With Avalon hitting the 20-year mark, we’re reflecting on the tried-and-true fundraising and business best practices that have contributed to our success, some intuitive, some learned the hard way. The following posts from our recent archives cover a wide range of these best practices—from growth to retention to new tactics to donor motivation…and more. Happy reading!
1) Industry Reports to Make You Smarter
You will want to bookmark this link to our industry’s most influential reports!
2) 20 Things Our Moms Taught Us About Marketing
We polled our staff for their favorite “momisms.” It turns out our moms are not only superheroes, but marketing experts as well. Get the full rundown here.
3) Exhausted? Don’t Stop Running the Marathon
How do we address the challenges the Trump administration presents for the press, the American people, and nonprofits across the country?
4) The Impact of the 2016 Election on Fundraising
We took a look at how the most divisive campaign in recent history affected the bottom line for Avalon clients. The results might surprise you!
5) Collaboration Is Key
In our industry, the importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. We need to view our own work and that of our organization as pieces of a whole that must collaborate to ensure that we all endure.
6) Yes, You Need That Matching Gift
Are matching gifts truly worth the effort? They sure are! We break it down for you here.
7) It’s Time for Action
As the brand-new Trump Administration settled in, I wrote this post as an industry-wide call to action. Our job now is to find ways to take bold action to preserve our democracy, and to protect and advance the causes that matter to us.
8) Dispelling Myths: “We need to target millennials”
In the sixth installment of our Dispelling Myths series, we tackle why younger donors are not the answer—and provide data to back up our claims.
9) Removing the Barriers to Growth
This is one to share with your executive directors and boards!
10) Risk Taking and Planned Failure
Do you know your organization’s acceptable rate of risk?
11) Finding Meaning in Your Work
Feeling unfulfilled at work? Maybe it’s time for a change. Fundraising for nonprofits can provide endless satisfaction and personal fulfillment.
12) The Numbers Don’t Lie
We have the not-so-secret weapon to combat direct marketing fundraising myths you hear over and over again.
13) Women Are a Force in Philanthropy
Finally the data is proving what many of us have known all along: Women are emerging as leaders in philanthropic impact.
14) Connecting the Dots from Advocacy to Giving
Cultivate first, then ask.
15) Diversity in Fundraising: Embrace It! Here’s How.
Be ready to dive in when your organization makes this important commitment.
16) 6 Steps to Combat Digital Dysfunction
Is your digital strategy as collaborative as it should be?
17) 5 Numbers to Make You the Smartest Fundraiser in the Room
These are the most important KPIs for evaluating the health and potential of your fundraising program. Don’t make another decision without them!
18) Thinking Beyond Shiny and New
It’s time for nonprofits to embrace the exciting potential of digital fundraising and engagement—with strategies that are both sustainable and forward-thinking.
19) What’s in It for Me: The Real Motivation of Performing Arts Donors
Understand the stats on performing arts donors and their unique, benefits-driven engagement cycle.
20) Where Is the Acquisition Variable in the Retention Equation?
Are you leveraging your initial acquisition strategies for strong retention down the road?