IPM Advancement Blog

[NPFX Ep. 14] Self-Care for Nonprofit Fundraisers: How to Avoid Burnout

Staff retention and employee burnout is a challenge for many nonprofits, especially when it comes to their fundraising team. In today’s podcast episode, we’ll look at some of the most common reasons for nonprofit fundraiser burnout, and how you can prevent burnout for yourself or your staff.

[NPFX Ep. 13] Nonprofit Fundraising at Year-End: 4 Things to Do

For most nonprofits, Calendar Year End fundraising is a crucial part of their annual fund program. For some, CYE donations account for the majority of their fundraising dollars for the entire year. In today’s podcast episode, we will review four of our favorite strategies to help our clients beat their annual fundraising goals.

Infographic: Nonprofit Advocacy — Advance Your Mission

As you think about your nonprofit fundraising program for 2021, remember that systemic change can rarely be achieved through service delivery alone. Find out how advocacy can make a difference to your mission.

[NPFX Ep. 12] Is Now a Good Time to Be a Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant?

In today’s podcast episode, we host a virtual panel of nonprofit fundraising consultants to discuss whether or not now is a good time to start a consulting business, the opportunities for consultants to actually grow their businesses during the pandemic, and how they themselves have adapted their own businesses to the changing landscape.

[NPFX Ep. 11] Giving Tuesday during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In today’s podcast episode, we’ll discuss what nonprofits should expect from Giving Tuesday this year, best practices for Giving Tuesday fundraising in a pandemic, and strategies to ensure their Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts have the greatest impact.

Prospecting on a Budget? Use Nonprofit Advocacy to Build Your List

Advocacy opportunities give people the chance to try out a relationship with your nonprofit and see how they like it. Provided you respect that relationship and give them ways to engage on issues they care about, you can transform them from complete strangers into warm prospects for future fundraising.

[NPFX Ep. 10] Rapid Response Fundraising: How to Leverage Episodic Giving

In today’s episode, we discuss the 3 types of rapid response strategies every nonprofit should implement so you can be ready to engage donors when they suddenly care about your cause and are most inclined to give.

Nonprofit Fundraising in an Election Year: All Systems GO!

Your mission matters regardless of what is happening in the fundraising environment. Issues like poverty, child abuse, social justice, animal welfare, HIV and AIDS — just to name a few — don’t go away during an election year.

[NPFX Ep. 9] Ask the Experts: Listener Questions about Nonprofit Fundraising

In today’s Q&A episode, IPM Advancement has assembled a panel of nonprofit fundraising experts to answer questions submitted by listeners on a whole range of nonprofit fundraising topics including fundraising during COVID-19, direct mail vs. digital, increasing donor retention, virtual fundraising events, cultivating major gift donors, and more.

[NPFX Ep. 8] 2020 Election Year Strategies for Nonprofit Advocacy

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss strategies nonprofits can use during an election year to continue to advocate effectively for their causes, and even some ideas for how nonprofits can take what’s happening in this election year landscape and use it to their advantage.

The Secret to Nonprofit Advocacy Success: Keeping Grassroots Supporters Engaged

Typically, a nonprofit’s advocacy strategy will focus on enrolling supporters and mobilizing them via a call-to-action. But there’s an oft-overlooked step in between that is crucial to the success of your advocacy efforts, and that’s keeping grassroots supporters engaged.

[NPFX Ep. 7] Nonprofit Advocacy Basics

In today’s podcast episode, we’ll cover the fundamentals of creating an effective advocacy strategy for your nonprofit.

[NPFX Ep. 6] 12 Mistakes Nonprofits Make in Their Fundraising Copywriting: Part 2

Continuing our discussion from last week’s episode, we explore the top 5 copywriting mistakes made by nonprofits and what you need to do to ensure that your copy inspires people to give.

[NPFX Ep. 5] 12 Mistakes Nonprofits Make in Their Fundraising Copywriting: Part 1

In today’s episode, we discuss how fundraising messaging can go wrong and what you need to do to ensure that your copy feels compelling and authentic to those who care about your cause.

Nonprofit Monthly Sustainers, Part 2 — 8 Tips for a Successful Monthly Giving Program

In Part 1 of this article, we made the case for why nonprofit organizations should enroll donors in monthly giving. Today, we’ll look at specific ways to create a successful monthly sustaining donors program that can help provide financial stability in any economy....

[NPFX Ep. 4] Capital Campaigns during COVID-19: Pivot and Adapt

In today’s podcast episode, meet a virtual panel of representatives from different nonprofits to learn how they’ve adapted their capital campaigns to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonprofit Monthly Sustainers, Part 1 — Financial Stability in Any Economy

While it will still be some time before we know the full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nonprofits, one strategy can help mitigate the impact, provide some predictability to revenue, and keep donors engaged and loyal: a monthly sustainer program.

[NPFX Ep. 3] 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 Ep. 2] 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 Ep. 1] 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...