Effective Frontline Fundraising: A Guide for Nonprofits, Political Candidates, and Advocacy Groups

Today, nearly every charitable nonprofit, advocacy group, professional group, and politician relies on the philanthropy of others. Whether it’s a private college, a hospital or museum, a lobbying group, or a local, low-budget food shelf, operational and marketing costs and capital investments are often largely underwritten through the generous support of donors. Nonprofits need some people to write $25 checks on a regular basis, and they need others to make six-figure pledges. The bad news: Since the economic collapse of 2008, getting people to part with precious dollars has become ever more difficult. The good news is that people are still inclined to be generous to organizations, causes, and candidates they believe in. Effective Frontline Fundraising provides the information you'll need to set up and manage an effective development team capable of consistently raising gifts, both large and small.

Effective Frontline Fundraising will not only teach those skills for getting the gift you want in the short run, but it will also show how to build a meaningful, long-lasting relationship between your organization and your donor base. This book:

• Shows how to keep that organizational lifeblood—cash—running through your vital operations
• Explains how to create a firm foundation from which to solicit funds
• Provides examples of successful and unsuccessful fundraising messages and plans
• Teaches you how to ask confidently for gifts from $25 to $1,000,000 ... or more!

What you’ll learn

• Recruit a rock-solid development team
• Devise and implement an annual fundraising plan
• Craft a motivating fundraising message
• Time your solicitations to maximize return
• Maintain positive relationships with your donor base
• Gain an understanding of the gift cycle
• Leverage volunteers, events, and other development resources and opportunities
• Build the confidence to make the “big ask” for major gifts

Who this book is for

Effective Frontline Fundraising is geared toward small to medium nonprofits that are just beginning to professionalize their development offices. It is for new directors of development/institutional advancement who need to build an operation from the ground up. It is for anyone raising funds for political organizations, individual candidates for public office, and advocacy groups. And it is for fundraising professionals who are just about to go after the big fish.

Table of Contents

Introduction: There’s No Such Thing as Luck

1.     Nonprofits, Cash Flow, and Philanthropy: Fitting the Puzzle Pieces Together

2.     The Role of a Fundraiser

3.     The Gift Cycle: Setting the Foundation

4.     Assembling Your Team

5.     Data and Records: Basic Tools

6.     Annual Planning and Goal Setting

7.     Crafting Your Message

8.     Stewardship: The Last and First Step in the Gift Cycle

9.     Road Warriors

10.  Techniques for the Face-to-Face Solicitation

11.  Major Gifts: Finding Funds for Big Projects

12.  Political Fundraising

13.  Fundraising for Advocacy Groups

14.  Conclusion: Get out There and Start Raising Money!      

Appendix A—Resources: Books and Web Sites 

Appendix B—Sample Effective Solicitation Pieces

Appendix C—Public Sources of Funding