Gratitude is a Game Changer
The Revolutionary Power of a Traditional Thank You If trends in the greeting card industry are any indication, thank you notes are in decline. In recent years, prominent card sellers Papyrus and Paper Source have filed for bankruptcy, and younger generations are forgoing handwritten messages in favor of quick and easy texts and emails. Even […]
Campaign Consultants: Taking the Fear Factor Out of Fundraising
October is here, and it’s the spookiest time of year. Ghosts and goblins seem to lurk around every corner. In the dark, our imaginations make every shadow and sound just a little bit more frightening. But if you work in the philanthropic sector, you’re probably haunted by inflation and economic recession. Giving was at an […]
Creating a Thriving Philanthropic Ecosystem
Summertime offers a great opportunity to break from our daily routines of meetings and zooms to enjoy the outdoors and witness all the ways that plants and animals interact with their environments. Whether it’s the pond in your backyard, or even something as big as the ocean, every ecosystem exists in a delicate balance. They […]
Giving USA 2022 At-A-Glance
According to Giving USA 2022: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2021, 2021 was another outstanding year for charitable giving! Published by the Giving USA Foundation with research compiled by Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy, this report is the premier source of data on giving trends in the U.S. As a benefit […]
Tips & Trends for Effective, Event-Based Fundraising
By: Dawn Robinson, CFRE & Mike Schmidt, CFRE The ever-changing nature of recent years has sparked reflection in so many aspects of our daily lives – priorities have shifted and many development professionals have re-evaluated how their time and resources are spent. The same is true for donors. Gone are the days of back-to-back, over-the-top, […]
Supporting Women and Girls Beyond the Month of March
Michelle Cramer, CFRE, President & CEO, Cramer & Associates Women’s History Month has come to a close, and I’ve taken time to reflect on all of the ways we’ve celebrated the achievements of women in our community who make us stronger. We’ve seen social media campaigns sharing inspirational quotes from women executives, bold investments in nonprofits supporting […]
A Nonprofit’s Guide to Corporate Philanthropy: Meeting With a Funder
What is corporate philanthropy? As a nonprofit leader, you likely already have a sense of the giving opportunities presented by corporations. You may have made an ask or two of corporate giving officers yourself, but it goes far beyond just dollar amounts or a one-off meeting with a funder filled with predetermined talking points about […]
Why I Don’t Want to Go Back to Normal
Michelle Cramer, CFRE, President & CEO, Cramer & Associates Throughout the pandemic, our team has been repeatedly inspired as organizations learned to collaborate in new ways, show empathy for one another, and remain resilient amidst continuous curve balls. And after almost two years, we’re hearing that many nonprofits are beginning to open their doors and come back […]
Here to Stay: Why We Think Trust-Based Philanthropy Should Last Longer than the Pandemic
Michelle Cramer, CFRE, President & CEO, Cramer & Associates Since March of 2020, the nonprofit community has faced unimaginable obstacles that have forced organizations to reinvent their service models, compete for funding, and expand their capacities with limited resources. As nonprofits worked overnight to address the most pressing needs in our community, donors suddenly had decisions to […]
Corporate Sponsorships
As a nonprofit, obtaining corporate sponsorships for your event may seem like an intimidating task to take on as it involves research, appealing to companies, and following up to stay engaged. Many nonprofits have effectively leveraged their relationships with corporate sponsorship to be invaluable sources of not just revenue, but also serve as a positive […]
