Award-Winning Blog


Are F-2-F Managers Squandering Millions?

I fear the answer is “Yes.” Today there are at least a dozen major US nonprofits that are collectively spending tens of millions on F-2-F campaigns. My fear is that many are wasting their organization’s and their donors’ dollars because the Target Benchmark data on retention for F2F, street acquired sustainers is sobering and suggests […]

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First DonorVoice Online Behavioral Symposium Speaker Line-Up (and Six Other Updates from the Month that Was)

Online Behavioral Symposium update: You’ve hopefully already saved the date for the first DonorVoice Online Behavioral Symposium on September 30th and October 1st (if not, save your spot now).  This is the Symposium where academics and practitioners come together to share insights and promote collaborations in our 1st online behavioral symposium. It will be hosted […]

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Revenge of the Branders

In London earlier this week Adrian Sargeant and Alan Clayton publicly presented the findings of their report Brand and Great Fundraising: Help or Hindrance? Here’s a summary of the Report’s findings that The Agitator shared with its readers: Spending on a charity’s brand is most effective when it is used to support fundraising. Fundraising expenditure […]

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I Hold You In Contempt!

It is one thing to have contempt for your donors and constituents. It’s another to show them you have contempt for them. The former isn’t recommended (see: every previous Agitator post); the latter is fatal.  People fear executives and board members because they can fire you.  Donors can fire executives and board members by not giving. […]

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Latest Survey on Why Donors Give

The new DonorGraphics study is out from One & All and it’s full of interesting data on stated donor preferences. One of the survey questions asked donors what is their main reason for giving charitably..  Possible responses were: To address/impact needs in my local community To address/impact needs worldwide To fund organizations that enrich my […]

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Neglected Treasure

Nick’s post on How Asking Affects the Askedemphasized the importance of requesting feedback directly from the donor and explains why that feedback is so important and so valuable. There’s another form of feedback and I’m afraid in our highly automated, often impersonal processes it’s been lost: the comments donors write on their response forms or […]

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