Last week, I revealed the 5 formulas to help nonprofits "raise money in bad times--for FREE!" If you haven't read the column, scroll down to it now. If you have read it, refresh your memory about its messages.

This week, it's time to self-assess. On a scale of 0 (Not at all) to 10 (gung-ho!), rate your willingness to get your nonprofit to apply the 5 formulas to your fundraising success.

1. B x 10 = FT
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.................................... _____
What would it take for you to improve your
score?

2. 1 x 10 = 110
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.................................... _____
What would it take for you to improve your
score?

3. 1 x 5 = 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.................................... _____
What would it take for you to improve your
score?

4. 1 + 1 = 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.................................... _____
What would it take for you to improve your
score?

5. 1 x 365 = $365,000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.................................... _____
What would it take for you to improve your
score?

Total your score. E-mail your comments and questions to
Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.
He'll answer you personally!

New column every Monday--"The Fundraising Guru," April 28, 2008

2008-04-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

“How to raise money in bad times”—for FREE!

When the economy in general is in a funk, nonprofits tend to sing the “woe-is-me” chorus, along with everyone else. But never try to raise money in “bad” times by telling potential donors that’s the reason you’re asking for support. The reason should be obvious: Everyone’s saying it.

Fortunes are made in “bad” times and lost in “good" times. The “times” don’t make your success: You do. So, use the “bad” times to prove to donors and potential donors that you have been and continue to be worthy of their support—a wise investment.

Here are 5 Formulas to make your fundraising successful in “bad” times—for FREE, without your having to spend an extra penny:

1. B x 10 = FT (Energize your board)
--Too many nonprofits have dead wood boards of directors. Use “bad” times to energize your board. Get rid of people who are holding you back. Add dynamos. In the formula B x 10 = FT, B stands for board and FT is your fundraising threshold. Get each of your board members to commit to raising 10 times the amount they personally contribute to your nonprofit. Get their commitments in writing.

2. 1 x 10 = 110 (Create your “circle of 10”)
--The key to successful fundraising is getting doors to key people opened for you. Create a “Circle of 10,” an informal group of advisors who are willing to help you increase your fundraising success—especially by getting you to at least 10 others like themselves: for example, a lawyer specializing in wills and estates, a financial planner, an accountant.

3. 1 x 5 = 6 (Create a tsunami)
--Create a positive tsunami—a marketable idea so compelling donors can’t resist making a contribution.
--The 5 elements of a tsunami/marketing idea are: it is gut-wrenching, turns a negative trend positive, seems doable, makes financial sense, and is measurable.

4. 1 + 1 = 3 (Create desire)
--People always have money for what they want to have money for. But you have to give them “their” reason. That may mean different things for different people. So, be prepared to “read” prospective donors and to vary your approaches.

5. 1 x 365 = $365,000 (Set word-of-mouth in motion)
-- Fundraising is selling—and selling is a numbers game: The more people you reach, the greater your sales. Make sure that people know what they’re “selling.”
--Get people to commit to doing the outrageous—telling at least one other person something positive about your nonprofit every day, 365 days a year.

New column every Monday: April 21, 2008

2008-04-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

Donors beware!

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Charity sues hospital over free bed ... donated 96 years ago
By ERIC TUCKER

Associated Press

12:24 PM EDT, April 20, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I.

When Louisa Lippitt died in 1912, the wealthy widow left $4,000 to Rhode Island Hospital on the condition the money be used to provide a permanent ``free bed'' for needy patients, to be selected by a favored charity.

A successor to the charity she selected rediscovered her bequest when it dusted off its archives, but the free bed is long gone. Now, Children's Friend and Service is suing to get the health care back.

The hospital says it already provides millions of dollars in free care, but the charity said it needs to do more to fulfill the pledge it made to Lippitt 96 years ago.

``It just seems illogical to me that a quote-unquote 'permanent free bed,' which by its very name suggests that it is to last forever, can somehow not last forever,'' said Mark Swirbalus, a lawyer for the organization.

If it had been modestly invested, Swirbalus said, Lippitt's donation could be worth about $1.5 million today.

On Tuesday, a judge will hear arguments on the hospital's motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Rhode Island Hospital was among many facilities, especially in the Northeast, that had ``free-bed funds'' through which donors could set aside a hospital bed for the poor.

In Rhode Island Hospital's case and others, officials say interest from those funds continues to help cover health care costs for people who can't afford them, though not through a specific hospital bed.

Hospital spokeswoman Gail Carvelli said the money donated for free beds was put into a restricted account that pays for charity care, but she could not say how much was in that account or how much of its funds are spent annually.

Swirbalus said Children's Friend does not expect the hospital to set aside a bed that would be available only to the charity's clients. Rather, the charity wants to ensure its clients receive free care in whatever bed they're treated.

Carvelli says Rhode Island Hospital honored its commitment until the charity Lippitt chose stopped nominating patients, though she was not clear when that occurred.

The 719-bed hospital also argues that Children's Friend and Service does not have standing to sue because it did not even exist when Lippitt died and is separate from the charity she named in her will, Children's Friend Society of Providence. Children's Friend and Service says it's a successor of that group _ technically called Providence Children's Friend Society _ and inherited its right to nominate patients when it formed in 1949.

The lawsuit says Children's Friend and Service was established in 1834, though under a different name, and is one of the state's oldest existing charitable organizations. It says it helps about 16,000 people a year, providing services including family counseling, crisis intervention and therapy for toddlers with developmental disabilities.

David Caprio, executive director of Children's Friend, said the group discovered paperwork on Lippitt's free bed while combing through its archives several years ago in preparation for its 175th anniversary.

``It was definitely curiosity. It quickly turned to excitement,'' Caprio said.

The charity sued in November after negotiations stalled over whether the charity had the right to nominate patients to Lippitt's free bed.

Little is known about Lippitt. Court papers say the hospital was raising money at the time by offering permanent free medical beds in exchange for donations of $4,000, and that by 1923 there were 212 such beds.

Other lawsuits have been filed over how hospitals have spent their free bed funds, one of them by the state of Connecticut. That 2003 lawsuit, still pending, alleges that Yale-New Haven Hospital hoarded about $37 million in such funds.

Swirbalus said the charity's case is about access to health care, not money.

Caprio said his group's clients are in especially great need because Rhode Island's budget deficit _ estimated at about $550 million _ has spurred proposals to reduce the state's subsidized insurance program for the poor.

``It's access to health care for some of the neediest and most vulnerable citizens of Rhode Island,'' he said. ``They're our clients.''

Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

New column every Monday: Pure philanthropy, April 14, 2008

2008-04-09T00:11:00.001-07:00

From The Miami Herald
Posted on Wed, Apr. 09, 2008
Metrozoo's secret angel now in heaven
BY CHARLES RABIN

The slight, elderly man with a shock of white hair first approached Ron Magill a decade ago, quietly pulled him aside and told him he loved Metrozoo. Then he handed Magill a check.
When Magill opened it, he saw that it was for $90,000.

''I thought it would bounce from here to Los Angeles,'' Magill said.
It didn't. A year later the gentlemen handed over another check, for $100,000. There were two conditions: that he remain anonymous, and that Magill, the zoo's communications director, decide how it would be spent.

The man had run a tool company in New York before moving it to Miami and had made out in the stock market with Con Edison and Exxon. His generosity continued, reaching $900,000.

The donor's wife asked that The Miami Herald not use her husband's name, honoring his wish.

When he died in December, at age 95, he had one final gift: a check for $2,307,684.36 that Magill showed off to Miami-Dade commissioners on Tuesday.

The money will help upgrade the zoo's aging amphitheater.
The check was signed: ``Anonymous Donor.''

New column every Monday: Fundraising on eBay, April 7, 2008

2008-04-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

Fundraising on eBay

Listen to Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein talk with Jill Finlayson, co-author of Fundraising on eBay, about success stories of nonprofits that have! It's on WXEL/NPR member station. Click on this link and fast forward to segment 6, unless you want to hear other segments: http://wxelpodcasts.org/2007/05/22/fundraising-success-052007.aspx

Host Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein talks with: 1. Karen Lustgarten—on PR strategy: nonprofits’ sine qua non, most powerful tool, and most neglected resource. 2. Gary Grobman, co-author, Fundraising Online: Using the Internet to Raise Serious Money for Your Nonprofit Organization”—on the plusses and pitfalls of using ASPs (application services providers). 3. Richard Marker, New York University’s Heyman Center for Fundraising and Philanthropy: Fundraising success from the giver’s perspective—on NYU’s unique grantmaking program and Marker’s unique approach to grantmaking. 4. William Halal, futurist, www.techcast.org, on how and why nonprofits have to capitalize on the future in the present. 5. Weekly segment from The Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com): Peter Panepento’s “Blog Beat”—spotlighting his latest must-read online fundraising find. 6. Jill Finlayson, co-author, Fundraising on eBay: Success stories—part one of a three part series on how nonprofits can’t afford not to “do business” the eBay way.

New column every Monday: March 31, 2008

2008-03-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

Reminder: "Fundraising Success," a weekly, one-hour radio show, airs on WXEL/National Public Radio. It is broadcast over-the-air, but you may hear it on the Internet 24/7, whenever you want, from wherever you are. Just go to www.wxelpodcasts.org.

There are a gazillion shows and columns regurgitating advice on how businesses can succeed, but nothing--zip, zero--for nonprofits. On "Fundraising Success," national and local experts in communications, grant-writing, capital campaigns, PR, and other areas of interest will share their best advice.

"Fundraising Success" provides nonprofits the consultants none of them can afford, but all of them need.

To hear programs, go to the "Fundraising Success" headings, 24/7, whenever you want, from wherever you are, at www.wxelpodcasts.org. Each program's content is summarized. You may even download programs to your computer--and forward them to others.

New column every Monday: March 24, 2008

2008-03-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Forum for Nonprofits is broadcast as a public service of Beasley radio stations WSBR AM 740 and WWNN AM 1470 to enhance the success of the nonprofit community. In addition to over-the-air broadcasts, with Internet access or its equivalent, you may listen to The Forum for Nonprofits 24/7 from anywhere in the world--at your convenience. Just go to www.forumfornonprofits.com.

There are 1.2 million nonprofits in America, and an estimated 1 in 3 Americans is involved in nonprofit organizations as volunteers, donors, or board members. Nonprofits are crucial to the health and well-being of every American.

Dynamic and cutting-edge, the weekly Forum for NonProfits features one or more organizations worthy of philanthropic support and encourages listeners to jump on their bandwagon.

In addition, leading consultants give advice to help nonprofits succeed, and donors and other sources of funding explain how best to approach them for contributions.

Be sure the check the archive section for a list of our most recent shows. And if you would like to feature your organization on the program, please contact us.
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New column every Monday: March 17, 2008

2008-03-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

"The Fundraising Guru"
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Last week, I gave you benchmarks for individual board self-assessment, as a way of establishing parameters for successful fundraising. Nonprofits must first gauge the strength of their board before they can hope to approach the outside world for financial support. Fill out that form if you haven't already done so before doing this week's.

This week's benchmarks assess the total board from an individual board member's perspective. It's the next, logical step for every nonprofit to take.

2. Total Board
Self-Assessment

From 0 (Not at all) to 10 (Very)
2.1. How committed do you think THE BOARD AS
A WHOLE is to the goals of ICA USA?..................…0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

2.2. How committed do you think THE BOARD AS
A WHOLE is to telling others about ICA USA?........0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

2.3. How serious a loss do you think THE BOARD would
feel it was if ICA USA went out of business?..............0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

2.4. How committed do you think THE BOARD
is financially to ICA USA?............................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

2.5. How committed do you think THE BOARD
is to getting others to donate to ICA USA?.................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

2.6 YOUR TOTAL: _____ of 50

Send your comments and questions to Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the bestselling 30 Days to Successful Fundraising, which is available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, other online booksellers, and bookstores nationwide.

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru," March 10, 2008

2008-03-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Your board members are the engine
that drives your fundraising
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Your board is the catalyst for all of your fundraising. It takes the lead/opens doors/multiplies itself to make your nonprofit successful. Take Step 1 in determining your board's individual and collective energy by asking each and every board member to fill out the Self-Assessment below.

1. Individual Board Member
Self-Assessment

From 0 (Not at all) to 10 (Very)
1.1. How committed are YOU to the goals
of your nonprofit?.……………..……………………...……0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

1.2. How committed are YOU to telling others
about your nonprofit?..................................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

1.3. How serious a loss do YOU think it would be
if your nonprofit went out of business?.........................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

1.4. How committed are YOU financially to
your nonprofit?.............................................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

1.5. How committed are YOU to getting others
to invest in your nonprofit?.........................................0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What are you willing to do to raise your score? _____________________________________________________________

1.6. Your total: ____ of 50

Next week: Take Step 2--Individual board member's assessment of your board's commitment.
Email Stephen Goldstein your questions and comments: trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: What a waste of philanthropic dollars--March 3, 2008

2008-03-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

[Questions about the following article from Stephen L. Goldstein: Why are foundations throwing good money after bad? The Bush Administration and its enabler, Alan Greenspan, pumped up the economy with a false housing boom to lull the American public into complacency while it waged the Iraq invasion, whose costs have been kept off the books. So, now that the market has crashed, why do philanthropies think they can/should stop the hemorrhaging?]

as posted on The South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com from The Wall Street Journal
Philanthropists look for ways to curb foreclosure crisis
Groups could provide quick funding for local remedies
By RUTH SIMON
The Wall Street Journal
March 2, 2008

Some of the nation's wealthiest philanthropies are turning their attention to the growing foreclosure crisis, which some fear could usher in the type of urban blight that devastated pockets of American cities in the 1970s and 1980s.How to tackle it isn't clear."Every big funder is out there trying to figure out how to participate in systemic responses," says George McCarthy, a senior program officer with the Ford Foundation. The problem, he says, is that "no one can figure out where the opportunity lies" and how philanthropic dollars can be spent most effectively.

The Ford Foundation, which has about $12.8 billion in assets, is looking to fund programs aimed at reducing the number of homes that wind up in foreclosure, perhaps by making it easier for homeowners to get mortgages modified.

Meanwhile, Living Cities, a consortium of major foundations and financial institutions working to revive inner cities, is considering funding programs to keep borrowers in their homes and get abandoned properties back into use. Many of the group's members have worked over the last decade on ways to create affordable housing and reduce urban blight. "

Unfortunately, a lot of that progress is being wiped away or has the potential to be wiped away," says Ben Hecht, the group's chief executive.Hecht hopes to raise at least $5 million from the group's members and others that can be used for grants, as well as at least $10 million in flexible longer-term loans for local programs that, if successful, could be quickly replicated nationally — perhaps influencing policy makers figuring out how to use public dollars.

The amount of money charities are setting aside to assist is relatively small when compared with the scope of the mortgage crisis. As of the end of January, some 2.3 million mortgage loans were delinquent and another 505,000 were in default, according to Moody's Economy.com economic research firm.Nevertheless, moves by foundations could provide quick funding for programs operated by local governments and nonprofit groups at a time when federal solutions have been slow to materialize. This week Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, floated a plan that would allocate as much as $10 billion in loans to states to buy foreclosed or abandoned properties, along with $10 billion in Federal Housing Administration guarantees to allow people delinquent in payments to refinance into more-affordable mortgages. But it isn't clear whether such proposals will reach fruition. Meanwhile, city and state officials say the situation is growing bleaker and that they need to act now.

The Living Cities consortium, which met this week to weigh about a dozen proposals from local governments and community groups, includes the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and companies such as Bank of America Corp., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and Deutsche Bank AG. Other supporters include the Kresge Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

In the 1970s and 1980s, many cities were hurt when the loss of manufacturing jobs and an economic downturn drove residents to move away. Investor-owners abandoned properties in the face of rising inflation and higher fuel costs, and many ended up in the hands of local governments. Foundations, community groups and others eventually helped return many of these properties to productive use.

This time around, assisting troubled homeowners is turning out to be particularly difficult and costly because many are in such bad financial shape. The large volume of problem loans has stretched the resources of housing counselors and mortgage-servicing companies. Arranging for broad-based loan workouts or purchases of foreclosed properties also has proved difficult, in part because so many mortgages were packaged into securities, sliced and diced and sold to investors.

The Ford Foundation is considering an investment in a program being developed by Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta that would give its counselors access to mortgage-pooling and servicing agreements, and the authority to fashion loan modifications for certain borrowers who've fallen behind on their payments. Mortgage servicing companies that participate in the program would agree in principal to execute the group's recommendations.

The Ford Foundation allocates as much as $5 million in grants and up to $10 million in loans annually to housing-related initiatives, but may make additional money available this year.The impact of foreclosures on other people who live in the neighborhoods is "the part of the story that gets lost in the whole mortgage discussion," says Hecht of Living Cities. "When I go to some of these communities, it breaks your heart. Not only are the buildings boarded and abandoned, but you have people who have these homes in blue-collar neighborhoods. ... They are hard-working people. They did nothing wrong. We would like to be able to help them."Among projects the consortium is considering funding is one proposed by nonprofits and local governments in Cleveland. It would aim to acquire 450 foreclosed properties in the area at a cost of roughly $21 million, and either rehabilitate them as homes or rental units, or demolish them to make way for parks and other uses."Over the last 20 years, we have worked with local community-development organizations to really stabilize these neighborhoods," says Doris Koo, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Partners, which has helped bring in about $240 million for affordable housing in Cleveland. "

We've produced some stable communities, but because they are so fragile, any large-scale abandonment can bring them down."Another program Living Cities is looking at was proposed by the Center for New York City Neighborhoods, a nonprofit recently created to address the subprime mortgage crisis. The program wants to reach borrowers at risk of foreclosure and get them into loans that they can afford.

Already the Open Society Institute, funded by George Soros, is spending $1 million in both 2008 and 2009 on efforts including counseling, legal assistance and borrower education. The Open Society Institute has committed to spending a total of $10 million on mortgage-related programs over the next two years.

The Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with assets of $6.8 billion, is stepping up its support for organizations it already funds, such as the Woodstock Institute, which is analyzing foreclosure data.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Feb. 25, 2008

2008-02-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Nonprofit Board x 10 = “Fundraising Quotient”
by Stephen L. Goldstein

Ask (too) many people associated with (too) many nonprofits how much money they think they can raise in a fundraising cycle and usually they’ll smile and answer, “As much as we can.” How silly!

Typically, nonprofits operate on a wing-and-a-prayer and live out of hope—that “the money will somehow come.” After all, they think, “we’re doing good so somehow good things should happen to us.” Right!

In addition, my guess is that even if they know better, most nonprofit boards resist anything to do with establishing realistic goals for fear of under-motivating paid staff. Even worse, too often, when boards put a number on how much they need or want to raise, they set an unrealistic, “stretch” goal. Then, having set pie-in-the-sky parameters for their success, they give marching orders to paid staff to meet it. And staff are afraid to challenge their board’s unrealistic expectations.

In other words, fundraising is typically based upon unrealistic assumptions and expectations. No one thinks that there may actually be a formula to apply to answer the question, “How much money can we raise?”

So here is a standard against which every nonprofit can set a realistic yearly fundraising goal. An organization’s “Fundraising Quotient” (FQ) is equal to the amount of money its board personally donates annually times 10. In other words, if the board of nonprofit X collectively contributes $100,000, it is reasonable to expect that it can raise $1 million yearly.

Of course, in some years, an organization may have a windfall—a major gift from an estate, for example. That’s always good, just not predictable. By contrast, an organization’s FQ establishes the parameters of its ongoing activities, putting it on a reliable, solid footing.

The FQ formula is based upon two important assumptions. First, the board of every nonprofit must understand that it is the key the organization’s successful fundraising. The bucks begin and end with them. As fiduciaries, board members are responsible for their nonprofit’s financial health and well-being. They are its prime fundraisers. Paid staff guide and assist them in their fundraising role; they cannot and should not replace board members as prime fundraisers.

Second, board members “worth” anything should be able to get at least 10 others to donate as much as they do. Of course, they may have to approach many more than 10 people to reach their goal, so they have to be willing to pull out the stops. They agreed to be on the board presumably because they were committed to the mission and goals of the organization. So what’s the big deal?

Before even considering making a major gift, potential donors should ask the board member asking them how much he or she gives, how much the board donates as a whole, and at what levels board members give, without naming names. The reason is simple: Why should a potential donor bankroll an organization, when the people who are supposed to be committed enough to it to be on the board don’t ante up?

So, to increase your fundraising goal, determine your current FQ, motivate your board to give more—then score a perfect 10!

Send your questions and comments to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He wrote the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. This column is posted on his blog, www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com. Goldstein also hosts “Fundraising Success” on 90.7, WXEL/National Public Radio, Sundays 7 to 8 p.m., and available from anywhere in the world 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org. Plus, he hosts “The Forum for Nonprofits” on WSBR and WWNN, available 24/7 at www.forumfornonprofits.com.#

New column every Monday: February 18, 2008

2008-02-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

from The New York Times
February 16, 2008
Running From Despair
By JOE SPRING
SANTA FE, N.M. — On a cold Saturday morning last month, 16-year-old Chantel Hunt ran across a highway onto a gravel road where the snow under her shoes packed into washboard ripples. She ran around a towering red rock butte, past two old mattresses dumped on the roadside, and into the shadow of a mesa she sometimes runs on top of.

Hunt, a high school junior and a resident of the Navajo Nation, was on a short training run for the national cross-country championships being held Saturday in San Diego. Her team, Wings of America, has risen to prominence with an unlikely collection of athletes. It is a group of American Indians from reservations around the country, and a Wings team has won a boys or a girls national title 20 times since first attending a championship meet in 1988.

“You say Wings of America to anyone in the running community — it’s synonymous with the best Native American runners,” said Eric Heins, the cross-country and distance coach at Northern Arizona University, a program that has benefited from having Wings runners in recent years.

American Indians have especially high rates of youth suicide, Type 2 diabetes and deaths attributed to alcoholism, and extreme poverty is pervasive on many reservations. Wings of America, a 20-year-old nonprofit organization based here, has embraced the challenge.

“The hardest part is getting people to understand, to make the case how important it is,” said Anne Wheelock Gonzales, the organization’s former executive director who now serves as a consultant. “One time someone said, ‘Well, it’s not like you’re saving lives.’ And I said: ‘Excuse me, we are saving lives. That’s exactly what this does.’ ”

Dillon Shije, another member of the Wings team who will be competing Saturday, runs 60 to 70 miles a week around Zia Pueblo, near Albuquerque. He zigzags between junipers and cactuses on trails, and he sometimes runs five miles up an arroyo.

“Those are typical running trails all over the reservations,” said Alvina Begay, 27, a former Wings runner who will compete in the United States women’s Olympic marathon trials in April.
Shije, a 16-year-old high school junior, commutes an hour each way to attend Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque. In the winter, when the light is short and his training regimen requires running before dawn and after dusk, Shije will run while his mother drives behind him on dirt roads with the headlights on.

“Sometimes I need the extra push from the car,” he said. “The honk.”

In the Navajo Nation, where Hunt lives, many of the statistics concerning health problems are even higher than for the overall numbers for American Indians. A study in the American Journal of Public Health showed that nearly 15 percent of youths in the Navajo Nation in grades 6-12 had attempted suicide. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 40 percent of adults ages 45 and older had Type 2 diabetes, and that the rates were increasing among children.

“There’s this element of historical post-traumatic stress that’s occurred in Indian communities,” said Dr. Chuck North, the chief medical officer for Indian Health Services. “The history of Native Americans in the United States is one of loss: losing land, losing language, losing culture and losing family members.”

More than 180,000 people live on the Navajo Nation, which spreads over 27,000 square miles in Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. Unemployment hovers at about 40 percent. More than three-quarters of the 6,184 miles of roads are not paved. Roughly half the homes lack plumbing.

Hunt lives on reservation land about 15 miles from Navajo, N.M., in a small two-bedroom house at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. Navajo has about 2,100 residents, and 64 percent of the families are below the poverty level. Her family drives into a town called Crystal each week to fill a 1,000-gallon cistern with water. They chop and haul wood in the winter to heat their home.
“We camp year-round,” said Delores Hunt, Chantel’s mother.

The Navajo culture centers on strong women. The Navajo believe that Father Sky and Mother Earth gave birth to Changing Woman, a deity who has the power to change her age with the seasons by walking to the horizon. When a Navajo girl comes of age and has her first period, the community celebrates with a rite of passage called the Kinaalda. For four days, the girl re-enacts the role of Changing Woman, waking up before dawn and running east, toward the sunrise.
The longer a girl runs, the longer she will live.

“You build up your strength by running,” said Mary Willie, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona and the coordinator of its Native American Languages and Linguistics program. “You are also reflecting back what the Navajo people value: being responsible, being able to take care of yourself and your family, hard work and perseverance.”

Wings holds a high school coaching clinic and about 30 youth summer camps each year. Hunt was a facilitator at one of the camps after eighth grade.

Hunt played traditional games with large groups of young children and talked to them about avoiding drugs and alcohol, and about eating healthy. But even with education, the ability for families to change their diets is difficult because extreme poverty and remote living conditions can make obtaining fresh food difficult.

“Sometimes we go to areas and kids have never seen a fresh avocado,” said Kelly Concho-Hayes, a consultant for Wings. “One summer ago, a kid said, ‘Tomatoes are bright red?’ ”
Many runners who go through the program end up as teachers, coaches and health professionals. This year’s girls coach, Jill Jim, attends the University of Utah, where she is working toward a master’s degree in public health and health care administration.

Hunt said she started running year-round in ninth grade, “because I decided I’d have a better chance of getting scholarships and being noticed.”

She ran old logging roads through pines, on the packed dirt trails her grandparents herded sheep over, on game trails carved by deer, and through aspens to the top of a roughly 9,000-foot peak.
She said her older brother, Arvid, pushed her. They ran on clay roads past other remote homes, saving energy for sprints.

“That dog on the side is the one we watch out for,” Arvid said as he pointed at what looked like a pit bull mix. “We save our energy so when we come through here we can do a speed workout for a half-mile.”

Hunt’s experience at the Wings camp was a boon to her high school cross-country team at Navajo Pine. As a freshman, she was the team’s top runner, and at a meeting halfway through the season she challenged her teammates to work harder.

“That transformation in the team came from the transformation in Tails,” said Tim Host, one of Navajo Pine’s coaches, referring to Hunt by her nickname.

The team did not win the state title that year, but it did the next two. Hunt led the team each time with top-five finishes.

In six years, Navajo Pine’s two coaches, Host and Gavin Sosa, have seen the cross-country team grow to about 45 from 12, with the boys winning three consecutive state titles and the girls winning two in a row.

During the state finals in the two-mile her freshman year, Hunt recalled, she fell to sixth place and became frustrated. “I just got tired, and asked myself: Why am I doing this? I don’t have to,” she said. “And I said, No, keep going, keep going.”

Hunt, wearing a blue uniform, passed one girl after another on the last lap. In the final 100 meters she had one girl to beat, Cassandra Sanchez from Acoma.

They started sprinting around the corner. “The crowd was cheering,” Hunt said. “It was a head-to-head race.”

Having watched “Chariots of Fire” multiple times, Hunt said, she knew what to do. “I was pumping my arms, and I could hear Cassandra breathing,” she said. “And right at the end I leaned.”

After throwing her weight forward without fear, she heard the race official say: “Blue’s got it. Blue’s got it.”

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Feb. 11, 2008

2008-02-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Dr. Stephen Goldstein hosts another radio program for nonprofits!

Like all savvy over-the-air radio today, "Forum for nonprofits" is available 24/7 from anywhere in the world--because it's hearable on the Internet.

Forum for NonProfits (http://www.forumfornonprofits.com/) is America's most dynamic new cutting-edge venue featuring today's most active charitable organizations. Our weekly 30-minute radio show and podcast highlights the events, happenings, and fundraising activities of the premiere nonprofit organizations in the country.

Join us every week as we feature guests, prominent leaders and corporate officials who will help you to get involved in helping your community and your country. Be sure the check the archive section for a list of our most recent shows. If you would like to feature your organization on the program, please radioshow@forumfornonprofits.com.#

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Feb. 4, 2008

2008-02-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

Fundraising Ethics 2: Can YOU answer the question, "When do YOU have the guts to blow the whistle?"
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, author of the bestselling 30 Days to Successful Fundraising (available at www.amazon.com) and host and executive producer of "Fundraising Success" on WXEL/National Public Radio (available 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org).

Ethical is as ethical takes responsibility for preventing or cleaning up an unethical situation. But who's got the guts?

First, some observations about unethical behavior from an Associated Press article of Jan. 29, 2008 by Pete Yost. They create a backdrop to the kinds of situations in which fundraisers may find themselves--along with the kinds of questions they too often need to answer:

1. "Overall, three out of five government workers acknowledge witnessing violations of ethical standards, policy or law over the past year, according to a survey released . . . by the Ethics Resource Center. The Washington-based nonprofit research group has studied organizational ethics trends for several decades.

2. "At the local level, 63 percent of government employees observed at least one type of misconduct, ranging from abusive behavior by superiors to bribery. At the state level, the comparable figure was 57 percent; at the federal level, 52 percent.

3. "The trend lines in government point toward more misconduct in the future, not less, said Patricia Harned, the center's president.

4. "The center says 30 percent of the incidents go unreported and there are too few systems in place for combatting misconduct when it is exposed.

5. "One reason for the low reporting figure is that 17 percent of employees who did report misconduct said they experienced retaliation. One in four government workers believe that leaders tolerate retaliation.

6. "The state of ethics in the public and private sectors is comparable, in some cases worse. For example, the study said that 8 percent of those surveyed reported witnessing alteration of documents; a similar survey among private sector workers showed 5 percent of business employees had witnessed such misconduct.

7. "The center says the proven solution to the problem is what experts in the field refer to as a strong ethical culture. When employee believe that leaders can be trusted and when supervisors set a good example of ethical behavior, misconduct is reduced by 52 percent and retaliation is as much as 89 percent lower, the survey found.

8. "The problem, however, is that less than one in five government workplaces have comprehensive, well-implemented ethics and compliance programs.
The center's findings were based on polling 774 government employees, 1,929 business employees and 558 nonprofit employees.

So, the questions for this week are: "Do you have the guts to blow the whistle on unethical behavior? And if yes, when would you?" Email your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru," January 28, 2008

2008-01-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

The most successful fundraisers learn from beggars
by Stephen L. Goldstein

Successful fundraisers never think of themselves as mere beggars. The complete reverse! But as it turns out, the MOST successful beggars sound remarkably like highly effective fundraisers. An Associated Press article on panhandling by Adam Goldman opened the world of begging to me. Here are seven strategies from the streets that can benefit every nonprofit organization—from fundraiser to board member.

1. Tell the truth: Goldman identifies a subgroup of successful, New York City “truth-teller” beggars: “They don’t sell pirated movies or stolen candy. They don’t strum old guitars, blow into tarnished saxophones or screech country songs off key.” Their stories are real. In the words of one panhandler he interviewed, “Telling the truth will set you free.” For organizational fundraisers, telling the truth is sine qua non. And yet, how many times do nonprofits unfortunately obfuscate the compelling reality of their message by looking for some glitzy, Madison-Avenue way of making a pitch?

From The Beggar’s Handbook by the pseudonymous M.T. Pockets, here are additional, choice bits of panhandler wisdom, which I’ve turned into strategies for successful fundraising:

2. Have a plan: “The successful beggar picks the time and place as much as he selects the person to approach. At all times, the successful beggar is aware, coherent, and in full control of the situation, even though his intended giver is usually not aware of this.” Would-be fundraisers who think they can send a cold letter or make a cold phone call to some well-known philanthropist and strike it rich should warm up to some good beggarly advice.

3. Use psychology: “When you look at someone as a potential giver, you have to ask yourself some questions. You cannot make assumptions . . . you have to ask yourself questions and get some concrete answers based upon observation and your experience. So choose an intended benefactor and size him or her up.”

4. Persist: “Just be sure to keep rejection in its proper perspective; everyone is rejected from time to time. Try, try again; even the people who once rejected you might give to you later on when your routine is more polished.” Learn to tell the difference between a No (We can’t give to your worthy project at this time) and No (Forget it!). Foundations and corporations often make donations at specified times of the year. Knowing their cycle of giving may be the key to your success.

5. Be creative: “Always experiment with new ideas and routines; discard those that don’t work and keep those that do.” Too often, fundraisers don’t know what they’re doing right. For example, few fundraising events are worth all the time and effort that goes into them—if volunteer and planning hours were figured into the mix of true costs.

6. Make your donor feel good: “The most successful business transactions are those that leave both parties happy after the transaction is complete.” Key word: both!

7. Be upbeat and thankful: In Street Sense, here's how George Siletti, who was homeless off and on for 25 years, advises beggars: “And most of all you should smile at the person and if money is given always say thank you or a kind word.” Fundraisers who haven’t mastered the art of giving genuine thanks will defeat themselves.

Send your questions and comments to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. He also hosts “Fundraising Success” on 90.7, WXEL/National Public Radio, Sundays 7 to 8 p.m., and available from anywhere in the world 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org.#

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Jan. 21, 2008

2008-01-21T01:48:00.000-08:00

Fundraisers: You're being unethically bankrupt when you break your bank

by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Way back when in Italy, financially sound bankers conducted their business from a banca, a table or bank. But when their business failed, their banca was rotta or physically broken to keep them from doing business.

Think of ethical fundraising as a 3-legged bank or stool.

The 1st leg is what's legal--and more. The 2nd is what's in the best interest of the donor. The 3rd leg is what's in the best interest of the nonprofit. You're ONLY acting ethically when ALL 3 legs are strong.

Leg 1:
At a minimum to be fundraising ethically, you must observe certain laws. But ethical conduct transcends simply what's legal. That's a cop-out. Laws are written with loopholes--sometimes intended, sometimes not. Ethical conduct has no loopholes. You can act fully WITHIN the law and be behaving unethically.

Leg 2:
Fundraisers' primary obligation is to a donor or potential donor.

It is unethical to raise money knowing that internal issues at your organization could compromise a gift. Fundraisers must demand that their organizations are squeaky clean. And nonprofits must be certain that fundraisers are keep fully informed about their internal workings.

Leg 3:
It is unethical to accept a gift ONLY to give a donor a tax benefit.

When a donor's tax or other benefit is greater/worth more than his contribution to the nonprofit, you are acting unethically to accept it.

It is illegal/ unethical for anyone associated with a nonprofit to personally benefit from a fundraising transaction--directly or indirectly.

Break one or more of fundraising's 3 legs and your conduct may not only be unethical: it may bankrupt your nonprofit.

Send your comments and questions to Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.#

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Jan. 14, 2008

2008-01-14T13:01:00.001-08:00

Asking: 5 Congitations
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Here are some thought-provoking cogitations on asking. It's so central to fundraising that too many people take it for granted. Ask yourself about asking. Compare what works--or has worked--for you:

1. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."--Matthew 7:7
Sure, right, believe it! This may work in a consciousness-raising weekend, but it's a dumb assumptiong in fundraising.

2. "In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."--Margaret Thatcher
Maggie's sexism is probably on target in politics. But in fundraising, if you want anthing be sure you know who holds the purse-strings. You may be surprised who's say sways the day.

3. "Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want."--Joseph Wood Krutch
I've never had a cat, so I don't know the truth of this statement. But in principle, I'd have to say that successful fundraising don't just ask; they know precisely what they want.

4. "Ask the man who owns one"--Advertising slogan for Packard automobiles.
What great advice for fundraisers: Ask your current donors how to approach other donors; they are the perfect ones to tell you.

5. "O Jerry . . . Don't let's ask for the moon! We have the stars!"--Olive Higgins Prouty
What a perfect thought about being grateful for what we have: Our moon is some other galaxy's star. In fundraising, too many people say/think: "What have you done for us lately?" Perhaps, more people need appreciate what they've received before moving on.
Add your thoughts on asking to Stephen Goldstein's. Email comments and questions to him at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: January 7, 2008

2008-01-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

"The Fundraising Guru"
It's your board, stupid!
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

This is a one-sentence column:
Your nonprofit will NEVER thrive; your fundraising will never truly succeed--unless and until your board gives and gets others to do so, until it hurts.

This is the first law of fundraising. Yet, the truth is that most boards don't live up to their fundraising responsibility. Meditate on this idea and send me your comments, question, and strategies for lighting a fire under your board: trendsman@aol.com

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--December 31, 2007

2007-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Think like a donor, or sink as a fundraiser
By Stephen L. Goldstein

A Native American proverb advises the wise, “Never criticize a man until you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins.” Modified for fundraisers, that empathic advice should read: “Never ask for money until you put yourself in the place of potential contributors.” That sounds simple. You probably think you’re already doing it. You’re probably not, though—at least as well as you could/should.
For one thing, thinking like a donor doesn’t mean your putting together a tacky tactical thumbnail on your prey—who’s a golfer, who does watercolors—so you can pepper your approach with bon mots to hook them. It means treading lightly, caring about people, showing real sensitivity to them as individuals.
In addition, strategically, the best fundraisers know that they have to think like informed donors to make their cash register ring. So, put yourself in the mind of potential contributors before you try to empty their pockets.
For example, ask yourself, “How would I expect fundraisers to behave if they approached me for a donation?” Answer that simple question, and you’ll be amazed at how effective your fundraising strategy will become—almost automatically. So, here are some ways you can answer your question that will point you in your most successful direction.
1. I’d expect people soliciting me for a contribution to prove that they and their organization are legitimate, impeccable, respected. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even talk to them. Everyone knows the mantra that “people give to people.” But the full sentence should be “People give to people they know and trust.” Thinking like a donor, you’ll never make a cold phone call or send a letter out-of-the-blue. You’ll find people who know your prospective donor to break the ice.
2. I’d find out how the organization asking for a donation values its contributors. I’d care about how they treat donors—all donors--after they’ve made their gift. An average donation may be such a significant stretch for a small donor that, relatively speaking, it represents a bigger commitment than a million-dollar contribution from a tycoon. Does the nonprofit value people as people, or is it just take-the-money-and-run?
3. I’d expect to see a doable proposal. I wouldn’t give fundraisers a cent unless they presented me with a detailed description of a worthwhile project that makes financial sense, seems like a unique solution to an important social issue or a rare opportunity to make a positive difference. That goes for any donation, large or small. I’d expect fundraisers to realize that I see my donation as an investment, not as a handout.
4. I’d want to see a report, showing the positive results my contribution helped to produce. I’d want proof that my money was used as I specified—and that it accomplished the intended result or, if it didn’t, what went wrong. I’d want an assurance upfront that I’d get a meaningful report. (That doesn’t mean an expensive, full-color piece of nonprofit propaganda, however. That kind of waste would make me never want to contribute again.)
How would you advise people to think like a donor so they don’t sink as a fundraiser? Send your questions and comments to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and hosts “Fundraising Success” on 90.7, WXEL/National Public Radio, Sundays 7 to 8 p.m., available from anywhere in the world, 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org.#

New column every week

2007-12-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

December 25, 2007
Nyew York Times Editorial
Giving Till It Hurts
The public has rightly shown its empathy with wounded and troubled war veterans, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to private charities that claim to have the veterans’ best interests at heart. A new study details rampant abuses of the money flow.
Of 29 military charities vetted by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group, only nine received passing grades in managing resources. Eight offenders passed on less than a third of the donations to those in need and one spent 99 percent of its take on overhead. Sullying the meaning of charity, executives squander money on costly direct-mail appeals, patriotism-tinged trinkets and bloated salaries.

It is important to stress that the institute gave high ratings to several veterans’ charities (www.charitywatch.org). But, as a category, veterans’ charities were found to perform far worse than the average of more than 500 charities studied in 36 categories.

Because there is so little regulation, for-profit fund-raising companies can work with sympathetically named veterans charities and keep 80 percent or more of donations. Dickens’s Fagan could only envy another dodgy enterprise that saw $18 million in “charitable” phone cards distributed to overseas military personnel last year — cards not to let soldiers call home, but rather to call up a stateside business that sells sports scores.

Some legitimate charities hoard their donations. Even as homeless veterans became a major national problem, the charities run under the auspices of the military services spent only $59 million on assorted educational and financial programs in 2005 while sitting on more than $600 million in combined balances. Their eligibility requirements don’t easily accommodate the homeless and clearly need to be revised.

There are no laws adequately tracking scurrilous performers, enforcing accountability or limiting the amounts charities can waste on overhead as they enjoy tax exemptions. Congress had better act quickly to come up with an effective remedy before the trust of a generous public becomes buried in cynicism.

The 12 veterans’ charities rated as the worst failures collected more than $260 million last year while keeping at least double the recommended 35 percent for overhead — that as the flood of needy veterans continues to grow. This is a disgrace that threatens to make the notion of charity a casualty of war.#

New column every MONDAY: "The Fundraising Guru"--Dec. 17, 2007

2007-12-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

"Fundraising Success": Internet radio/PODCAST!

"Fundraising Success," a weekly, one-hour radio show, airs on WXEL-90.7FM Sundays at 7p.m. throughout South Florida--when it is also streamed live. BUT it's also always available from anywhere in the world at any time by anyone with Internet access or its equivalent.

There are a gazillion shows and columns regurgitating advice on how businesses can succeed, but nothing--zip, zero--for nonprofits. On "Fundraising Success," national and local experts in communications, grant-writing, capital campaigns, PR, and other areas of interest will share their best advice. It provides nonprofits the consultants none of them can afford, but all of them need.

To listen to the podcasts, go to www.wxelpodcasts.org. Then, click on any of the many "Fundraising Success" headings.

Your "Fundrasing Success" Radio Host

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein--Host & Producer of "Fundraising Success" Columnist, author, consultant, TV and radio personality, and workshop leader--Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is a nationally recognized marketing, communications, and fundraising executive, as well as a trends analyst and forecaster.

For more than 30 years, he has developed award-winning strategies for nonprofit success. Dr. Goldstein's "Fundraising Guru" columns, based upon his nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Success Fundraising, appear in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Scripps newspapers on Florida's Treasure Coast. He is also the developer of The 7 POWERS Fundraising Success System, which is the basis for the fundraising workshop he offers around the country. Stephen Goldstein has also contributed fundraising advice segments for nonprofits on Wealth and Wisdom on WXEL-TV, Public Television. Dr. Goldstein works with individual nonprofits all across America to increase their fundraising success.
E-mail Dr. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com

New column every Monday: "Fundraising Guru"--December 10, 2007

2007-12-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Go where the money is being given away
by Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of the bestseller 30 Days to Successful Fundraising

Except for the occasional multi-zillionaire whom no one thought to ask for a contribution--except you, the broad base of your philanthropic support will come from known givers. Here are tips to increase your success in reaching them.

1. Don’t disqualify anyone. Don’t think that just because people have made donations, even in large amounts, they are tapped out.

2. Look for people in the shadow of major givers. Pay attention to married couples in which one spouse is recognized for philanthropy, but the other stays in the background. Try to find a niche for that person. Look for the children of well-known philanthropists. They may have their own money (or access to their family’s) and may want to carry on the family tradition.

3. Go where real money is really being given away. A wise fundraiser once advised me, “You don’t have to find the people who have the most money, but the people who are willing to give the most.” When looking for sizable amounts of money, you may be elated to hear someone say, “I have always given money away”--until you discover that those gifts have never exceeded $25. Learn to listen between someone’s words. Tactfully qualify people’s level of giving.

4. Identify other people’s donors. Most charitable organizations print lists of their donors that are ripe for your picking. Begin to collect and make files of everyone else’s contributors, paying special attention to those who appear more than once. Make sure you note the level of giving, not just the name.

5. Get on your donors’ turf as soon as you can. Visit them in their office or at home. Don’t be impressed by lavishness or put off by meagerness. The people with real money to give often downplay their wealth, while those with little or nothing often overplay it. You can learn valuable information about people’s personality, history, and willingness to give from what they hang on their walls, the photographs they display, and the books they read. Keep your eyes and ears open.

6. Go where the people with money are. Strategically place yourself or your representative in organizations, on boards, or at social and professional events that let you schmooze with potential donors one-on-one.

7. Don’t trust publications that list donations by individuals, corporations and foundations. They are often out-of-date and inaccurate, simply starting points for your prospect research--to which every other nonprofit has access.

8. Befriend accountants and lawyers. Ask people who know where the money is to work with you. They can point you in profitable directions without violating the confidentiality of their clients. Plus, when their clients ask them for advice about where to make a contribution, you’ll be at the top of their list.

9. Don’t let donors play hard to get. Potential contributors know that they can get attention from you if they intimate they have money to give. Don’t let yourself get strung along.

10. Know where the money will never be given away. Learn to give up hope, face reality, and cut your losses. Heed the signs that someone is not willing or able to give to you, then extricate yourself politely. Otherwise, you’ll waste your limited time, energy, and money.
Go where the money is being given away. It’s half the battle.
E-mail your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Dec. 3, 2007

2007-12-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

Fundraisers: Eschew Technology, Robots, and Voicemail
By Stephen Goldstein
author of the bestseller 30 Days to Successful Fundraising

We live in an instant-tech world. With one click of a mouse, would-be entrepreneurs think they can conduct a thriving global business. We fall for pitches to buy ever-faster machines to replace more and more people. Today, moving at the speed of sound is considered ho-hum. We want the world at our fingertips as fast and impersonally as possible.

Successful fundraising is no tech or low tech, however. Of course, technology is crucial for maintaining fundraising records, accessing information, and mass-producing materials, but it has no place in soliciting large gifts. Don't let the Howard Dean money-raising juggernaut fool you. Some Internet fundraising for small gifts from large numbers of people for political candidates and causes with broad public appeal have been wildy successful. But no one will give you the $1 million donation you covet, just because you sent an e-mail or posted a web site which they happened to find. Major donors regard their contributions as investments in worthy causes and efforts. Circumspect, they only build trust eye-to-eye, over time, and expect to be dealt with personally.

In today's breathless, throwaway, give-it-to-me-quick world, seasoned fundraisers don't expect overnight success or think that they can somehow produce major results without investing energy in the people whom they solicit for funds. Fundraising is personal, labor-intensive, time-consuming, long-term, unpredictable, quirky--even frustrating. It is not cookie-cutter. No two donors are the same. Fundraising depends upon people, can't possibly do without them, doesn't replace one-on-one meetings with e-mail.

So, true professionals want donors to get to them as quickly as possible. They make sure their phones are answered the old-fashioned way--on no later than the second ring, by people with excellent phone etiquette, who know the ins and outs of their organization. They would never program their phones to tell potential donors to listen carefully as our menu of options has changed, or make them listen a robot to find out what number to press. They don't hide behind voicemail, would never insult callers with a boilerplate message like "I'm either on the phone or away from my desk.

The best fundraisers care about people, want to talk with them, and are willing to spend time to get to know them. They consider contributors part of their extended family, take the time to know their likes and dislikes and how they think. They treat all people warmly--big contributor, small contributor--especially after they've made a donation.

The best fundraisers don't know about the five-day work week or the eight-hour day. They are always working--but not in front of a computer. They meet face-to-face or are on the phone with donors and potential donors. They know that they've got to talk to people, listen for the telling nuances in their voices and choice of words. They may send e-mail for a quick follow-up, but they also send handwritten notes. They almost never eat a meal without a contributor.
Fundraising is a person-to-person adventure, not a computer simulation. It is wonderful to feel strongly about a cause and to be willing to go through the hassle of convincing others to support it. It is also the best way to learn about people and to bring out the best in others. But those fundraisers will be most successful who understand that their success depends upon their willingness to extend their palm in a handshake, one donor at a time, rather than upon reaching for their Palm Pilot.
E-mail your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--November 26, 2007

2007-11-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

Power-Words Prompt Prosperous Philanthropy
by Stephen L. Goldstein

Every fundraiser knows the shibboleth “People give to people.” But you can’t successfully reach them with any old “words, words, words,” in Hamlet’s lingo. Use powerful bons mots to propel people’s giving and to thank them with panache. Here’s a selection of particularly potent, pre-packaged phrases for solicitation letters and thank-you notes that you can massage to your advantage in your own text.
Sharon K. Yntema: “You are rich enough to give small amounts of money to worthy causes when you can buy all the groceries you need.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little.”
Sanskrit proverb: “He who allows his day to pass by without practicing generosity and enjoying life’s pleasures is like a blacksmith’s bellows—he breathes but does not live.”
Friedrich Nietzsche: “Nothing ever succeeds which exuberant spirits have not helped to produce.”
Ancient proverb: “One hand cannot applaud alone.”
Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
Simone de Beauvoir: “That’s what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.”
Marya Mannes: “Generosity with strings is not generosity; it is a deal.”
Confucius: “To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.”
Sir Francis Bacon: “In charity there is no excess.”
Scottish proverb: “Charity begins at home, but shouldn’t end there.”
Thomas H. Huxley: “I have no faith, very little hope, and as much charity as I can afford.”
Jewish proverb: “If charity cost nothing, the world would be full of philanthropists.”
Stephen L. Goldstein: “Angels rush in where fools fear to tread.”
W.J. Slim: “When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of action you should take, choose the bolder.”
Samuel Taylor Coleridge: “The lamentable difficulty I have always experienced [is] in saying ‘no.’”
Herman Melville: “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and along those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.”
Albert Pine: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
Sydney Smith: To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can.”
Phoebe Low: “Someone said of nations—but it might well have been said of individuals, too—that they require ‘something sufficiently akin to be understood, something sufficiently different to provoke attention, and something sufficiently great to command admiration.’”
Kevin Kelly: “The only factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention.”
W.M. Paxton: “Ideas go booming through the world louder than cannon. Thoughts are mightier than armies. Principles have achieved more victories than horsemen or chariots.”

Send your questions and comments to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com. He also hosts “Fundraising Success” on 90.7FM, WXEL/National Public Radio throughout South Florida, Sundays 7 to 8 p.m., and available from anywhere in the world by anyone with Internet access or its equivalent 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org.#

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Nov. 18, 2007

2007-11-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

Keep everyone on your ‘donor recognition ladder’
by Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising

Successful fundraisers know that they are not just in the business of finding generous donors, but of genuinely thanking them. You can judge a nonprofit by the way it shows how much it appreciates every gift, large or small—from cash to gifts-in-kind and volunteers’ time.

Every nonprofit needs a well-runged recognition ladder so potential donors know up front how they will be honored: their name on a wall, in a publication, or on the front of a building; VIP treatment at special functions; nothing but a mention in your annual report.

Turn your donor ladder into a marketing tool that helps you raise more money. After you close the books on your fiscal year, list every donation you’ve received in one impactful, not overly expensive, publication. Include pictures of donors and their testimonials about how good they feel supporting your organization. Show compelling photos with captions telling how well donations are being used. Under each giving category and before contributors’ names, mention the good things donations make possible.

Include a gifts-in-kind category. A donation of a computer or piano saves your having to spend money and is as worthy of recognition as cash. Create a category to credit volunteers’ contributed time. People who answer your phones and donate their services save you money. Put an hourly dollar value on volunteer time and recognize people accordingly.Most contributors are pleased to be honored. But, afraid of being inundated with solicitations, some don’t want any recognition. Give them the option of being anonymous.

No good deed goes unpunished. As hard as you may try to make your donor list accurate, inevitably, names will be omitted, garbled, and miscategorized. One fundraiser told me that she always intentionally had her name botched in her “Donor Honor Roll.” That way, when contributors complained of errors, she could apologize and (she thought) lessen their ire by showing that it even happened to her. It’s far better to be compulsive, contrite, and prepared to publish corrections.

Create a meaningful recognition ladder. The more generously you say “Thank You” to everyone, the higher they’ll be inspired to climb it.

E-mail your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday--"The Fundraising Guru": Nov. 11, 2007

2007-11-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Follow Up, Keep Track, and Always Look Back
by Stephen L. Goldstein, consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising

The best fundraisers relish the past and think long-term. They know that Rome wasn’t built in a day, persistence pays off--and that they can’t get ahead unless they know where they’ve been. Mega-fundraisers chant the mantra “Follow up, keep track, and always look back.”

Follow up: Don’t send potential funders your proposal, thinking you can just sit back and wait for them to respond. Submitting it is only a step in a multi-phase process of communication and cultivation that is likely to last far longer than you might expect--or want. Judicious follow-up is crucial, no matter how solid and worthy you think your project may be. Always follow a polite strategy. Keep in touch with potential funding sources without being over-anxious or obnoxious.

Follow up: Don’t think of rejection as a door’s closing forever on your possibilities for funding. Look upon a “no” as a temporary setback, at worst a detour. There are any number of reasons why you may have been turned down, none of which may have to do with the worthiness of your proposal. For example, major funding sources have timetables, according to which they make grants. Until you get into the cycle of their giving program, even your deserving project won’t be successful. When you hear, “Sorry, but you’re too late for this year,” think, “that makes me way ahead of the game for next year.”

Keep track: It takes years to build a meaningful relationship between an organization and its contributors. Don’t ruin it by neglecting the simple things--like maintaining accurate addresses and knowing who died. Show that you remain interested in people, even after they’ve given you a donation--and not just to solicit them for more money.

Keep track: Maintain an up-to-the-minute, impeccable record of how you have spent every penny of donated money. If you are ever successfully challenged on how you used contributions, you’ll never raise another dime. Keep your promises to donors. Trust once broken can seldom be reestablished.

Look back: Keeping accurate records is not an end in itself, but allows you to analyze your data for meaningful patterns in giving to your organization--percentages of larger versus small gifts and other trends that will enable you to learn from one fundraising cycle to another.

Look back: Ask most people how much they want to raise for a given project, and their first answer is likely to be “as much as possible.” In other words, they have no realistic expectations and are setting themselves and others up for frustration. No matter how much money is raised, it will never seem to be enough. Even if your organization is small, write a formal, narrative analysis of who gave, how much they gave, how they wanted their contribution used, and in what form they made their donation. Use your report to establish benchmarks and goals to increase your future success.

The most effective fundraisers are different from today’s here-today-gone-tomorrow, throw-away world. They follow up, because they care about what they have done. They keep track, because they want to learn from what they are doing. They always look back, because they understand that the only way to go as far forward as they possibly can is to see where they--and others--have been. Happy chanting!
E-mail your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.#

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Nov. 5, 2007

2007-11-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

Mirror, mirror, on the wall . . .
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

. . . who’s “the greatest” fundraiser of them all? You, of course — potentially.
No matter how major or minor your relationship to a nonprofit may be--board member, volunteer, donor, or staff member--you “make it happen.” Successful fundraising relies upon the power of one person and another person and another person to energize others to support a compelling idea. There are no bit players.

So, here’s a self-test to help you find out what your mirror tells you about yourself as a fundraiser.

On a separate sheet of paper, list what you think are your five greatest strengths as a fundraiser. (Don’t be modest. There will be plenty of time for that later.)

Now, list what you think are your five greatest weaknesses as a fundraiser. (Don’t go easy on yourself.)

Now, rate yourself on the following “benchmark” fundraiser-qualities from 1 (not good) to 10 (I could write my own book on fundraising):

1. I am willing to change and be flexible:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. I know how to create an idea that makes people want to donate:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3. I know how to develop materials that “sell” a fundraising idea:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. I can inspire others:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5. I am able to establish a network of supporters:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6. I am systematic:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7. I am persistent:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8. I listen and observe, know how to size things up:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9. I assume responsibility for everything I do:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10. I am eager to ask for donations:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Total your score: _____

Are you pleased with your reflection in the mirror? If not, write how you think you could enhance it in each category.

Need help? Call Stephen Goldstein at (954) 772-4455 or e-mail him at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru," October 29, 2007

2007-10-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Fundraising only gels if you sell well
By Stephen L. Goldstein

I know that people who work on behalf of nonprofits like to think of themselves as doing something for the common good. I know because whenever I hold workshops the first question I ask participants is, “What is a nonprofit?” And invariably, their answers accentuate an altruistic angle. “It’s an organization that serves society,” they say, or one “that helps the needy,” or “a group of individuals who hold events to raise money for worthy purposes.”

In addition, the last thing in the world that supporters of nonprofits like to think they are is salespeople; they consider themselves a cut above schnooks selling shoes or used cars. I know that because when I ask my second question—“What is fundraising?”—no one ever answers “sales.” Instead predictably, the answers have a mushy quality equal to the definition of a nonprofit. Fundraising is the “ability to raise capital for an entity,” “stewardship, relationship-building in order to raise funds for an agency,” “an effort to generate funds for a good cause.”

So, it’s time for a major reality check for everyone who works on behalf of nonprofits. From doctors and lawyers to entrepreneurs and athletes, successful people know how to sell--well. Fundraising is “nonprofit sales,” pure and simple. If you don’t know how to sell, you’ll never be an effective fundraiser. And if your first reaction to the idea of “nonprofit fundraising as selling” is to hold your nose, you’re probably holding back whatever cause(s) you support.

So, here are some basic tips to help you increase your effectiveness in fundraising sales:

1. Selling is the quintessential skill. It’s not about getting others to do something they don’t want to or to buy something they don’t need. At its best, selling is the highest form of communication: It’s about making the perfect match between what you have to offer and what someone else wants. It’s an art.

2. Rejection isn’t rejection. So what if someone says no to you. It’s not the end of your life nor should you punish them on your voodoo doll. Think of how many times you may have said no to someone without meaning any ill towards them—and move on to someone else.

3. Fundraising is not about “the ask,” but about “the listen.” Remember the lyric, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Consider your customers before you chew their ears off about your cause. Too many do-gooder fundraisers have a "prima facie, ipso facto" attitude. They think that all they have to do is blurt out the basics of their case and their prey will open their wallet. Ain’t so! Do your homework: Find out about people you approach. Take an interest in them. You’ll be amazed at how interested they’ll become in you.

4. Commit to selling 24/7. The best/most successful fundraisers even dream about raising money. Fundraising is a frame of mind, an all-consuming passion, not a 9-to-5 job. From a check-out line in Publix to a tuxedo-filled ballroom, fundraiser-salespeople know that there are six degrees of separation—or less--between them and the next contribution they receive.

5. Multiply your donors’ gifts. Donors who are treated well beget other donors. The most successful fundraiser-salespeople know that fundraising only gels if you sell well.

Send your “fundraising sales tips” to Stephen L. Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of the nationwide bestseller, 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and host of “Fundraising Success” on WXEL/National Public Radio, broadcast throughout South Florida Sundays 7 to 8 p.m., and available 24/7 at www.wxelpodcasts.org

New Column Every Monday--The Fundraising Guru, October 22, 2007

2007-10-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

Fundraising Lessons from Life
By Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein,
author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising
host and executive producer of "Fundraising Success" on WXEL/National Public Radio & available at any time from anywhere in the world by anyone with Internet access at www.wxelpodcasts.org.

This column proves that the best fundraising advice is never based upon theories, but comes from personal success stories — from life itself.

1. Ask and you shall be given. Yes, it really is as simple as that. According to a recent news article, Jessica Knighton, the student president at Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes, attended a meeting of the city commission and walked off with $18,000 on top of the $50,000, for which she had hoped for school improvements. Apparently, during her initial pitch, city officials “jokingly suggested that she hit up commissioners for more money.” No wallflower, that’s exactly what she did, but not in some mushy way: She, reportedly, stood at the lectern and asked them, one by one, to pledge “a generous donation” of their own money. Jessica, a 12th grader, later said, “It was a rush and my adrenaline was going.”Many seasoned fundraisers hold back. Having been rebuffed many times or thinking they “know” their potential contributors, they subconsciously torpedo their chances. It takes someone like Jessica to remind us that a fundraiser’s job is to ask, without reservation or consideration—or they’ll never be given.

2. You never know where the money’s going to come from. Some of the biggest gifts to nonprofits come from people they never knew — who never attended a gala, never wanted any kind of recognition, especially a silly plaque. According to a recent account, one such frugal mystery donor was a woman who died last year in Miami, leaving $35.6 million for medical research. Her two brothers died of complications from diabetes, and she lost part of a lung to cancer. She purposely lived below her means and wanted no publicity. Having made it her goal to build up a fortune to leave behind, she died at 101, leaving savvy fundraisers with the obvious pitch that “giving big” is the secret to longevity. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the real lesson to be learned from a story like this is that nonprofits and fundraisers have got to be nice to everyone. That means you should have a strong public relations strategy, so that people you don’t know think well enough of you to make contributions.

3. Donors: Dot every i. Fundraisers insist upon it. It’s every fundraiser’s nightmare: getting a major gift, then having it go sour. Florida International University received a commitment in writing of a staggering $20 million for its new College of Medicine — then lost it. It all came about because the donor and the university president squabbled over how the donation would be paid.In fairness to the university, the donor actually signed an agreement to deliver the $20 million in a lump sum 30 days after the school was named for him. It banked on receiving a single payment so it could use it to leverage a matching gift from the state. But later, the donor wanted to delay some payments because of a multi-million-dollar tax liability he discovered if he gave all the money at once. Such a situation should never have occurred. Everyone’s at fault. You have to wonder why a person smart enough to make so much money that he could give $20 million away didn’t consult with his accountants first, and why the president of the university lost his cool and said things that offended the donor. Money can always be replaced, but not the dedication of a long-term board member and major contributor, which is what FIU lost. Everyone should always dot every i and cross every t before going public with any, but especially a major, gift. When in doubt, wait.

4. Donors give because something presses their emotional buttons. A recent survey conducted by Bank of America and Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy reveals that “entrepreneurs who earn their wealth give more than twice as much to charity than do Americans who inherited their riches.” The survey found that the biggest motivations were “helping those in need and giving back to society.” Similarly, Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss has a foundation that’s published the Tana-Man Activity Book, pushing education as the key to success. The book is based upon his decision not to go into the pros until after he finished school. His manager has been quoted saying, “Moss wants kids who don’t have easy lives to know that he wasn’t always a superstar and went through what these children are going through now. . . . If [the players] tell the stories, the kids will realize they’re not alone.”

Stephen Goldstein is a consultant and author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com. E-mail your comments and questions to him at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday--"The Fundraising Guru"--Oct. 14, 2007

2007-10-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

Foundation foundationals
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein,
author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising
host and producer of "Fundraising Success" on WXEL/National Public Radio: Internet radio/podcast at www.wxelpodcasts.org

For many fundraisers, foundations are a tantalizing cross between Fort Knox and the Sphinx. They know that there’s “all that” money there, they know it gets given away —t o others, but they just don’t know how to get their fair share. So, here are some initial foundation foundationals to help you open sesame — and get your cash register to ring.

1. Know which foundations give money, and which don’t. The first two things you need to know about an organization calling itself a foundation is (1) that it’s a nonprofit and (2) that it makes grants. Some for-profit businesses may use the word foundation in their name. Of course, you could ask them for money, the way you would any business. Just don’t approach them as you would a nonprofit foundation. Some foundations receive, rather than give, grants. So, they may be your competition, certainly not your benefactors.The foundations you want are grant-making. Some give away large amounts of money; others have more limited resources. The best-known foundations in America have been established by major corporations or wealthy individuals and have become the brand-names of charitable giving — historically Ford, Rockefeller, Carnegie and now Gates. They have given the world of foundations its panache and mystery, because they are so big and involve rich people who appear remote and unapproachable.

2. Even if you can’t get to Ford or Gates, you are literally surrounded by local foundations that can help you, some even in major ways. Many, even sizeable, foundations are established by “average” people. They may literally be your neighbors, “the millionaires next door,” or their family members or friends. You probably don’t even know it. And yet, they may be far more approachable than you ever imagined. If they are sophisticated enough to have established a foundation, they not only have financial resources, but an unusually high commitment to ongoing charitable giving — every fundraiser’s dream donors.

3. Research the foundations in your area. Of course, you do not have to limit your approaches just to foundations in your community, but starting there is a great way to take the mystery out of the process and to begin forging an overall success strategy. First, go to www.guidestar.org and register for free, if you haven’t already done so. Then, in the search box, type the word foundation and your zip code. You may be amazed at what you’ll find. Once you make a list of foundations, you’ll have to sort through it to determine which give, and which receive, donations. But that’s just the beginning of (what could turn out to be) a most profitable adventure. Guidestar.org will give you perhaps your only reason to love the IRS: Annually, almost all foundations have to file a Form 990. It’s public information, chock-full of spicy details — readily available on the Internet. So, when you find a grantmaking foundation in your zip or others near you, click on its 990. You’ll find out how much money the foundation has, what its giving priorities are, how much it gives away and to whom. Best of all, you’ll also see a list of its board members, in some cases, even with their personal addresses. Obviously, they help make the decisions that will mean the difference between your getting or not getting a grant.

4. Your board is key to approaching all foundations, but especially your local ones. Fundraising is always about people giving to people they know and trust. Ask your board members if they are close to any of the people listed on a foundation’s Form 990 — or if they know someone who might be.

5. Remember: By law, foundations have to give a certain percentage of their money away — why not to you? Usually, foundations of any size establish priorities for giving — for example, health care, education, the homeless, music education. Larger foundations will have formal guidelines for requesting money and timetables for making awards. Smaller foundations operate more loosely. No two foundations are alike. Each has a personality, like an individual donor. Obviously, you want to look for foundations whose giving priorities match those of your nonprofit. But, no foundation’s priorities are written in stone. With the right entree from your board member or someone else who knows you, almost any foundation will befriend your worthy cause.
E-mail Stephen Goldstein your comments and questions at trendsman@aol.com.

New Column Every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--October 8, 2007

2007-10-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Overcome Your Fear Of Asking For Money
by Stephen Goldstein

At some level, everyone hesitates to ask for money, even for a good cause. We all have a dollar threshold beyond which we are reluctant to go. Yet, unless we break through that psychological barrier, we will stand in the way of our fundraising success.

One surefire way to embolden yourself to ask for money is to remember that you are not asking for yourself. Another way is to know how to ask for money the right way. Follow these 10 tips:

1. Initiate every funding request with a letter. Everyone’s heard stories of how a chance phone call has inspired some millionaire to make a major gift, but as a rule, cold calls are bad strategy. Even if you get through, you will catch people off guard and they are only going to ask for follow-up information. So, it’s better to write and then ask for an appointment. (Exception: Always solicit major gifts in person with someone who knows the potential contributor--and bring written materials personalized for the donor with you.)

2. Show that you know to whom you are writing or speaking. Get to know the people you are soliciting before you meet them. (Don’t be so obvious as to let them figure out you have researched them, by dropping hints of the details of their life, or they may feel like laboratory rats.) Most donors have giving histories, so you should be able to determine their priorities. Let them know why you think your project would be consistent with their interests.

3. Personalize your communications. Never write boilerplate to a possible donor, no matter how small the potential gift. (I know you’re saying, “But I get them all the time.” And don’t you throw them out?) Even in a mass mailing, include some form of personalized message. Handwrite as many personal notes as you can, such as a P.S. If you can’t do them all yourself, get a group of volunteers to help. The more you personalize, the more positive your response.

4. Be clear, straightforward, and precise. Don’t waste people’s time. Let them know exactly what you want from them.

5. Ask for a specific amount or commitment. Always include a clear call to action. Don’t leave the ball in your donors’ court or they may drop it.

6. Be prepared with alternative scenarios. Give choices. For example, ask potential contributors to make an outright gift in the full amount this year, two installments (one this year, one next), or according to a schedule convenient for them.

7. Make it easy for everyone to say, “Yes.” Make your appeal so irresistible and flexible, that no one can refuse to give you something--even a small amount. Shoot for the moon, but if you can’t get it, settle for another constellation.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask after you’ve been rebuffed. Just because people said “No” the first time doesn’t mean they won’t say “Yes” later. Re-ask politely.

9. Ask for assistance. Ask everyone you solicit--even people who turn you down--for names of others who might support your project.

10. Always include a visual that “summarizes” your purpose. Think like a contributor. Ask the way you would want to be asked. Turn your fear and hesitation into dollars.

E-mail your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New Column Every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--Sept. 30, 2007

2007-09-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

To Cyberspace for your fundraising answers!
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein, author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising, producer and host of "Fundraising Success" on WXEL/National Public Radio available at any time from anywhere in the world at www.wxelpodcasts.org

Today, boggle your mind and toggle through Cyberspace to find your next fundraising inspiration or answer. If it’s really true that we’re all just six people away from everyone, just imagine how much closer you may be to what you need because of the Internet. Here are a few choice places to start exploring:

1. www.not-for-profit.org: The Nonprofit Resource Center’s site is a gold mine. Start at the top. You can click on subsets of information under “Legal & Boards of Directors, Support Organizations,” “Finance, Accounting and General Management,” and “Fundraising.”

2. www.nccs.urban.org: If it’s data you want, it’s data you’ll get — and much more. Maintained by the Urban Institute’s Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy, the National Center for Charitable Statistics puts it all “out there” for you. It’s even got a free “990 Online” system for creating, verifying, printing and e-filing a non-profit’s IRS return, as well as state filing forms. If you need to build a case for charitable giving, you can get all the facts you’ll need — that there are now more than 1.8 million nonprofits in the U.S., reporting nearly $1.1 trillion in total revenues and just over $1.9 trillion in total assets in 2004. (I’ll let you discover the expanding nonprofit picture in Florida for yourself. I wouldn’t want to spoil your fun.)

3. www.give.org: The motto of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance is “Investigate before you donate.” It helps contributors make informed giving decisions by evaluating charitable organizations. Fundraisers would be wise to go to it to make sure they’re following high standards.

4. www.nonprofit-info.org: The Nonprofit FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is based upon questions and answers about nonprofit organizations exchanged on the Internet since 1994 — on everything from “Board of Directors” (63 Q&A) to “Compensation” (17), “Charitable Solicitations” (16), “Volunteer Recruitment” (22) and “Grants” (24) — in all, 75 areas. Seriously, don’t get addicted to it!

5. www.fdncenter.org: Visit the Foundation Center online, even if you’re a tiny nonprofit. You should become energized just from knowing that it maintains profiles of up to 80,000 foundations and half a million grants — proof that there’s “gold in them thar hills” and you may be closer to it than you think.

Don’t get lost in Cyberspace. Return to terra firma.

E-mail questions and comments to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com.

New Column Every Monday: "The Fundraising Guru"--September 24, 2007

2007-09-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

“Freebies Galore”: Jesse Carter’s ProfitQuests.com Web site
by Stephen L. Goldstein

You already know Jesse Carter and his Web site, www.profitquests.com, if you listen to my radio program, “Fundraising Success,” on WXEL, National Public Radio member station (Sundays, 7 to 8 p.m., 90.7 FM; available on the Internet at any time from anywhere at www.wxelpodcasts.org.).

You can hear Jesse on almost every program in recent weeks. (It’s really a treat. Listen to at least one.) He’s from central Louisiana--an unassuming, genuine, down-to-earth, sincere person, whose accent and commitment to nonprofits add immeasurably to our broadcasts—and will make you want to hear more. I look forward to talking with him as much as our listeners benefit from hearing from him. Jesse Carter embodies the true spirit of nonprofit philanthropy: He has created a Web site that gives and gives and gives.

I dubbed Jesse’s ongoing segment “Freebies Galore” after about three interviews. He is the world’s greatest sharer of valuable information. (There are products and services for sale, of course; but no one has to pay a single solitary cent to access the endless amount of useful tools he lists to help nonprofits succeed—from running a capital campaign to collecting coupons.) Small, medium, or large—every nonprofit can find something useful at www.profitquests.com. It’s filled with recipes for success. And as long as the site is up-and-running, no nonprofit can say it can’t afford to get the expertise it needs.

Here’s a brief walk-through the site:
1. On the home page, look to the left, where you’ll see that you can sign up for a free eNewsletter. (Right off the bat, you see the “free” theme that runs through the site.) Then, take a quick glance down the long list of categories and topics—from “fundraising ideas” and “fundraising articles” to “volunteerism” that lead to more specific topics and in-depth discussions.

2. For example, for the activity-minded, here are some of the 131 topics you’ll find if you click on “fundraising ideas”: affinity programs (credit cards, phone cards, etc.), balloon ride and dinner, camping cookbook, father-daughter dance, final exam care packages, singing messages, starving artists show, wedding fair. Many have links that show you to the nuts-and-bolts of how to do them. Be sure to click on “celebrity lunch or dinner auction.” Jesse spoke about that idea on air. It’s an exciting way that nonprofits can turn breaking bread with a local celeb (elected official, media personality, sports notable) into cold, hard funds. You can’t go wrong. You get the point: from the “down home” to the more sophisticated, there’s a fundraising idea for everyone.

3. Click on “Fundraising Articles” and at the top of the 25-item list you’ll find three parts of a forward-looking discussion: “A New Trend in Fundraising.” Farther down: “Fundraising Responsibilities of a Board Member” and “Giving Campaigns—Federal.” Jesse discussed both of those topics on “Fundraising Success.” The one about federal giving campaigns was an eye-opener. He even provides a four-part series on “Your Very Own Capital Campaign.”

4. Under “Fundraising Resources,” you’ll find everything from annual campaigns, direct mail, foundation and grants helps, fundraising associations and federations, nonprofit networks, and online giving gift donation sites to telemarketing.

5. I mentioned that you can sign up for Jesse’s free eNewsletter. You can get a feel for what’s in it from the six volumes of archives online.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is also the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising, now in its second printing. Send your comments, questions, and suggestions for future topics to him at trendsman@aol.com.

New column every Monday: Sept. 16, 2007

2007-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

7 Ways to enhance your nonprofit fundraising success

From anywhere in the world at any time, listen to "Fundraising Success" from WXEL/National Public Radio on the Internet at www.wxelpodcasts.org. The only program of its kind in the U.S. Hear the best experts from around the country give down-to-earth advice to enhance your fundraising success.

Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is the host and executive producer of “Fundraising Success.” He is the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. For his weekly fundraising column, go to www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com.

This week’s program--091607
1. Jorene Jameson, vice president and chief development officer, YMCA of South Palm Beach County, Florida: perspectives on fundraising success from her nationwide experience; the secrets of relationship-building, the sine qua non; how she helped turn one debt-ridden nonprofit into a “going” concern; the pitfalls in the shibboleth that “people give to people”; how much more donor-volunteers give to an organization than just outright donors; the lessons she learned from a flop

2. Regular feature: “Blog Beat” with Peter Panepento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, www.philanthropy.com/giveandtake--on the blog www.wildapricot.com/blogs, its advice on how nonprofits can better use technology, and its four-part series on how to get nonprofits’ Web sites prominently seen on the Internet

3. Beth Kanter, beth@bethkanter.org: Step 4 of 10 Steps to Web 2.0—“Ready, set, get blogging!”

4. Kenton Kuhn–on “Blacktie,” the national company he co-founded based in Denver, Colorado. Blacktie facilitates communications by and between nonprofits and their philanthropic supporters. It provides a wide range of services--including a centralized calendar, an online auction, and a network of “great ideas sharing”—through local Web sites around the country.

5. Ginny Fujino of “Blacktie” South Florida, www.blacktie-southflorida.com--on the online community she’s built, including the all-important calendar of area-wide events and links to other “Blacktie” sites nationwide

6. Spotlight on a “grassroots” nonprofit: Tom Koziol, Senior Outreach Ministries, www.senior2senior.org--how one non-religious nonprofit in Reno, Nevada helps seniors in difficult circumstances, and how one husband and wife prove that everyone can “make a major difference in the lives of others”

7. A must-read book for nonprofits everywhere! Ori Brafman, co-author of the bestseller, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations—on a revolutionary model for the way nonprofits need to be structured/managed/supported for success in the future

For Nonprofits--Only: Internet Radio/Podcast

2007-09-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

"Fundraising Success" is a weekly, one-hour radio program produced and aired by WXEL/National Public Radio.

Anyone with Internet access or its equivalent may hear the program from anywhere in the world at any time. Just go to www.wxelpodcasts.org and click on "Fundraising Success."

Program notes: Sept. 9, 2007
Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein is the host and executive producer of “Fundraising Success.” He is the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising. For his weekly fundraising column, go to www.fundraisingguru.blogspot.com. This week’s program:“Putting philanthropy into a corporate culture—the benefits to the corporation”: Special spotlight on the coordinated national fundraising campaign of CHG Healthcare Services (headquartered Salt Lake City, Utah), www.chghealthcare.com 1. Michael Weinholtz, president/CEO of CHG: the corporate philosophy of giving back; inspiring/motivating its employees to participate in fundraising, primarily for United; Way, in places like South Florida, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Dallas, among others; how it even builds employee morale2. Jennifer Mayhew, director of corporate events, CHG—“Themes and variations,” supporting individual offices around the country in their charitable efforts3. “Different strokes for different folks”: The more people give, the more they want to give—how CHG (Fort Lauderdale) and CHG (Grand Rapids) implement the corporate fundraising philosophy of its parent company, to increased success4. “Become a fundraiser: It’s inspiring; it’s a way to change the world”: Gayle Roberts, fundraising consultant (San Francisco), www.gayleroberts.com—the nobility of fundraising, the transformational nature of fundraising; how to help donors—how to inspire boards of directors to be fully engaged in the nonprofits with which they work; how to get past potential donors’ saying No. 5. Weekly feature: “Freebies Galore” with Jesse Carter from ProfitQuests, “The People’s Fundraising Web site,” www.profitquests.com: “Everything you need to know about getting your board to fulfill its fundraising responsibilities.”6. “Web 2.0 Essentials for Nonprofit Fundraising”: Stephen Rockwell, srockwell@mcsorg.org, of Management Consulting Services: “The World of RSS” (Real Simple Syndication)—how to get your Internet content regularly delivered to potential donors without their even having to come to your Web site

New Column Every Monday--"The Fundraising Guru"--September 10, 2007

2007-09-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

Go Around the Fundraising Clock
by Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Successful fundraising is cyclical. Your current effort starts where your last one ended. Think of the hands of a clock. Your fundraising cycle should go through four stages and 12 steps, beginning and ending at 12.
Phase 1--Research
Step 1 (12:00-1:00): Review analyses of all your organization’s previous fundraising efforts. Were the dollars raised worth the time, energy, and money you spent? If you’re starting something new, try to find out the effort-result ratio of a project similar to yours.
Step 2 (1:00-2:00): Research what products and programs the people you serve or want to serve need for the foreseeable future. Ask potential donors to what extent they would support them. Avoid preconceived notions and yesterday’s truisms. Look for fresh answers to the question, What will “sell” in the short-run and long-run?
Step 3 (2:00-3:00): If you have a project in place, be merciless in light of what you learn in Steps 1 and 2. Consider modifying or scrapping existing efforts or proposing new ones. Don’t change just to change, but don’t be stuck in the past.
Phase 2-Strategy
Step 4 (3:00-4:00): Based upon your Phase 1 Research, compare the kind of program you want to pursue with funders’ priorities. Do they agree? Are you willing to make any modifications? How flexible are you willing to be—or can you be?
Step 5 (4:00-5:00): Develop your program proposal.
Step 6 (5:00-6:00): Identify the people who you think can help you reach potential funders. Determine those who are most willing to support your efforts and get them to commit to how they will assist you. Draft your proposal materials. Get accurate contact information for possible donors—street and e-mail addresses, phone and fax numbers. Plan your public relations strategy—the media outlets you will use to create awareness of your efforts.
Phase 3—Implementation
Step 7 (6:00-7:00): Share the draft of your proposal with key supporters and reconfirm how they will help you.
Step 8 (7:00-8:00): Produce your proposal. Make it appropriate to the scope of your project—as brief as one page or as elaborate as a printed brochure.
Step 9 (8:00-9:00): Let it roll! Get your proposal to funders. Schedule person-to-person solicitations with potential major donors. Release publicity about your effort, updating it as contributions are made.
Phase 4—Evaluation
Step 10 (9:00-10:00): Collect data. For example, find out why prospects didn’t contribute or give as much as they could have. Did those who promised to introduce you to potential donors really open doors?
Step 11 (10:00-11:00): Analyze your data. What you have learned to improve each of the 12 steps of your fundraising cycle in the future?
Sept 12: Write a concise analysis of your latest fundraising cycle, even if only you and a few others will see it. You will benefit from looking at how well you’ve done in black-and-white. Your fundraising cycle is complete only when you have “closed the circle.” Then, you can apply what you’ve learned at the start of your next Phase 1, Step 1 (12 to 1 o’clock).
Follow the 12 steps of the fundraising clock. Hit the jackpot.
Send your comments and questions to Stephen Goldstein at trendsman@aol.com. He is the author of 30 Days to Successful Fundraising and the host and executive producer of "Fundraising Success," a weekly one-hour program broadcast by WXEL/National Public Radio and available on the Internet from anywhere in the world at any time at http://www.wxelpodcasts.org/.