My dear nonprofit companions: You are overwhelmed, overburdened, likely underpaid, underappreciated and at this point in the year, very tired. You know what I do when I feel like that? Seek inspiration from the one and only Kermit the Frog.

I sing the praises of the small donor. Those generous folks that give when they can to a mailing, or online, or even to your very specific appeal on social media. Why? Because they’re the ones doing the heavy lifting in nonprofitland.

We recently met a pair of nonprofit leaders who are losing sleep over their fundraising programs. All they want to do is run away from the nightmare of not making payroll or not keeping the lights on. But without understanding who really gives and how to balance growth with stability, they risk coming face-to-face with the monster they fear the most.

If your charity mail can convey the feeling of getting a letter from friends or family, even a tiny bit, I’d argue it leans more toward the kind of mail we need (and save!) rather than the kind of mail that’s headed straight into the recycle bin.

Smart string strategy could mean the difference between a donation to your organization, or a mailing that goes straight to the recycling bin.

Choosing what postage to use for your donor mail can be tricky. You want your mailing to get to donors quickly. And you want them to know how important you are to them, but alas, you have a budget. Terri Shoemaker helps you sort out the options.

Nonprofits are concerned that a decision by Congress to increase the standard federal tax deduction will cost them donors. We sat down with Abeja Solutions founder Terri Shoemaker to find out how savvy nonprofits can turn this new challenge into an opportunity.

We know how easy it is for fundraising appeals to get complicated. The executive director wants this. A board member likes that. But those extra things don’t impress most donors, and they come at a hidden cost to your nonprofit.

We all know millennials are the largest generation in the workforce and that they want nonprofits to communicate with them in many different ways. But don’t get distracted by that distant, moving target and miss the big one right in front of you.

Research suggests that many fundraisers today rely on email to get to their fundraising goals. But ignoring actual donor behavior and response rates is dangerous. It’s like using the cheap sunscreen on a 110-degree day.

I’ve been thinking about how spicy, vital causes like yours go with the bland, safe option when they write. Should we blame legal? Tempting. How about the curse of multiple editors? That certainly doesn’t help. But the fact is that sometimes we feel too busy to be creative. Here’s some inspiration.

It doesn’t matter whether your nonprofit is in Arizona or Abuja. The one audience that seems to vex us the most is donors. How can we keep up with what donors are thinking and tell them stories that will inspire them to give? Thinking through your “buyer journey” is a good place to start. Here’s how.

Nonprofits naturally have amazing stories to tell about lives saved, challenges overcome, heart-breaking sacrifice and huge needs that diverse communities are rallying to meet. So why is so much of our writing DEAD BORING. Understanding how journalists decide if something is worthy to print, can help change that.

Nonprofits love to save money. Relying on low-cost digital tools like email and social media is a great way to do that. But nonprofits also need people to read and respond to their communications. And research shows that’s getting harder for some nonprofits to achieve online. Get the solution. 

As I moved up the nonprofit ladder, I started a one-woman campaign against print. If there was no proof of ROI, I destroyed it and sometimes recreated it in digital form. But now I know that when print and email get together, average response rates soar. That means more money to fund programs and make meaningful change happen.

Perfectionism is on the rise, and that’s not a good thing. Psychologists believe this irrational desire to succeed may cause mental health issues. If you feel stuck between delusions of perfect grandeur and the fear of being found out, let me offer a solution from my not-so-secret, secret skill: improvisation.

Shakespeare penned the words, “Beware the ides of March,” in his play Julius Caesar. The piece recounts the Roman ruler’s assassination by angry mob and stabbing. I hate to be dramatic, but sometimes being a fundraiser can feel just like that.  Here's how to deal with disgruntled donors and still keep your cool. 

All too often, the year starts and fundraising planning gives way to crisis control. To help you get out of emergency mode, I’m sharing this nonprofit fundraising plan template – all ready for you to customize. If you’ve ever wondered how to write a successful fundraising strategy, this is a great start.

Three out of four nonprofits admit they use social media to talk about their events, their activities and their needs. In doing so, they miss the true purpose of social media. Find out why now is a good time for nonprofits to rethink their social media strategies. 

Vanity metrics are rarely correlated to real outcomes, like increasing donations so you can provide more meals to people in need. Your nonprofit’s mission is why you exist. And everything you do, including PR, should contribute to that mission in some way.