Real Talk for Real Fundraisers

Many non-profit leaders don’t believe in spending money on administrative support for fundraisers. But the truth is, the cost of admin support is a drop in the bucket compared to the revenue you’re losing if your fundraisers are focused on other things instead of engaging with your donors. In this podcast episode, Jeff and Richard offer up some numbers to help illustrate the economic impact of hiring back-end office support for fundraisers. If you’re looking for a deep dive into managing a fundraising team, check out the latest book by Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels, It’s Not Just About the Donor. You can purchase a copy here. Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about… The economic impact of having dedicated admin staff for your fundraising team The potential revenue loss when fundraisers must spend up to half of their time on administrative tasks A chart we’d love to share that organizes the division of labor between fundraising and admin support staff A summary of tasks that can be handled by an admin support person, freeing up the front-line fundraiser so they can create thoughtful asks, check in with donors, or communicate in a personal way to their donors how they’ve made a difference.

Does your organization need a legacy society? And how do you go about starting one? These programs can have a huge impact and will help you better serve your donors by giving them an opportunity to do even more for the causes they care about. In this podcast episode, Bob Shafis, our Director of Planned Giving Services at Veritus, talks with Richard and Jeff about what to consider when setting up a planned giving society to ensure your success. Learn more about creating a legacy society or planned giving program in our FREE White Paper, “How to Start a Successful Planned Giving Program.” You can download your copy here. Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about… · Factors to consider before you create a legacy society · The measurable benefits of planned giving programs · Choosing a name for your society · Setting up different giving options for legacy donors · Creating a recognition plan and benefits for society members · Charter membership drives · Keeping a long-term view (be patient!) Veritus Group is passionate about partnering with you and your organization throughout your fundraising journey. We believe that the key to transformative fundraising is a disciplined system and structure, trusted accountability, persistence, and a bit of fun. We specialize in mid-level fundraising, major gifts, planned giving, developing compelling donor offers, and strategic leadership and organizational development. You can learn more about we can partner with you at www.VeritusGroup.com.

Fundraisers are leaving their organizations in record numbers, highlighting the costly impact of toxic workplace culture. Too many non-profits neglect or outright misuse their front-line fundraisers, even though they would probably agree that retaining hard-working, dedicated people is key to achieving any mission. In this podcast episode, Richard, Jeff, and Karen talk about why more than half of fundraisers say they plan to leave their organization in the next few years, and they offer advice on how you can reverse this trend by creating an environment where people find joy in their work. Learn more about retaining employees by transforming your non-profit’s organizational culture in our FREE White Paper, “Building a Culture of Philanthropy.” You can download your copy here.

Partnership between capital campaign efforts and your major gifts strategy is absolutely vital for both to be successful. And creating a strong foundation for capital campaigns requires a structure that will create collaboration and communication throughout the organization. In today’s podcast episode, Jeff chats with Amy Eisenstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Toolkit, and gets answers to some commonly asked questions about capital campaigns. Amy also shares some valuable tips about how to create collaboration with your capital campaign and major gift fundraising strategies. Learn more about creating a capital campaign by downloading the Step-by-Step Guide and Checklist from Capital Campaign Toolkit. Introducing our Guest: Amy Eisenstein is the CEO and Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Toolkit. Amy is a veteran fundraising consultant and has been working in the non-profit sector for over 20 years. She has rich experience in both major gift fundraising and capital campaigns. Learn more about her here.

Often, we’re too quick to jump into the solution with our donors and we fail to connect the donor, meaningfully, to the problem we’re working to solve. When done properly, connecting your donor to the problem, in human and emotional terms, can have a massive impact for that donor and your organization. In today’s podcast episode, Richard and Jeff share why bringing donors close to the need is such a core part of our fundraising philosophy. They focus on specific tips that will help you draw yourself and your donors closer to the problem your organization is committed to solving. Learn more about connecting your donors to the need in our FREE White Paper, “Transporting Your Donor to the Scene.” You can download your copy here.

As the year comes to a close and you wrap up your year-end fundraising efforts, there are a few strategies and tactics you can do to make an impact next week. This next week can be valuable time to do some follow-up, thank your donors, and prepare for the month to come. If you've done all five of these things, then you've truly done all you can do this season! If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can check out this blog (also this one.) And if you’re eager to start creating a more disciplined and focused approach to your donor communication plans, download our free White Paper on “Creating Strategic Plans and Goals for Every Major Donor.”

Does the idea of having a tough conversation with someone at work give you anxiety? You’re not alone. Most people prefer to steer clear of difficult topics and possible conflict, but the reality is that knowing how to have challenging conversations is critical in developing a cohesive and trusting team. In today’s podcast episode, Jeff Schreifels invites Karen Kendrick, our Senior Director of Learning, and Brandyn Campbell, a communications and DEI expert, to discuss why we often struggle with challenging conversations and how to shift our own perspective to address difficult topics in an honoring and respectful way. Introducing our guest: Brandyn Campbell Brandyn Campbell runs Brandyn Campbell Communications and is a DEI expert. Brandyn is also an accomplished communications specialist, educator, speaker, and strategist who has worked with some incredible organizations including the Philadelphia Eagles. For the past 15 years, she’s devoted her career to providing education on navigating cultural differences to business leaders and students alike. You can connect with Brandyn through her website: https://www.brandyncampbell.com/

How can you focus on being present when there is an endless list of things pulling your attention? Learning to be more present takes practice, time, and boundaries. It requires a change of mindset to stop seeing our value tied to what we produce. In today’s episode, Karen Kendrick does a podcast takeover to speak with Wes Avants and Janis Cooper about how to create boundaries, what activities can help you feel more present, and why self-care is such an important priority for fundraisers, especially during busy seasons. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, visit our website in the Webinar section, under Resources, to find an on-demand webinar about creating boundaries. https://veritusgroup.com/webinars Introducing our guests: Janis Cooper Janis Cooper is a coach and learning development facilitator. She guides individuals, leaders, and teams in ways that offer new insights into themselves, and others, so they may build more effective and influential relationships. Janis uses a variety of tools, assessments, programs, and practices that build self-awareness and help shift negative thoughts and behaviors to ones that produce positive thoughts and outcomes where personal and business success is generated. Janis operates Janis Cooper Consulting. She also provides Leadership, Staff Development, and Wellbeing programs for Best Friends Animal Society, a U.S. animal welfare non-profit organization. She can be reached at janiscooper@janiscooper.com. Wes Avants Building on his background in psychology and leadership development, Wes Avants helps individuals increase their practice of being calm, curious, confident, and clear so they can cultivate meaningful connections and trust with others. Over the course of his career, Wes has come to believe that self-awareness, self-compassion, and moral courage are keys to unlocking the fullest expression of one’s effectiveness and personal satisfaction. Wes and his wife Cindy live in The Woodlands, Texas, where they enjoy cycling, painting, movies, yoga, and sharing coffee on their back porch. They have two grown children and are proud grandparents.

Gratitude feels great in the moment... but this feeling is fleeting. When it comes to celebrating the impact your donors are making, and being grateful for their support, you cannot thank them too much.  In today's episode, Richard and Jeff talk about why showing gratitude is so important in building meaningful donor relationships and in your own mental well-being. They also discuss ways to bring thankfulness into your work to keep you rooted in why you do what you do.  If you want more content related to how you can support your own mental well-being, check out our Webinars page and look for the webinar titled "Depleted? Overwhelmed? Start Setting Boundaries." 

What is it like to be a Black fundraiser in North America? Do you believe the experiences and challenges that Black fundraisers regularly live through and survive in the non-profit sector?  In today's podcast episode, Richard and Jeff talk with the editors of Collecting Courage, a collection of stories from Black fundraisers in the U.S. and Canada. Nneka Allen, Nicole Salmon, and Camila Pereira each have powerful stories to tell. Join us as they share about their experiences working in the non-profit sector and inspire all of us to make change happen.  You can learn more about Collecting Courage and find where to purchase the book here: https://www.collectingcourage.org/ And you can connect with the editors through LinkedIn here: - Nneka Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nnekaallen/ - Nicole Salmon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolesalmon1/ - Camila Pereira: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camila-pereira-phd-8b085814/