As fundraisers and leaders in the nonprofit sector, we are constantly seeking ways to maximize our time and energy. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity to carve out more space for authentic engagement by boosting efficiency, streamlining workflows, and hopefully providing the much-needed support to infuse our work with genuine energy. During a recent…

Choosing the ideal campaign chair is a pivotal decision for any organization embarking on a fundraising campaign. This individual (or individuals, if necessary) plays a crucial role in setting the tone, guiding strategy, mobilizing resources, and ensuring the fundraising effort’s success. Based on our decades of campaign management experience, the team at Lindsay Simonds Consulting…

Goal achieving might not be the easiest thing to do, but a good way to start is with a personal goal-setting practice. You must maximize actability and concreteness through habits. If you are having trouble setting personal or business goals, now is the time to improve and clear this process. Here are five habits for…

Congratulations on wrapping up your 2023 fundraising campaign! Now, it’s time to take your donor relationships to new heights in 2024 and beyond. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste – focus on nurturing lasting connections with your year-end donors. Here are five essential objectives for engaging your year-end donor base in the…

RAISE MONEY LIKE A PRO… WITHOUT HIRING ONE! FINALLY! A simple playbook and fun video series to launch an effective end-of-year fundraising campaign that any nonprofit can implement in days! The Lindsay Simonds Consulting (LSC) Playbook is based on decades of experience. Millions of dollars have been raised with these tested strategies. They can be…

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, the scarcity model has been hailed as the ultimate benchmark of success. Advocates argue that every dollar raised should be allocated solely to program expenses. However, I beg to differ.   Focusing solely on achieving this as a “gold standard” distracts us from what truly matters: efficiency, impact, sustainability, and…

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King June 20th marked the much-anticipated release of the Giving USA 2023: Perspectives on Philanthropy Report, the most common and longest-giving report on philanthropy, and we’re here for it! The report was presented by CCS Fundraising…

The newest version of Giving USA’s annual report on philanthropy was released in late June 2022. For more than forty years, Giving USA has been providing fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, donors, and other individuals with comprehensive charitable giving data that helps inform decisions, strategies, and fund allocations.  Coming off of a turbulent 2020, Americans remained generous,…

Fundraising is a dance that requires solid preparation, good timing, and attention to detail. When working with new volunteers, solicitation training always brings up a great deal of anxiety. It can be daunting to initiate a conversation about money! Knowing what to say and how to say it is not easy, but by studying the…

With mere days left in 2021, we have entered the height of giving season. Did you know that nearly 31% of annual giving occurs in December? In fact, 12% of annual giving happens in the last three days of the year. More donations are processed on December 30th and 31st than any other days. Over…

As fundraisers, we must always keep relationships front-of-mind. Get to know your prospective donor (or longtime supporter) with High Value Questions (HVQs). General questions can overburden your prospects with irrelevant information and fizzle out their excitement before you establish a connection. No one wants boring interview chats! HVQs enable and encourage more authentic and dynamic…

Just like most aspects of fund development, successful grassroots fundraising requires a combination of creativity, strategy, and clear goals. It can be tempting to brush off grassroots fundraising as low-scale and low-priority. However, when an organization harnesses scalability, sustainability, and intentionality, grassroots fundraising becomes the basis of fertile ground for a rich harvest and long…