Blue Sky Philanthropy

Fundraisers - are you looking for inspiration to raise more major gifts? If so, I’ve put together an exclusive free resource just for you! The Major Gift Insider is a weekly newsletter trusted by thousands of fundraisers like you - delivering strategic major gift and capital campaign advice straight to your inbox. Every month, you’ll get practical tips, actionable ideas and exclusive offers to help you build the skills, strategies, and systems you’ll need to raise more major gifts. Here's a sneak peek of what's inside… ? The Capital Campaign Checklist: Do You Have These 5 Non-Negotiables? Discover the five critical factors that determine campaign success and how to avoid the biggest pitfalls. ? The Firehose Effect: Why too much talking (and not enough listening) could be costing you major gifts. ? The Power of Asking: Yale professor Zoe Chance shares why asking more often, more directly, and for more can make you more influential - and why fundraisers often underestimate their success. ? From Reactive to Strategic: How shifting your mindset can help you raise more major gifts with less frustration. If you aren’t on my list yet, this is the perfect opportunity to join us before I send out the latest edition next week >>> https://lnkd.in/gp-rn7Zb

If your organization is considering launching a major fundraising campaign in the next year, make sure you join me LIVE today for The Capital Campaign Checklist: Do You Have These 5 Non-Negotiables? When you attend, you’ll also get exclusive first access to my brand new Capital Campaign Readiness Scorecard - you won’t want to miss this!

Fundraisers, the strongest capital campaigns start with a solid foundation, ensuring the right strategy is in place before launch. Skip these steps, and you risk losing donor trust, stalling mid-campaign, or falling short of your target. That’s why I’m going live this week to share five critical factors that determine campaign success - and how to avoid the biggest missteps that nonprofits make. In this 30 minute session, we’ll cover: ?The 5 must-haves before launching ? What boards and CEOs get wrong about campaign planning ?How to test your readiness before going all in Plus, you’ll get first access to my brand new Capital Campaign Readiness Scorecard - you won’t want to miss this! You’ll walk away with practical insights on how to maintain campaign momentum, secure early commitments, and position your team for success - hit the Attend button to join us >>> https://lnkd.in/gBbEASuQ

Is there something holding your major gift team back from reaching its full potential? In this video, I break down a critical but often overlooked factor in building a high-performance fundraising team. When this piece is missing, even the most talented fundraisers will struggle to hit their goals. With the right approach, you can create an environment where your team thrives - and your fundraising results reflect it. What do you think? What’s one area your nonprofit needs to strengthen to better support your fundraisers? Drop your thoughts in the comments! #fundraising #majorgifts #nonprofit #philanthropy

Fundraisers, is your board secretly holding your campaign back? One of the biggest predictors of a thriving capital campaign is something many overlook: Board and leadership buy-in. If your board and leadership team aren’t fully committed - not just in words, but in action - your campaign is at serious risk of stalling out. It happens all the time: A nonprofit launches a campaign, the board is supportive in theory, but when it comes to personally giving or engaging donors, enthusiasm suddenly turns into hesitation. So how do you know if your board is truly on board? Here’s a quick test: ? 100% Board Participation in Giving – before you ask a single donor, every board member should have already made a personally significant campaign commitment. ? Willingness to Engage in Donor Outreach – your board doesn’t need to be full of major gift fundraisers, but they do need to be willing to open doors, make introductions, and advocate for the campaign. ? Alignment with the Vision – if your board doesn’t fully believe in the case for support - or if they have lingering doubts - they will communicate that uncertainty (directly or indirectly) to donors. Board buy-in isn’t a box to check - it’s a crucial building block for campaign success. If your organization is considering launching a major fundraising campaign in the next year, make sure you join me at 1pm ET on March 19 for The Capital Campaign Checklist: Do You Have These 5 Non-Negotiables? In this live session, you’ll discover five critical factors that determine campaign success - and how to avoid the biggest missteps that nonprofits make. You’ll walk away with practical insights on how to maintain campaign momentum, secure early commitments, and position your team for success. Click the Attend button to RSVP now: https://lnkd.in/gBbEASuQ

Fundraisers - I know that you, like so many in Canada’s nonprofit sector, are feeling the weight of uncertainty right now. The rising pressure to hit ever larger revenue targets in an unpredictable landscape, amidst questions about the economy, tariffs and a trade war. It’s tempting to hit pause on our ambitious fundraising goals, and take a “wait and see” approach. But now is NOT the time to pull back on fundraising. In my 25 years of major gift and capital campaign fundraising - through global crises like the Great Recession and the COVID pandemic - I’ve seen time and time again that donors remain committed even in the face of our greatest challenges. Swipe through to see what I’ve learned about fundraising in uncertain times, and find out what actions you can take right now. P.S. What’s one way you can give your supporters the opportunity to step up during tough times?

A successful capital campaign isn’t just about setting a big goal - it’s about laying the right foundation before you launch. Skip these steps, and you risk losing donor trust, stalling mid-campaign, or falling short of your target. In this session, you discover five critical factors that determine campaign success - and how to avoid the biggest missteps that nonprofits make. Here’s what we’ll cover: ?The 5 must-haves before launching ? What boards and CEOs get wrong about campaign planning ?How to test your readiness before going all in Plus, you’ll get first access to my brand new Capital Campaign Readiness Scorecard - you won’t want to miss this! You’ll walk away with practical insights on how to maintain campaign momentum, secure early commitments, and position your team for success - hit the Attend button to join us!

Fundraisers, what are your major donors not telling you? When I interview donors during my strategy development projects, I’ll sometimes hear things that would surprise you - like this: “Why don’t they ask me for more money?” This donor was puzzled - and as much as she professed to love the cause, I could hear the frustration and disappointment in her voice. An organization she cared deeply about had been asking for the same size gift every year, and she had the capacity - and inclination - to give 10x more. I often hear from fundraisers that you are afraid that asking for too much may hurt your donor relationships. But what if the opposite is true? When you’re thinking too small with your donors, not only are you missing out on big fundraising opportunities - but you may also be unintentionally undermining the relationships you’ve worked so hard to build! The psychological need to be understood is a universal human desire, and one of the basic foundations of all our relationships. So the more you can understand about our donors’ motivations and philanthropic priorities - including their capacity to give, and other causes and contributions that are important to them - the more lasting relationships you can build. What do you think? Is it possible that underasking is actually a greater risk than overasking? I’d love to hear your perspective!

Fundraisers, fiscal year-end is in sight for many nonprofits - and if you’ve got extra money in your budget for development, you know it’s use it or lose it time. If your organization is preparing for a capital or comprehensive campaign, and you want to make the most of your remaining funds, this is the perfect opportunity to lay the strong foundation you need to ensure your campaign’s success. To make a smart investment with those dollars and set yourself up for long-term success, I have a few spots open for strategic advisory support, designed to help you: ? Develop a clear, strategic roadmap to ensure a strong start and early momentum ? Identify and engage the right major donors and prospects at the right time ? Avoid common pitfalls that can stall or derail a campaign As a veteran of campaigns ranging from $5M to $200M, I bring 25+ years of frontline fundraising experience to help organizations like yours design and execute campaigns that exceed their goals. If you’re serious about setting your campaign up for success, let’s talk. Message me “campaign” and I’ll send over details. What’s your biggest challenge as you prepare for a campaign? Drop it in the comments - I’d love to hear.

Fundraisers, strategic thinking isn’t just a skill - it’s a mindset. In this video, I break down how to apply it in your fundraising so you can work with more intention, make smarter decisions, and achieve greater results. Take a look and let me know: Do you see strategic thinking as a valuable skill for your fundraising team? #fundraising #majorgifts #nonprofit #philanthropy