The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on the past year. Your organization was likely blessed in countless ways over the last 12 months and you should recognize and acknowledge those blessings. It is especially important this time of year to maintain donor relationships by showing your appreciation. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume donors know how their gift impacted your organization. It’s easy to fall into the trap of losing touch with your donors as the months and years pass from their initial gift, but it is important to continue, and ultimately strengthen,…
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After nearly a quarter century of helping nonprofits plan, reach and exceed their fundraising goals, we’ve accomplished a lot – and learned a thing or two. Our Steier Tips page features the latest Steier Group fundraising advice from our team of experts, case studies and helpful insight to consider as you plan your next campaign.
A national or regional day of giving, such as Giving Tuesday, could seem to be at odds with a complex fundraising effort like a capital campaign. Devoting time and resources to one day of fundraising could take away focus and funds from a campaign. But that doesn’t have to be the case! With proper planning and clear communications, it’s possible to successfully incorporate Giving Tuesday or any day of giving into your capital campaign. At the Steier Group, we often conclude our onsite campaign management with Commitment Weekend. It’s a chance to celebrate the fundraising success achieved during the capital campaign while…
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The world of nonprofit fundraising is filled with assumptions and misconceptions, many of which are held and advanced by professionals within its own ranks. One such example is that foundations are made, maintained and funded by the uber-wealthy, leaving the rest of the population with only traditional gifting vehicles such as multi-year pledges, gifts of cash and stock transfers. This narrative is obviously a generalization. As proof, consider the recent offering by Schwab Charitable that allows prospective donors to open a Donor Advised Fund with a minimal contribution of $5,000. While this vehicle may allow John Doe to feel like…
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Every day, 100 workers descend on the campus of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church for construction of a larger, permanent church and a new school gym for the growing parish in Wichita, Kansas. The Rev. Dan Spexarth, pastor, said parishioners drive through the parking lot at “1 mile per hour” just so they can get a closer look at the projects taking shape. “It’s very exciting,’’ Spexarth said. The parish’s Out of Love for God campaign is funding the projects. The dynamic parish in northwest Wichita partnered with the Steier Group on that successful effort in 2018, raising more…
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For the firm’s first 17 years, the Steier Group thrived while conducting campaign planning studies and capital campaigns for faith-based organizations. Over the last five years, our firm has built on that success by expanding our services to include executive counsel, development audits, planned giving counsel and parish audits. But the most exciting change is finding new partners in new places. Working in new locations or with a new type of organization provides the Steier Group a chance to grow as a firm. Currently, the Steier Group is working with its first international client – the Diocese of Hamilton in…
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Nonprofits planning a capital campaign can draw on plenty of effective tools to ensure success. There’s an essential one the Steier Group always recommends: wealth screening. Wealth screening is crucial because it helps nonprofits determine the capacity of donors to give. “Wealth screening provides our clients a tremendous advantage in a capital campaign,’’ said Matt Vuorela, Steier Group president. “We’ve seen countless examples of how wealth screening helps nonprofits not only meet but exceed their campaign goals.” The Steier Group partners with DonorSearch, a leading provider of prospect research, for wealth screening services. Sarah TeDesco, DonorSearch executive vice president, said…
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For the Diocese of Wichita, stewardship is not a goal; it’s a way of life. This diocese strives to be a community that gives generously, sacrificially and proportionally while sharing responsibility for the mission of the Church. There’s a reason they are known nationally for dedication to stewardship. When the diocese hired the Steier Group, deepening the practice of stewardship was as high a priority as raising funds to renovate the cathedral, invest in seminarian education and grow Catholic education endowments. The successful campaign raised $26 million on an $11 million goal. Most important to Mike Wescott, Wichita’s Director of…
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The end of summer is a great time to review your year-end fundraising program. The fourth quarter is such an important time for nonprofits as donors decide where to send their final donations of the year. Thinking ahead now will put your organization in a great spot for a successful end-of-year appeal. Here are a few things to keep in mind as the end of 2019 approaches: Look back at your yearly goals and evaluate your performance. Were expectations unfulfilled, met or exceeded? Remember to engage your staff, donors and volunteers in this process through a year-end survey or poll.…
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You’ve just finished a successful capital campaign. Time to celebrate! All that hard work has helped you get a long-awaited project off the ground. However, you knew this project was going to take more than one capital campaign to accomplish. You’ve raised enough to get the project started, but you have more pieces that are part of your vision. And your organization needs some time in between campaigns. What do you do in between campaigns to sustain your vision and put yourself in position for a successful follow-up effort? Here are a few ideas: Effectively follow up on the first…
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So, your campaign ends with great success. Your effort raised millions, meaning you can address your organization's pressing needs. You mark the achievement with a donor/volunteer appreciation party, say goodbye to your fundraising counsel, close the door on the capital campaign and wait for the pledge payments to arrive. Scenarios like this play out in the nonprofit community all the time thanks to generous benefactors and dedicated volunteers. But while the sacrifice of donors and the efforts of the campaign team eventually translate into completed projects or funded programs, the fundraising should not end with the conclusion of the active…
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