Real Talk for Real Fundraisers

As a major gift fundraiser, do you feel you’re being supported enough so you can be successful? Unfortunately, we run into many MGOs who are basically left on their own, without the support they need to build authentic relationships with donors. In today’s podcast episode, Richard and Jeff discuss the five reasons MGOs fail – and you’ll be surprised that most of the reasons have nothing at all to do with the MGO. We believe that the work of a major gift officer is one of the hardest in the non-profit sector, and that’s why we’re committed to providing you the resources necessary to help you be successful and find joy in your job. Because when you do, it’s the donor that wins!

In most of the higher education institutions where Veritus Group has conducted data assessments, they’re performing terribly. What’s wrong here? Universities have resources. They have dozens (if not hundreds) of major gift officers, researchers, and stewardship officers. And yet what we find is that they don’t have real relationships with donors and alumni. Some of them are still raising millions if not billions of dollars… yet they could be doing so much better forming authentic relationships with donors and alumni! In today’s rebroadcast of an episode from January, Richard and Jeff talk about their experiences with university major gift programs, tell stories about their MGOs, what their challenges are, and ultimately what can be done to turn those programs around.

“You can’t be serious!” This is the reaction Richard and Jeff get from many non-profit leaders when we tell them NOW is the time to start a major gift program. Yes, even in the midst of uncertainty, your organization should either be starting or heavily investing in your current major gift program. Why? Because this is where you’ll eventually see most of your NET revenue come from. Need inspiration to do it? Well, in this podcast episode, our guest is Joyce MacDonald, the President and CEO of Greater Public Media. They’re the association for all PBS and NPR stations around the U.S. Joyce has a great story of how she identified public media’s need to create a real major gift program and what she did to make it happen – and she’ll inspire you to do it yourself! It was no small feat, but Joyce is making it happen.

If you just read the headlines from fundraising news publications, you’d think the sky is falling and revenue from non-profits is tanking. But is it? If you actually get past the “doom and gloom” headlines, you’ll read that giving is actually up in 2020 vs. 2019! What? Yep, giving is up. In this episode, Richard goes on a rant about the effects of these negative headlines, and he urges non-profit leaders to not succumb to them by not reaching out to donors. Then, he and Jeff give you some practical steps to reach out to your donors and ask. Why should you ask? Because they are giving!

This pandemic has been a stress test for many non-profits. The biggest threat to the future of a non-profit in times like this is the lack of multiple funding streams for a non-profit. Today, those organizations that rely heavily on events, or corporate and government funding, are struggling. And non-profits that only rely on direct-response to bring in the majority of their revenue are reeling. Why? Because having a diverse array of funding streams, especially those who promote individual donor giving, will help you get through economic downturns. And as you know, we’re in a massive downturn at the moment. In this podcast episode, Richard and Jeff discuss why you need to diversify your funding, how to detect where you’re hurting, and how to create a plan to change it.

Pivoting is good, but it implies that once we get back to normal, we just go back to what we used to do. Well, this pandemic is giving us the opportunity to not only pivot, but to permanently change. Change what? Change the way we evaluate MGOs and major gift programs.  Richard and Jeff believe that the old metrics that most non-profits use to measure major gift officers perpetuates transactional giving. In this episode, Richard and Jeff discuss why we need to let go of the old metrics and suggest a few new ones that actually help major gift officers develop authentic relationships with donors. Isn’t that what major gifts should be all about? Find out what metrics every non-profit should evaluate that actually help you build relationships and go from transactional to transformational.

In this episode, Richard and Jeff are joined by Veritus Group's Director of Planned Giving Services, Bob Shafis. Bob will discuss with them why you should be considering several planned giving strategies now, and how to do it.  They’ll also talk about the $2.2 Trillion Care Act that was recently enacted and how it will affect your non-profit. Join Richard, Jeff and Bob for an informative discussion and get inspired to use planned giving as a tool that will help you now in this crisis and well into the future.

Do you know your organization’s coronavirus story? In other words, if a donor asked you how the virus is affecting your organizations mission would you know what to say? Our team at Veritus is worried that many non-profit leaders and managers haven’t figure out how the virus has really affected your mission. What potential shortfall are you looking at? What added services are you now providing that you weren’t before? What is all this costing you? In today’s podcast, Richard and Jeff specifically speak to non-profit leaders and managers about making sure you know your coronavirus story, what it will cost and urge you to boldly tell donors that story so they can help you weather the crisis. We are hearing things in our sector that disturbs us. “You shouldn’t talk to donors now.” “We need to pull back our fundraising efforts to allow people to deal with the crisis.” No. If you've built solid relationships with donors, you have their trust to reach out to them, find out how they're doing, tell your organization's story in this crisis and be able to ask for the donor’s help. Now is that time. We hope this episode inspires you as you continue to communicate with your donors.

In today’s episode Richard and Jeff give you an update on stories they're hearing from other major gift officers and start answering a number of questions from your colleagues about how you should fundraise, given this crisis we're all in. At the end of the episode we also direct you to our COVID-19 Resource Page and tell you about two new courses we've designed just to help you through this crisis and, because we don’t want cost to be a factor, we’ve decided you can pay whatever you can to take this four week, eight-hour course over the month of April.

You are now fundraising in an unprecedented time in our history. You may be worried, anxious or concerned personally and professionally. All those feelings are normal. Richard and Jeff have recorded a special podcast to help you think about major gift fundraising in a crisis like the one we face today. Both of them have been through multiple national and international crises and tragedy, and they have experience on how non-profits and major gift fundraisers should respond. We hope this special podcast is helpful in your work and gives you comfort that over time, we will get through this tough time… together.