Blog | IPM Advancement

[NPFX] Effective Donor Engagement: Launching into FY21 with Confidence

In today’s podcast episode, we’ll look at strategies for effective donor engagement that you can put into practice right now to launch into the coming months with confidence.

Nonprofit Fundraising Messaging in the COVID-19 Era — 8 Essential Elements

Instead of generic emergency appeal messaging, consider putting the emphasis on your unique donor value proposition. Double down on the importance of cultivating a meaningful relationship with your donors.

[NPFX] Fundraising during COVID-19: Practical Strategies for Success

In today’s episode, our panel of experts will provide practical advice that nonprofits can use right now to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and survive the economic effects of this pandemic.

[NPFX] Is Annual Giving Dead? (COVID-19 Edition)

In our podcast episode today, we’ll look at the state of annual giving and what nonprofits can do to sustain and grow their annual fund. We’ll also frame things in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has certainly brought up some new questions for nonprofits.

An Open Letter to Nonprofit Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

As nonprofit professionals and leaders in our respective communities, we have the opportunity to model a peaceful and measured response to the uncertainty and chaos many of us are confronting in our lives right now.

Fundraising in a Global Pandemic: Five Ways Nonprofits Can Weather the Impact of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

COVID-19, novel coronavirus, is poised to upend the financial stability of many nonprofit organizations in the U.S.

Inside IPM: Meet Rich Frazier

“Inside IPM” is a new series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Today, we’re talking to Rich Frazier, Senior Consultant.

Quick Tips to Boost Response from Direct Mail Fundraising

Not every direct mail fundraising appeal is created equal. While the number of variables that can affect direct mail fundraising can be mind-numbing, there are proven ways to increase donor response rate and average gift amount. When working with a new client, we...

Inside IPM: Meet Jack Padovano

“Inside IPM” is a new series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Today, we’re talking to Jack Padovano, Owner & Lead Consultant.

Nonprofit Staff Retention — Part 2: How to Attract and Keep the Best Employees

In Part 1 of this article, we investigated the question of whether or not higher salaries are the answer to the problem of nonprofit staff turnover. Now let’s look at a strategy you can implement right away to improve staff retention: Give your employees a greater...

Nonprofit Staff Retention — Part 1: Are Higher Salaries Really the Answer?

In surveys of nonprofits, staff retention is often reported as one of the top challenges. Some researchers estimate that the average fundraiser will leave their position every 16 to 18 months, costing nonprofits potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in hiring...

Inside IPM: Meet Samantha Timlick

“Inside IPM” is a new series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Today, we’re talking to Samantha Timlick, VP of Client Services.

Make the Donor the Hero of Your Fundraising Story

In nonprofit fundraising, there’s an important adage: Donors give to success. That’s why one of the most important goals of a nonprofit fundraising appeal is to emphasize the impact your organization makes on those you serve. You can do this by telling a powerful...

Inside IPM: Meet Russ Phaneuf

“Inside IPM” is a new series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Today, we’re talking to Russ Phaneuf, Managing Director & Chief Strategist.

How Nonprofits Can Use Infographics to Engage Donors

An infographic is a visual presentation of information that instructs or educates the reader on a specific topic. When infographics are done well, they grab our attention, teach us something we didn’t know, and can even motivate us to take action on what we’ve...

Inside IPM: Meet Diana Gardner

“Inside IPM” is a new series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Today, we’re talking to Diana Gardner, VP of Client Development.

Giving Tuesday 2019 Results and What Your Nonprofit Should Take Away

Another Giving Tuesday has come and gone, and the results are in: According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, nearly $2 billion was collected by U.S. charities, breaking all records from previous years. Nonprofits reported an increase of both donations and donors this...

What’s the Lifetime Value of Your Donors?

There’s a saying: If you want to achieve your goals faster, measure your progress more frequently. This is especially true for fundraising. Measuring and tracking your fundraising efforts tells you which strategies are working and which ones aren’t. With that...

Writing a Great Thank You Letter: The First Step in Successful Donor Stewardship

So you’ve written a winning fundraising appeal. It has a compelling case for support, it makes readers feel the urgency of your cause, and it includes a strong call to action. Now it’s all set to drop and you expect it to have a high response rate. Good job! But wait...

The Reality of Digital Fundraising

Since the advent of online giving, many people have touted grand promises from the “digital fundraising revolution.” Some have even predicted utter doom for traditional fundraising (especially direct mail). Cue movie preview voice … “In a world where urgency trumps...

What Should I Write About in My Next Appeal?

Let's say you and your team have created a strong annual fund strategy for the year. Part of that plan involves sending regular appeals to donors and prospects. The question then comes up: What exactly should we write about in our appeals? When there's...

How Nonprofits Succeed by Focusing on Others — Part 2: Emphasize Donor Impact

In Part 1 of this article, we explored the importance of your mission statement in keeping you focused on effectively serving the people your nonprofit was created to help. Now let's look at how focusing on donors and their positive impact can help you...

How Nonprofits Succeed by Focusing on Others — Part 1: Learn to Say No

Your attention gets pulled in many different directions in the day-to-day management of your nonprofit. On top of that, high-level concerns like building a strong organizational brand, incorporating the latest digital technology into your fundraising strategy,...

The Secret to Keeping Your Donors Giving: Make Them Feel Special

You put a lot of time, energy, and money into acquiring new donors. So it's frustrating when the majority of them give just once or twice and never again. It's not uncommon these days to find yourself fighting a continuous uphill battle of acquiring donors who never...

Integrating a Digital Fundraising Strategy for Nonprofits

Have you considered your Digital Fundraising Strategy? In 2017, 81% of all adults in the U.S. were users of at least one social media site. This is a number that will continue to grow given the high rates of social media use among younger Americans. With...

Engage Donors and Prospects with a Nonprofit Tele-Town Hall

Tele-Town Hall meetings are a revolutionary approach to engaging donor groups of all sizes. While politicians have been using them for years, more and more nonprofits are turning their attention to this game-changing outreach method, giving them the ability to bring...

The Value of Fundraising with a Social Entrepreneurship Mindset

In 2005, PBS ran a documentary series called "The New Heroes." Narrated by Robert Redford, it explored the approach, mindset and impact of 12 social entrepreneurs doing good in the world. (You can watch full episodes on YouTube courtesy of the Skoll Foundation.) The...

How to Raise More Money From Lapsed Donors

Let’s face it: keeping donors committed to your organization takes some extra time and effort. And, convincing a donor to re-engage after a lapse takes even more time and even more effort. But trust me, giving up on your lapsed donors is a huge mistake. In fact, for...

How to Change Organization Culture – Without Resistance or Chaos

For most nonprofits, organizational culture is an incredible source of strength and staying power. According to a Bridgespan study of 130 nonprofit management teams, “culture” rated as one of the top two organizational assets across the board. However, all too often,...

No More Running for the Hills: Fundraising Ideas for Board Members

Have you ever noticed those board members that start to sweat when the monthly meeting agenda turns to the topic of fundraising? There are many reasons why this subject might make certain board members freeze up, – especially because they know that one day soon, if...

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