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 […]
The Gift of Grain
Did you know you can use grain as a way to give? Yes, you read that right. Grain. Grain farmers have a vital role in moving lives forward, growing food and feed that nourishes our community and the world. Gifts of grain are a unique and underutilized way to make a charitable gift. Using grain […]
Giving USA 2021 Snapshot
According to the Giving USA Foundation and research compiled by Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2020 was a record year for charitable giving! As a benefit to our partners in philanthropy, we’ve condensed the report into 2 pages for you to review and share with your executive leadership, development and advancement teams, board […]
How the Quiet Phase Could Kill Your Campaign
Mike Schmidt, CFRE, Cramer & Associates, Executive V.P. & Partner For years, the ‘Quiet Phase’ has been a mainstay of most capital campaign strategies. Organizations were silent to the general public about projects and campaigns in order to secure volunteer leadership and lead gifts. This time was crucially secretive because if leadership gifts couldn’t be secured, […]
Using a Storyboard as a Powerful Marketing Tool
The Cramer Team As we roll into 2021, content still reigns as king, and storytelling should be a key strategy of your marketing and communications plan. Telling your nonprofit’s story boosts your brand, elevates your mission, and builds trust and loyalty with your constituents, who will then continue to share your story over and over […]
