Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Donor Acquisition In A Recession

Awhile back, reporting on results from our Vital Signs survey on fundraisers’ assessment of their near-term fundraising prospects, I expressed surprise that a handful of respondents indicated they would be increasing their new donor acquisition efforts in 2009. What I expected was that most fundraisers would face terrific pressure, based on falling returns and management […]

Learn More January 12, 2009

Read ‘Em And Weep –One More Time!

Last night Target Analytics released the results of their Index of National Fundraising Performance for the 3rd Quarter of 2008. While this benchmarking system always lags reality, it also makes clear the bad cards fundraisers were dealt in the recession of 2007-2008.The last time we reported on The Index, the number of donors was declining, […]

Learn More January 9, 2009

Fundraising Resolution # 1

Over the holidays I slogged through a river of prognostications flowing into 2009. Of course virtually everyone agrees that 2009 will be anything but normal. With what will probably be the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression many fundraisers and nonprofit leaders face the double whammy of rising demand for services and declining […]

Learn More January 7, 2009

December Nets 48% Of Online Fundraising Dollars

Steve MacLaughlin at Blackbaud is first out of the blocks in terms of sharing 2008 online fundraising results. One stat in particular astounded me: amongst roughly 2000 nonprofits using Blackbaud fundraising software, fully 48% of their online fundraising contributions — in terms of dollar value — were received in the month of December! Here’s more […]

Learn More January 6, 2009

Are You Serious About Fundraising?

You must be serious about fundraising, if you’re reading The Agitator on the first day of the New Year! So here’s a reprise of a very serious post we published back on December 22, when you might have been out Christmas shopping. Very substantial fundraising advice here, if you’re hoping to get off the mark […]

Learn More January 1, 2009

Need A Laugh To End The Year?

Here, in holiday spirit, is one of my favorite spoofs on fundraising … from the humor site, The Onion. Happy Holidays! Kid Squanders Relief Money I apologize in advance to all the international child support agencies whose crucial work on the ground (and direct marketing) I fervently admire. But I can barely pick myself up […]

Learn More December 31, 2008