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Steier Tips

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.

Jul 29 2014

Three questions to ask when donors remember you in their will

By Steier Tips

When you learn your organization has been named in a donor’s will it can be a very exciting, but sometimes confusing, time. The planned gift may be from a faithful donor who is well known to you and your organization. But sometimes it’s from a donor who has no apparent connection to your organization, and you have no record of them in your database. In either case, you should ask three important questions after learning that someone has remembered your organization in his/her will: “Who is the personal representative?”: The personal representative (or executor) is the person named in the…

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Jun 03 2014

Why pay for capital campaign counsel?

By Steier Wire

Former clients often have a confession: They never imagined conducting a capital campaign would take so much time and effort. These same clients originally wondered whether they could run their campaigns without outside counsel. I’m routinely asked why organizations should incur the cost of hiring an organization, such as the Steier Group, to run their campaigns. I typically answer their question with a few of my own: Does your organization have a staff member who can devote 100 percent of his or her time to the campaign for the next six months (or longer)? Our campaign managers typically devote up…

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Jun 03 2014

Is this the right time for a capital campaign?

By Steier Tips

It’s often the first question I am asked when I sit down with a potential client, “Jim, are we ready for a campaign?” The question, in theory, should be a straight forward “yes” or “no.” But as anyone who works in development knows, there are far more factors to be considered before you can make an educated answer. As you begin to consider the possibility of a capital campaign, do a quick inventory and ask yourself a few questions, but make sure you give honest answers. It’s a simple and quick exercise that will benefit you in the long run….

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Jun 03 2014

Communicating success to donors cultivates stronger bonds

By Steier Tips

Raising large sums of money can be a strenuous process. There must be a focused investment of time and resources in order to communicate your needs to donors and ultimately secure a gift. Oftentimes, organizations get so caught up in securing the actual commitment that they neglect one of the most important steps in donor cultivation: communicating your success. Donors want specifics. They want to know how their gift is being used to further your nonprofit’s mission. They want to believe that their sacrifice – however large or small – is making a difference. The responsibility of communicating this information…

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Jun 03 2014

Don’t leave your staff out of capital campaign loop

By Steier Tips

The decision has been made, and it’s a big one: your organization will move forward with a capital campaign. These are exciting times, but your to-do list is about to grow considerably. First things first: Don’t forget your staff. Make sure employees, at every level, are notified first about this big decision. Don’t let them hear second-hand from a volunteer or donor. They deserve to hear this important news from you. Their buy-in and support are critical to the success of the campaign. Consider these additional suggestions: Meet personally with each employee. Share why you support the project. Make it…

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Jun 03 2014

Calm should reign during challenging capital campaigns

By Steier Tips

Capital campaigns are often times of celebration in an organization’s history. The need for funding can mean the organization is growing, expanding, serving more and doing more. From the satisfaction of securing those first large gifts, to confirming key leaders, to publicly kicking off the effort and building excitement around the long-term vision, a campaign brings a community together in the spirit of stewardship, generosity and, ideally, sacrificial giving. There are times, however, when a capital campaign can be temporarily derailed by unforeseen circumstances: the departure of an executive director or development director; a general chair unwilling to support the…

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Jun 03 2014

Donor motivation provides key to fundraising success

By Steier Tips

In the fundraising world, the phrase “knowing your donors” goes well beyond remembering how many children they have, where they attended school and when they celebrate birthdays. Such biographical information, however, remains important. Be sure to send your donors cards on their birthdays and ask about their alma mater whenever you see them. The reality is, knowing your donors also means identifying where their passions lie. What causes do they support – and why. Determine what motivates them to give before you ask them to give. Experts identified five types of donor motivation that cause people to act: People like…

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Jun 03 2014

Don’t lose touch with donors during migration of snowbirds

By Steier Tips

As you are probably aware, the term “snowbird” refers to a northerner who moves to a warmer southern state during the winter months. The majority of the year they live in the area they consider home, but when the temperature dips, they relocate to a secondary residence to enjoy a milder winter. Generally, snowbirds begin their migration around the holidays and don’t return until late spring. Many organizations in colder climates have supporters that fall into this category, and it is imperative that you implement a plan for maintaining contact with them. Here are suggestions for keeping the lines of…

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Jun 03 2014

Reminders and best practices for end-of-year activities

By Steier Tips

Halloween has come and gone, and before you know it we will be completely immersed in the holidays and the end-of-year activities that come along with the season. Below are several end-of-year initiatives that you may want to consider implementing for your organization: THE IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER This provision was originally scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2011, but Fiscal Cliff legislation included a two-year retroactive extension and will now expire at the end of this year, on Dec. 31, 2013. As a result you should consider contacting the older donors in your database. The requirements are: Must be 70.5 years…

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Jun 03 2014

Matthew Kelly partners with the Steier Group

By Steier Wire

Matthew Kelly, the internationally acclaimed Catholic speaker and best-selling author of “The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic” and “Rediscover Catholicism” has partnered with the Steier Group to design a nationwide fundraising campaign. Donations to the campaign will allow the Dynamic Catholic Institute to create new, world-class education resources aimed at re-engaging and re-energizing Catholics. These much-needed resources will be made available to parishes across the country for free. The idea for the project dates to 2009, when Matthew Kelly founded the Dynamic Catholic Institute and launched the most ambitious Catholic research project ever attempted. The organization interviewed more than…

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