Writing is hard. We can make it easier. You’re short on time, staff, and creative capacity. You have a monthly e-newsletter to write,  a case for support to craft, and appeal segments on your short list. Oh, and that’s in addition to the donor follow-up calls you must make and the staff training that’s on the docket…

Exhausted from the frenzy of securing major gifts at year’s end, many fundraising professionals view January as a time for recovery rather than discovery. But we’ll let you in on a secret: starting January with a solid major gifts strategy puts you ahead of the game. Adapt our quarter 1 stewardship plan to your organization. Smart planning at the start of the year will help you leave the year feeling exhilarated, not exhausted! 

Are you ready–or not? Unfortunately there’s no Magic 8 Ball that can predict the success of your capital campaign. While your organization may think the signs point to yes, a feasibility study will supply the hard and soft data that can affirm your goals–or help you adjust them–before you commit to a campaign. Here’s how:

Our client base continues to grow and our team does, too. We recently caught up with Chip Hansen, a community foundation dynamo who joined The Solvent Group team upon his “graduation.” While Chip is new to his role as a consultant, he’s a seasoned nonprofit leader, fundraiser, and strategist fueled by a love of community (and a fervor for University of Michigan football)!   

As veterans of the nonprofit sector, we know that mission-driven work has a profound impact on the communities we call home. Before we became consultants, we spent decades as nonprofit development directors, major gifts officers, budget managers, and communications staffers. Insider perspectives give us a real understanding (and empathy for) the uncertainties facing our clients. We remember the relief that follows when teams take the time to look inward, evaluating priorities and stakeholder feedback to maximize impact.

As the adage goes, change is the only constant in life, and the needs of communities are always evolving. For their part, community foundations are front-line responders that support immediate needs and identify opportunities to enhance the quality of life within their communities. Given this, it’s important for community foundations to be strategic in their approach to grantmaking and fundraising. After all, the challenges facing a community today may look quite different a decade from now, and they’re difficult to anticipate. While we don’t know what the future will look like, we can help community foundations craft smart strategies for the future. Check out our top fundraising tips:

We recently welcomed Meg McQuade Boyle to The Solvent Group team. As The Solvent Group’s Strategic Communications Specialist and Lead Writer, Meg ensures that our client’s narratives are compelling and aligned with their brands. Drawing from 20 years of experience…

As I watch the Super Bowl and the commercials I am struck by a steady theme of philanthropy. Budweiser is canning water for disaster relief, Mass Mutual is showing examples of generosity and kindness, T-Mobile showcasing babies and their future equality, and WeatherTech their new factory built in the US.

Thanks for Giving! Don’t forget to take time during this season of giving and gratitude to say thank you to the donors who give so much to your nonprofit organization.

If you have worked at a nonprofit organization, this has happened to you. A great and involved board member walks into your office and says, “I have an idea for this organization”....and then you sit there for 20 minutes trying to figure out how to tell this board member that the idea cannot happen....Oh, this happens!

Organizations that receive transformational gifts compete at exceedingly high levels for an extended period of time, executing a disciplined and thoughtful strategy. How well are you competing in comparison to your nonprofit peers?

Many of my clients are asking about fundraising in light of the recent Coronavirus pandemic and the economic concerns that have come as a result. There is an undertone of fear and uncertainty facing all of us, and a reverence must be paid to those feelings.

Many of my clients have asked for tips about moving their fundraisers online or engaging more fully with virtual fundraising efforts. Here is my first tip, consider using this time to explore stopping your fundraising events (yes, you read that right)