Fundraising with The Raiser's Edge. A Non-Technical Guide

Everything you need to know as a nonprofit board member to raise more money and help your organization succeed in meeting its goals Engaging and informative, this practical guide to fundraising contains valuable insights that nonprofit boards need to succeed in raising money in today's dynamic economic environment. While written expressly for board members, this useful handbook also provides advice to executive directors and advancement staff on how to partner with your board to build an unstoppable fundraising team. A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members shows you how to raise more money by building board leadership and skills in fundraising. This book covers it all—the board's leadership role in fundraising; how to organize and train your board to raise funds; building a team with board and staff; raising funds for operations, major gifts and capital campaigns; how to ask for gifts; plus a guide for conducting a board retreat that will lead to fundraising success. Demystifies the ask by providing a straightforward guide on how to ask for, and close, gifts Features case studies, real life examples, and checklists in an easy to reference format Offers sample materials for a board retreat on building the successful fundraising team Also by Julia Ingraham Walker: Nonprofit Essentials: Jump-Starting the Stalled Fundraising Campaign Entertaining, practical, and easy to use, this book will become a must-read for all board members, executive directors, and staff who want to build an effective fundraising team.

Praise for Fundraising Consultants «In Fundraising Consultants: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations, Gene Scanlan provides a thoughtful and deliberative guide for how to select, develop, and maintain successful relationships with consultants that can help organizations achieve their goals. It is also an excellent resource for consultants, both new and experienced, on how to best serve our clients.» Barbara L. Ciconte, CFRE, Senior Vice President, Consulting Services Donor Strategies, Inc. «Finally, a book that provides a balanced and informative perspective about fundraising consulting. Gene provides solid information for organizations to consider when using a consultant while also describing the consultant's point of view. All this can only lead to a more effective use of consultants and more successful nonprofits.» Sandra Renner, MSW, CFRE, Renner Consulting Strategic Philanthropic Counsel «This book is an excellent source for a development or foundation director to read before hiring any type of consultant. It guides you through the search process and tells you how to evaluate your prospects. This is especially important for small development offices or foundations that rely on outsourcing fundraising projects or campaigns to consultants. It even suggests how to use consultants as a creative resource!» Jeanne G. Jacob, CAE, CFRE, Executive Director Goodwin House Foundation

Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management provides a fresh and clear approach to project management. Written in the form of a novel, it covers the basics of project management in a friendly, interesting, and memorable way. Will Campbell, a reasonably competent middle manager, is suddenly thrust into managing a high-profile project that could make or break his career. With no project management experience, and armed only with the guidance of his eccentric menror, Martha, Will learns the hard way. As Will navigates the rough seas of company politics, treacherous competition, and a project swirling out of control, he narrowly evades many pitfalls, and masters some indispensable project management tools along the way. Against the backdrop of this personal drama, a simple, rational approach to project management unfolds. Will's ability to grasp these principles is the key to his survival, and could be the key to yours. Making It Happen enables the reader to transform risky, real-life situations into success. Provides a simple, non-technical approach, useful to any business person involved in teams or managing projects Offers practical tools and principles that will make any project a success: from office moves to product roll-outs, systems implementations to training program delivery, and everything in between Boxes, definitions, and charts highlight key points and practical project management tips.

Grantwriters often have little or no training in the practical task of grantseeking. Many feel intimidated by the act of writing, and some don't enjoy writing. In Storytelling for Grantseekers, Second Edition, Cheryl Clarke presents an organic approach to grantseeking, one that views the process through the lens of the pleasures and rewards of crafting a good story. Grantseekers who approach the process as one in which they are connecting with an audience (grantmakers) and writing a narrative (complete with settings, characters, antagonists and resolutions) find greater success with funders. The writing process becomes a rewarding way to tell the organization's tale, rather than a chore, and their passion and creativity lead to winning proposals. This book walks readers through all the main phases of the proposal, highlighting the creative elements that link components to each other and unify the entire proposal. The book contains resources on crafting an effective synopsis, overcoming grantwriter's block, packaging the story, and the best ways to approach the «short stories» (inquiry and cover letters) that support the larger proposal. Clarke also stresses the need to see proposal-writing as part of a larger grantseeking effort, one that emphasizes preparation, working with the entire development staff, and maintaining good relations with funders. In Storytelling for Grantseekers, new and experienced grantseekers alike will discover how to write and support successful proposals with humor and passion. New edition features: Overall updates as well as both refreshed and new examples Workshop exercises for using the storytelling approach New chapters on the application of the storytelling method to other fundraising communications like appeal letters and case statements, as well as the importance of site visits Example of a full narrative proposal

An authoritative guide to boosting your nonprofit's bottom line through effective telephone fundraising Presenting a detailed structure for writing effective telephone call «scripts», Effective Telephone Fundraising explains the necessary and effective components of an effective call from beginning to end, and provides helpful hints, detailed examples, phrases to employ, phraseology to avoid, and a «road map/chart» for structuring effective call scripts. This how-to manual examines in detail the various stages of an effective telephone call from identifying the prospect and introducing yourself; getting through screens and talking to the decision maker; developing rapport and a creating two-way conversation; explaining the purpose of your call; making a proposal to the prospect;the process of negotiation and effective closing strategies; results of the negotiation;and ending the call. Examines in detail a systematic way of dealing with objections Deflection/decision deferral strategies, along with psychological motivators for giving over the telephone Reveals how to assess the giving potential of prospects Includes sample scripts or call outlines Effective lines that could immediately be incorporated into existing telephone fundraising strategies to improve results A complete, start-to-finish guide for successful telephone fundraising, Effective Telephone Fundraising helps you structure effective call scripts for your nonprofit's best advantage.

Praise for Development for Academic Leaders «Penny Hunt has opened the door on what many academics consider the mystery of fundraising success. In a straightforward and direct way, the book explains what is most important for academic leaders to do and understand. It articulates roles and responsibilities and offers practical counsel for long-term success. Penelepe's own highly successful and collaborative approach to fundraising shines through on each page. This should be given to every new dean and department head who hopes to make a positive contribution to philanthropy for their academic program.» ?Lynette L. Marshall, CFRE, president and CEO, University of Iowa Foundation «Development for Academic Leaders is a significant addition for deans and academics of every rank who know a great deal about academic research but who know nothing about raising money. This book will get boundary spanners outside of their campus silos and serve as a bridging instrument to the outside world. With its conceptual framework, its illustrations, its metrics, its model conversations/ discussions, and its breadth, it will help any campus official who works with the public to raise the right kind of awareness and to help potential donors find the right fit for their giving.» ?Don Chu, dean, College of Education, Health, and Human Services at California State University, San Marcos; author, The Department Chair Primer, Second Edition «Everything I know about development work I learned from Penny Hunt! I have been privileged both to be her colleague and to attend her seminars on development, and am thrilled now that other academic leaders will be able to benefit from her sage but practical advice in this indispensable guide.» ?Dwight A. McBride, associate provost and dean, The Graduate School, Northwestern University; former dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago «Any academic leader who wants to master the development process will benefit from reading Development for Academic Leaders. Penny Hunt's thorough experience, her empathy and her sheer intellect position the work of fundraising in a way that is manageable, friendly, even fun, for the scholar who has made the transition to chair, dean, provost, or president and is daunted by new responsibilities and bottom lines. Development officers will gain insight on working with academic leadership to navigate the internal political landscape and bring greater results in the short term and stronger institutions in the long term.» ?Thomas J. Minar, vice president, Development and Alumni Relations, American University

Learn how to power up your fundraising-from Reynold Levy, the master of fundraising Drawing on his experience in raising over one billion dollars in six years as President of Lincoln Center, Reynold Levy has written the ultimate insider's guide to asking for and receiving funds. Rich with insights and invaluable advice from Levy's own lessons learned, this powerful book is for you, whether your organization is concerned with health, education, the arts, or humanitarian causes, a think tank or advocacy group, established or fledgling. Insightful, creative, and humorous, Yours for the Asking draws back the curtain to disclose Levy's secrets of success and reveals how you can: Tap into the resources of donors, large and small, for your institution or cause Reach wealthy people and successfully bring home the bacon Put aside fears, qualms, and hesitancies and confidently ask for funds Locate the intersection between the interests of business and the needs of your nonprofit organization Solve the mystery of fundraising from foundations Explore your organization's future in fundraising and discern its long-term trends Learn the best ways to combat the adverse impact of a wide, deep, and prolonged recession Yours for the Asking will transform your view of fundraising from a dreaded aspect of your job to a high calling, from «pleading» for money to helping donors find pleasure in advancing social causes and strengthening key nonprofit institutions. Affluence and generosity abound. It's all yours-for the asking.

Praise for Yours for the Asking: An Indispensable Guide to Fundraising and Management «Reynold Levy is a master at persuading people to give money—lots of money—to worthy causes. Now he shares his wisdom with us all—and at a bargain price!» —Tom Brokaw «Ren Levy is the master of his trade. He can squeeze big dollars out of a stone and he tells here just how to do it. Anyone raising money for a good cause must read this book!» —John C. Whitehead, former Co-Chairman and Senior Partner of Goldman Sachs and former United States Deputy Secretary of State «Ren Levy has written the definitive handbook on fundraising. It should be required reading for boards of directors and senior staff of nonprofit organizations. The lessons learned from Ren's broad experience are equally relevant to corporate executives as they endeavor to establish and strengthen customer relationships.» —Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo «I have raised money for a living for several decades. But I could not articulate better than Reynold Levy has done in Yours for the Asking the many secrets to successfully acquiring investors. If you wish to learn how to politely and effectively ask for contributions to a favorite organization or cause, you really need to purchase this highly readable, enjoyable and useful book.» —David Rubenstein, Co-founder and Managing Director, The Carlyle Group

A comprehensive workbook covering all aspects of successful nonprofit development One of the most significant factors in the success of any marketing and fundraising program is the ability and willingness of the organization to take the time to develop an integrated development plan with realistic budgets, timelines, and areas of responsibility. The Nonprofit Development Companion examines all aspects of successful development and includes useable templates and examples that can be adapted for application within any nonprofit organization. Covers a specific element in each chapter, including mission, strategic planning, case for support, marketing/communications, use of volunteers, fundraising program, recordkeeping system, CEO, governing board, and development staffing Includes templates and samples to provide specific examples to use right away Offers a new approach to nonprofit fundraising and marketing Based on sound development principles, this book gives you the step-by-step guidance you need to build and run a successful development program.

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a basket of stocks that trades on an exchange with the same simplicity and liquidity of an individual stock. By the end of 2007, 546 ETFs were trading on U.S. exchanges and some 450 were in registration. The total asset growth of ETFs has been equally impressive, doubling every year since 1994 and reaching $5.8 billion in 2007. In Trading ETFs: Gaining an Edge with Technical Analysis money manager Deron Wagner introduces the major types and families of ETFs and then provides step-by-step guidance to picking and trading funds. Benefits of ETFs include: Exposure to equities at a lower level of risk than trading individual stocks Lower fees Access to markets that were previously difficult and expensive to participate in, including: Government Treasury bonds, international markets, commodities and even currencies. Unlike other books on ETFs, Wagner's strategies are based on technical analysis, a method of timing the market that greatly improves an investor's chances of predicting short and intermediate term ETF trends. Benefits of Wagner's approach include: A 'top down' trading strategy that increases an investor's odds of success A method for identifying the strongest sector indexes A method for identifying the ETF families with the greatest relative strength ETFs are as easy to invest in as mutual funds and they will soon be as popular. Wagner's comprehensive catalog of the ETFs now available, his insights into successful trading techniques, and his solid research and informative examples, will be an invaluable resource for everyone trying to come up to speed on this new investment opportunity. Gold Medal Winner (tie), Investing Category, Axiom Business Book Awards (2009)