iMarketSmart

OCTOBER 1, 2022

The list below was an attempt by Forbes Magazine to capture the “faces of philanthropy” way back in 1994. The fact that donors are animated by different purposes does explain why theories of fundraising abound. Those fundraising for hospitals or beloved colleges are convinced that tapping into gratitude worked best.

Philanthropy 52

Philanthropy Psychology Culture Donor Motivation 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 26, 2024

When we conduct our Vital Signs Assessment , looking for indicators of fundraising success or struggle ahead, one data point stands out far more than any others – the number of donors who have given 20 years or more.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

MARCH 1, 2024

Fundraising as we know it today is an outgrowth of growth itself. But somewhere along the way, in too many instances, fundraising began to shift from something we did with donors to something we did to them. When I read fundraising plans or campaign plans concocted by so-called experts, I see a high degree of overcomplication.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy Psychology 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 12, 2024

If something about fundraising makes you uncomfortable, it isn’t because there’s something wrong with you but because there’s something wrong with the way you’re fundraising, or being expected to. Fundraising should be as easy as asking a friend to hang out. It’s not a matter of if but when.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Retail 52

iMarketSmart

MAY 3, 2024

Fundraising’s worst oversimplification is: “People give because they’re asked.” Isn’t the same true of fundraising or, more appropriately, philanthropic facilitation? That’s like saying those who agree to marry do so simply “because they were asked.”

Psychology 52

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Values 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 28, 2023

Everyone Is entitled to their own fundraising opinions but not their own fundraising facts. That’s what the brilliant Daniel Patrick Moynihan said, without the reference to fundraising, of course. And imagine how much more we could achieve if we did a better job of aligning fundraising strategy with fundraising fact.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy Psychology 52

iMarketSmart

MARCH 22, 2024

” Transactional fundraising is impulsive and rooted in an irrational organizational compulsion for more. Jim has authored numerous books including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities , published by Academic Impressions in 2020. Philanthropic facilitation is deliberate.

Psychology 59

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Fundraising 59

iMarketSmart

MAY 26, 2023

Traditional fundraising loses four out of five first-time donors. Traditional fundraising works best at places that have delivered value and built community but the organizational self-centeredness on which it is based misses many partnership-building opportunities. Fundraisers clamor for more compelling concepts. They move on.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

When we poll fundraisers in advance of team practices (I don’t like the word “training” because people aren’t pets), we see very similar responses across institutions including types of institutions (social services, arts organizations, colleges, etc.) Effective fundraising is rooted in deep listening.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

AUGUST 4, 2023

Fundraising should be as comfortable as two people exploring possibilities. If done wisely and well, fundraising is nothing more than two people exploring possibilities. This is balanced fundraising. Good fundraising should be comfortable for both parties. Bad fundraising usually makes both parties uncomfortable.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Philanthropy looks forward. ” Donors smell an ambush When we think of planting seeds, we also respect the natural rhythms of philanthropy. Jim has authored numerous books including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities , published by Academic Impressions in 2020.

Philanthropy 52

Philanthropy Psychology Culture Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

We return philanthropy to a people-helping-people paradigm and create the means of turning “gifts” into enduring partnerships – allowing kindred spirits to work together in pursuit of deeply held purposes. But if we want to build stronger philanthropic partnerships we should realize there are any number of backstories at play.

Medical 98

Medical Psychology Philanthropy Culture 98

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Why, of all people, would a donor want to build a relationship with a fundraiser? The organizational representative who wants to build a relationship with you is a fundraiser. However, I advise donors that if they find a good fundraiser, they won’t find a better organizational representative for the following reasons.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Culture 52

iMarketSmart

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Far too many hiring authorities, having fallen prey to persistent, pernicious myths about fundraising, bypass or fail to nurture the chameleons in their midst, opting instead for peacocks. Why does fundraising practice so often lag fact and reality and by such a wide margin? This is the #1 driver of fundraiser turnover.

Psychology 52

Psychology Fundraising Fundraising Universities 52

iMarketSmart

MAY 12, 2023

So much of standard fundraising practice is inconsistent with philanthropic partnership building. Why do we do such things in the name of fundraising when it is so obvious that they would not work and would be considered manipulative if done at an interpersonal level or in a business partnership? LIKE THIS BLOG POST?

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy Psychology 52

iMarketSmart

JANUARY 13, 2023

We forget the roots of philanthropy can be traced back to small communities where interdependence was essential, whether it was to raise barns, harvest crops, erect churches or build better lives for themselves and their children. More and more people are looking for that kind of philanthropy, for meaning and community.

Psychology 52

Psychology Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

MARCH 8, 2024

Langley Innovations provides a range of services to its clients to help them understand the cultural underpinnings of philanthropy and the psychology of donors and, with that knowledge, to develop the most effective strategies and tactics to build broader and more lasting communities of support.

Psychology 52

Psychology Collaborations Philanthropy Children 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 7, 2023

I began noticing the disparities early in my fundraising career. Much of the fundraising advice shared at professional conferences did not seem to accurately reflect what I was experiencing with donors. I began asking myself if the seemingly ill-suited advice was: Celebrating the fundraiser more than the donor?

Values 52

Values Fundraising Fundraising Philanthropy 52

Candid

AUGUST 29, 2023

So, in this blog, I’m leveraging my PhD in Psychology to share a bit about what burnout is, why it seems to be everywhere in the nonprofit world, and what organizations, leaders, and individuals can do about it. Psychologists consider burnout to be a “psychological syndrome” that emerges as a response to chronic job stressors.

Psychology 98

Psychology Healthcare Culture Health 98

Clairification

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

I firmly believe part of the role of a philanthropy facilitator is to foster both individual and community well-being. It certainly is not in service of philanthropy. them” attitudes, roughly lumped under the mantle of “community-centric fundraising,” are unfortunate. What to do? What purpose does judging in this way serve?

Philanthropy 59

Philanthropy Altruism and Helping Health Fundraising 59

iMarketSmart

JUNE 24, 2022

The lexicon of fundraising is full of one-way terms, as if fundraising is something we do TO donors not WITH them. BETTER FUNDRAISING TERMINOLOGY. Fundraising goals. Culminating philanthropy. Related Resources: Webinar: 4-Step Process for “Reimagining Fundraising Operations”. Words matter. Moves management.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

MAY 13, 2022

Philanthropy correlates primarily with four different value propositions. Providing valuable services: This includes directly – to students, patients, patrons of cultural institutions, beneficiaries of social services, and others – and indirectly to the general betterment of community and society. LIKE THIS BLOG POST?

Values 52

Values Ethics Fundraising Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

AUGUST 5, 2022

Then, why, in the name of fundraising do we so often default to the self-important, posturing, pathetic persona – be it in person or in prose? Jim has authored numerous books including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities , published by Academic Impressions in 2020. .

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Culture 52

iMarketSmart

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

.” What they cite most often as a waste of their time is serving on advisory boards where they are treated as a captive audience like Hansel and Gretel and fed dog and pony presentations, assuming that will fatten up their philanthropy.

Psychology 52

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Which stereotype do fundraisers play to? The one that perpetuates false expectations, that makes the best work seem insignificant, and causes honest feedback from fundraisers to be dismissed as excuse-making. Just hand ‘em a wish list and off they go. Just hand ‘em a wish list and off they go.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Culture 52

Bloomerang

JULY 7, 2023

CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach , also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on the best words and phrases for successful fundraising appeals: Dear Charity Clairity, I’d like to spiff up my appeal writing. Immediately We live in an instant gratification culture.

Fundraising 102

Fundraising Fundraising Children Psychology 102

Bloomerang

JANUARY 20, 2023

CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach , also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question come from a fundraiser and donor who wants advice on how to handle poor donor engagement: Dear Charity Clairity, I’m a fundraiser, but also a donor. Alas, too many organizations lose sight of this culture. You want to know they care.

Philanthropy 102

Philanthropy Psychology Culture Values 102

iMarketSmart

DECEMBER 2, 2022

Psychological insight. Find these in your colleagues and you will build a stronger culture of philanthropy. Jim has authored numerous books including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities , published by Academic Impressions in 2020. . Courage in asking.

Psychology 52

Psychology Ethics Culture Philanthropy 52

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

You don’t have to poke too far into most nonprofits’ fundraising results to see significant donor erosion , usually masked by a few large gifts each year. We have done philanthropy and philanthropists a great injustice by reducing them to one dimension, that of a financial supporter. in the last 30 years.

Philanthropy 52

Philanthropy Psychology Culture Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

JUNE 9, 2023

I’d further emphasize the point by saying, “If you take away just one thing from this conference…” It caught on because it crystalized what many in frontline fundraising positions were seeing – “Show me the impact.” ” It became shortened to just “give through.”

Psychology 52

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Values 52

iMarketSmart

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

They assume they are all pretexts for fundraising. Some advocate for the more direct route – “I’m a fundraiser and would like to explain why we are worthy of your support.” Most people see through them. Many have been tried on them and they have been disappointed by the results.

Psychology 52

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 5, 2024

Langley Innovations provides a range of services to its clients to help them understand the cultural underpinnings of philanthropy and the psychology of donors and, with that knowledge, to develop the most effective strategies and tactics to build broader and more lasting communities of support. It’s neither.

Psychology 52

Psychology Management Philanthropy Values 52

iMarketSmart

AUGUST 19, 2022

Oh, but remember, if we’re going to practice at getting better fundraising results, it can’t just be limited to those in advancement. Jim has authored numerous books including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities , published by Academic Impressions in 2020. . LIKE THIS BLOG POST?

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Culture 52

iMarketSmart

APRIL 19, 2024

Langley Innovations provides a range of services to its clients to help them understand the cultural underpinnings of philanthropy and the psychology of donors and, with that knowledge, to develop the most effective strategies and tactics to build broader and more lasting communities of support.

Psychology 52

Psychology Culture Philanthropy Fundraising 52

iMarketSmart

JULY 14, 2023

I ask an advancement leader how a particular fundraiser is doing or ask a president how an advancement leader is doing or ask a board member how a president is doing. I question the importance of the criterion and don’t believe it should be at the top of the list of fundraising attributes. The ask should be just a matter of protocol.

Fundraising 52

Fundraising Fundraising Psychology Ethics 52

iMarketSmart

JUNE 30, 2023

It’s the problem with all fundraising systems and process charts. Donors, as we are coming to understand more fully, engage in philanthropy to discover themselves. The most important part of advancement is something we can’t measure. The see each donor, current or prospective, as a whole person.

Philanthropy 52

Philanthropy Psychology Values Culture 52

iMarketSmart

OCTOBER 28, 2022

A common KPI used to evaluate fundraisers is the number of visits they pay on prospects in their portfolios. That, then, certainly must be true of philanthropy which is an expression of lessons learned from personal and professional experiences. Related Resources: Webinar: 4-Step Process for “Reimagining Fundraising Operations”.

Psychology 52

Psychology Philanthropy Culture Leadership 52