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Annual giving best practices from the Steier Group

Successful capital campaign led to bolstered annual fund for Paulist Fathers

By Steier Tips

Are you concerned that a capital campaign will negatively impact your organization’s annual giving program? Contrary to this common belief, the evidence is clear that capital campaigns have a positive effect on overall annual giving. Here are a few reasons why a capital campaign will increase your yearly support: Increased donor engagement. Capital campaigns involve engagement from donors in many ways. Whether it’s participating in a study, serving on a campaign team, making a financial commitment, or attending events and celebrating milestones, this increased engagement builds stronger relationships with donors and benefactors, which leads to increased ongoing support. New donor…

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Boost year-end fundraising with a focus on stewardship

By Steier Tips

As 2021 ends, nonprofits are discussing how best to solicit end-of-year gifts. Most often, the discussion centers on methods of giving such as taxes and retirement accounts. But, during the Christmas season, we believe a focus on stewardship – the heart of giving – serves to enhance year-end fundraising. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops unveiled four tenets that define stewards: Our lives, and all that we have, are gifts from our loving God. As stewards of God’s gifts, we take care of what we have and generously share it with others. Seeing everything before us as gift –…

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Four ways to increase your annual giving during the pandemic

By Steier Tips

A physician was once seeing his patient, the principal of his high school alma mater. Asking how the school was doing, the principal shared they were trying to raise money to improve classroom technology. The doctor asked, “How much would that cost?” to which the principal replied, “We think around $50,000.” At the end of the appointment, the doctor offered to write the school a check to cover the full cost. Surprised, the principal asked, “Are you sure?” “My friend,” the doctor replied, “if someone says they want to give you $50,000, don’t ask them if they’re sure. And yes,…

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Three ways to steward a donor relationship

By Steier Tips

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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Four tips for successful year-end fundraising

By Steier Tips

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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Five tips for maximizing your year-end giving

By Steier Tips

The calendar turns to 2019 in a few weeks and wise directors of nonprofits are focused on making their year-end giving a smashing success. Ending the year on a strong note is important as research shows that 30 percent of annual giving occurs in December with 10 percent occurring in the final three days of the year. Many of your supporters have an incentive to give before the year ends for tax purposes. Looking over the stack of mailers I received last year, it’s clear to me that there is more competition than ever for donor dollars. To meet or…

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Annual giving strategies that work

By Steier Tips

If you are looking for a fool-proof annual giving plan that works for every charitable organization, unfortunately it does not exist. Every nonprofit is unique in its mission and serves a specific community. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, here are seven key annual giving strategies that work. 1. Pay attention to the calendar: Timing is important. What might work for one organization, might not work for yours. While the end of the year is always a key time to engage supporters, you should also consider the following: The school year calendar. Appeals from other organizations that your constituents might…

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Why do development directors only last 18 months on the job?

By Steier Tips

Let’s face it: Not everyone is comfortable asking others – especially people they know – for money. It’s an acquired skill, and it takes a bit of courage. It typically takes someone with an outgoing personality who isn’t afraid to hear the answer “no.” Leaders of nonprofit organizations, including religious ones, often find themselves in an endless cycle of replacing their development directors or stewardship coordinators. Many times they believe they have found the perfect person – only to see him or her leave within a year. Sometimes the grass is greener somewhere else, but often losing a quality development…

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Capital campaigns bolster annual giving programs

By Steier Tips

As Steier Group clients prepare to embark upon major capital campaigns, the fears that they express most often are related to increased workloads for their staff members and the worry that a campaign may negatively impact the organization’s annual giving program. At every development and fundraising conference I have attended during the past 25 years – and within the pages of every capital campaign book or manual I have ever read – experts claim that campaigns actually produce a positive impact on annual giving. So, over the years, as I stood in front of church councils, leadership committees, trustee groups,…

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Keep a successful annual appeal separate from capital campaigns

By Steier Tips

Can you have too much of a good thing? When it comes to an annual appeal the answer is “yes.” The Steier Group works often with nonprofits that pushed too hard and too fast on their annual appeals. “Our annual appeal brings in great returns. Let’s make it into a campaign by increasing the goals and the amount we request. We will have even bigger success!” That’s usually how the thinking goes. Unfortunately for organizations that attempt this, the end result often leaves much to be desired. Not only does it harm your annual giving program in the long term,…

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