The Better Fundraising Company

?? This graphic is from a fundraising analysis on a nonprofit we serve.?Look at how much of their revenue from individual donors comes from their major donors. This kind of revenue distribution is normal; a large percentage of a nonprofit’s revenue from individual donors comes from a small group. ?? In fact, the revenue distribution for this organization is not particularly top heavy.?About 65% of their revenue is coming from their $5,000+ donors.?We regularly see organizations where 80% or 90% of revenue is coming in from $5,000+ donors. ?? This is why – even for small organizations – we put such emphasis on managing your major donors well. It’s why “having a proven major donor management system” is one of the “core four” strategies we teach in?this free eBook. https://lnkd.in/gdXAd8g2??? It’s the reason?Major Gifts Engine?exists (and is on sale right now, btw). https://lnkd.in/g9YzE_9G ?? We can wish the funding were more equitably distributed.?We can even work to make it so.?But right now, intentionally managing today’s major donors is the best way to meet tomorrow’s revenue needs.

5 reasons the Myth of “Donor Fatigue” Persists ?? “Donor Fatigue” – that mythical beast that haunts the futures of Fundraisers everywhere – doesn’t exist. I’m neck-deep in donor data and fundraising performance all the time. And I can tell you that this creature simply doesn’t exist for 99.9% of nonprofits. But it still affects the behavior of too many fundraisers. And without question, the fear of “donor fatigue” causes organizations to raise less money and do less good. This is such a brutal fact that I’m going to repeat it: the fear of something that doesn’t exist – “donor fatigue” – causes hundreds of thousands of nonprofits to raise less money and do less good. For the vast majority of nonprofits, letting “donor fatigue” affect your behavior is like not going outside because you might get hit by lightning. I’ve identified 5 reasons that “donor fatigue” continues to haunt our sector and lower revenue. If you know of others, please share them with us. Here are my five: 1?? ??? The complaints of a donor or three, occasionally a Board member, that your organization is asking for money too often. 2?? ?? The fear that comes from thinking those complainers might speak for all your donors. 3?? ?? The awkwardness some people feel about asking for money in the first place. 4?? ?? The lack of understanding that nonprofits can be communicating to their donors far more often than they think. 5?? ?? “Donor fatigue” is sometimes used as a scapegoat for bad fundraising. If an appeal or newsletter or campaign doesn’t work well, that elusive “donor fatigue” is blamed. Then no one has to feel bad, take responsibility, or learn from the mistake. The first four items above are all real things. They matter. But complaints and fears should not matter as much as the hundreds and thousands of additional gifts that will come in when you communicate with your donors more often about things they care about. Look, if you’ve followed us for any length of time, you know we believe in Asking more – because all our data shows that it works like crazy, with almost zero negative consequences. One of the reasons Better Fundraising has been so successful is that we show our clients how organizations their size are communicating to their donors more often and raising a lot more money doing it. (And of?course?there are other things an organization has to do well, but Asking more is a one of the biggest levers you can pull.) So next time someone brings up “donor fatigue,” tell them that “donor fatigue” isn’t the problem. And don’t let “donor fatigue” be used as a reason or excuse in your organization. Acknowledge the fear that caused “donor fatigue” to rear its hideous head, then move forward. You owe it to your beneficiaries. Your donors will thank you for it with increased engagement and giving. You’ll love raising more money and getting to do more good. ?? A post by Steven Screen | February 11, 2025 https://lnkd.in/gff_zc4q

In your mass donor fundraising, any time you find yourself talking about your programs, or about how your organization does its work, just stop. ?? Instead, talk about the outcomes your programs and approach create.?That's what mass donors respond best to: the change that's made, not how you make the change. ?? PS — If you like this graphic, you'll LOVE our?e-book of 42 simple illustrated, inspirational graphics.?Get it here! ?? https://lnkd.in/g7z5bVgi

?? We've started a new fundraising year, and hopefully, you've had a little time to recover from the big holiday season. Maybe you're even re-energized and ready to make this your best year ever! ?? Stay Updated! ?? Our posts from the last month (a few are below) were written to point you to some core principles that will help you to engage your donors and raise more for your important cause. Let us know how it goes – and if you like the blog, subscribe to get our posts as soon as they're published. ?? Your fundraising coaches, Jim Shapiro and Steven Screen ?? Approach to Appeals ?? This month we're sharing the ideas and strategies that had an outsized positive impact on the nonprofits we serve. First up: there's an approach to appeals (appeal letters and e-appeals) that, in our experience, tends to work the best. Here's the simplest summary of what the performance data leads us to believe. Read on... https://lnkd.in/gCCRJy_S ??? Foundations ??? There are some core, basic principles in fundraising. (As an industry, we tend to not talk about them enough because we silly humans like shiny new things.) These core principles are part of every successful, national organization I know of. They should be the roadmap for the fundraising programs that small and medium-sized nonprofits are building. The surest path to success is to build your fundraising program on and toward these principles. What are they? Read more... https://lnkd.in/g2BfwmGX ?? Weird but True (and Important) ?? Here's something weird but true: Your Staff and Board receive more of your fundraising communications than your donors do. That might not seem possible, but here's how it works: the Staff and Board of a nonprofit tend to open and read everything the organization sends out… but donors don't. Let me give you an example, and then I'll share why this is so important. Read more... https://lnkd.in/gn2AWFmz ?? Stay Connected! ?? We get great feedback from our loyal blog readers, and we've made it easy for you to see every new post. Just fill out this form and we'll email you each post when it is published. https://lnkd.in/gh_VtAyA

There are times during the year that donors are more likely to give – more times than you probably think. Have you identified those times for your organization? If you haven't, then?this video is for you.?Steven Screen helps you figure out when YOUR donors are more likely to make a gift. Steven helps you identify four types of needs to look out for when you're planning your fundraising — and figure out when you should be sharing them with your donors. Watch the video now!??? https://lnkd.in/gmJ-gSWQ

Hey LinkedIn Fundraising community, if you know of any small nonprofits who could benefit from having a free emergency fundraising email written for them due to the LA fires, see below. Please feel free to promote this or send it to any specific nonprofits you know of that need help. ? We are already writing emergency emails for organizations, but have capacity to do a few more if they are needed. See below!

Need an emergency fundraising email because of the LA fires? If you’re at a small nonprofit, and the fires in LA have caused you to need extra/emergency funds, we’d like to help; we will write an emergency fundraising email for you. ?? If you don’t work in/around LA, but know someone who does, please feel free to forward this to them. Watching the fires unfold this week has been heartbreaking. We work with people who have lost their homes. The organization that a friend & former employee works at lost multiple buildings. Knowing how the nonprofit community jumps into action at times like this, there are hundreds (thousands?) of smaller nonprofits in LA who could use some emergency cash. And they don’t have the time or expertise or budget to get out an emergency email. So we’d like to help. If you’re at a small nonprofit and would like us to write a free emergency fundraising email for you, here’s what to do: 1?? Send an email to [email protected] 2?? Give us a brief snapshot of what’s happening for your beneficiaries or organization 3?? Tell us if your organization is too small to afford to do this on your own, or if you’ve just never really known how We’ll reply with a few detail questions about your exact situation so we know what to say in the email. Once you send us the answers, we’ll write an emergency email for you within a day or two. We’ll also send a handful of tips that will help you with emergency fundraising in general. We made this offer after hurricanes Helene and Milton last fall, and it was a joy to meaningfully help the organizations who took us up on our offer. We are inspired by all that nonprofits in the LA area are doing right now. This is the way we can help, and we’ll help as much as we can. If you or your organization need an emergency email, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. Jim and Steven Founders, Better Fundraising

Here’s a timely gift for the post-holiday season –?a handy checklist to review your receipting and Thanking process and content. Because many of your donors gave generous year-end gifts in December – follow these tips to upgrade your receipting and Thanking.?Any old yahoo can?acknowledge?their donors – you want to set yourself apart by making your donors feel?important! So download your free tip sheet today!??Because remember:?Thanking your donors well is a free way to improve your future fundraising results! https://lnkd.in/gj6sGR97

Here’s a timely gift for the post-holiday season –?a handy checklist to review your receipting and Thanking process and content. Because many of your donors gave generous year-end gifts in December – follow these tips to upgrade your receipting and Thanking.?Any old yahoo can?acknowledge?their donors – you want to set yourself apart by making your donors feel?important! So download your free tip sheet today!??Because remember:?Thanking your donors well is a free way to improve your future fundraising results! https://lnkd.in/gj6sGR97

For Overcoming the Resistance, We Thank You There are a LOT of reasons not to ask for money. At a conference earlier this year, we asked people to share what their biggest challenge in fundraising was. The following list is?just a small sample?of the resistance that many fundraisers must overcome in order to ask for support... ?? "I've worked from age 10 to pay my way in life so it's hard to ask for money" ?? "Being very new and not knowing where to start and expecting people to say no" ?? "My boss and his ideas" ?? "Fear about making a direct ask" ?? "Knowing how much to share due to the traumatic nature of our work" ?? "We have a private community that doesn't want their photos taken or their story touted due to cultural tradition" ?? "Being too timid or just being intimidated by asking" ?? "Being new and don't want to do something wrong" ?? "Managing all the tasks grants, major gifts, events etc. all by myself" ?? "Amount of permission / reviewers of fundraising pieces" ?? "I am a quiet person" ?? "Having the courage to talk about emotional stakes of children dying" ?? "Lack of any personal connection with our audience" ?? "My organization has a general unspoken theory of don't ask" There's a lot that holds people and organizations back from asking for support. So if you and your organization sent out fundraising this year-end, you overcame the resistance. ?? You overcame the fears, the bosses, and the hurdles. You showed vulnerability and courage. You served your beneficiaries or cause, and you served your donors. ?? Thank you. ??