Good acknowledgments affirm to the donor that s/he has made a worthwhile investment. They set the stage for ongoing strategic communication about a donor's gift that will deepen his/her connection with your organization. To acheive the donor retention goals of your organization, the Association of Advancement Professionals has provided a guide to implementing best practices for gift acknowledgement.
The Donor Communication Mini Guide - Guidelines, best practices, and creative ideas for thanking donors in various situations, and thanking them through other means beyond standard letters. Includes a letter template and a donor stewardship checklist. (Network for Good)
The Wizard of Oz. The Godfather. Jaws. When I think about these three classic movies, I recall three very different stories. When screenwriting teacher and storytelling guru Brian McDonald thinks about them, he keeps getting one message.
What Do All Good Stories Have In Common?
"So, what what do you do?" the VIP asks. You've got a handful of minutes to pitch your nonprofit. What do you say? The Five Parts of the Perfect Pitch
© North Carolina Center for Nonprofit Organizations, Inc. From Common Ground, a publication of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, www.ncnonprofits.org.
A case-study from storytelling expert Andy Goodman details which works more: stories or data?
The craft of direct mail fundraising grew out of what used to be called "direct mail marketing," best known to the general public as "junk mail" because all too often, it advertises goods or services the recipient has absolutely no interest in. Use these tactics to make an impact with your mail.
Measuring economic impact is an often overlooked way to define, measure, and communicate your nonprofit's value. Economic Impact: A New Approach for Proving Outcomes (Stanford Social Innovative Review, 2015) explores how nonprofits can analyze the full scope of their economic contributions to better understand their impact and more successfully communicate their success to build on it moving forwa
Funding pitches need to excite, engage, and inspire a major donor to write the big check. Heather Yandow with Third Space Studio presented at a Center Conference these best-practice tips for creating the perfect major donor pitch.
AuctionPay's best practices guide for benefit events.
A planning guide for successful benefit auctions. (AuctionPay)