The first and best place to find data to support your development work sits in your donor database. Once you have examined the data from your database, today's blog post offers 3 strategies to help you dig deeper to find hidden giving potential.

How do you know which donors you should spend time cultivating and soliciting for a major gift? The answer lies in your database; you just need to know what to look for and how to use that information.

When people think of lobbying, they often envision well-funded interest groups, not local nonprofits fighting for community change. But nonprofits often serve on the front lines, helping our most vulnerable populations and deeply understanding the issues that hold people back and let them thrive. Nonprofits have every right to lobby legislators—and they should.

These examples demonstrate the importance of taking the time and effort to assure that you have good, up-to-date data upon which to base your fund development plan and decisions as it will save you time – and raise more money – in the long run. 

Do you know the difference between capacity and propensity? Just because a person has money does not mean he or she will give it to your organization. Likewise, just because they love your organization does not mean they will make a major gift.

National data suggests that individuals give 80-90% of donations to all types of organizations. If you want to raise more money or diversify your funding streams, you need a strong major gift program.

Have you come across a grant funder who looks perfect for your organization only to read that they "only give to preselected organizations" or do not accept unsolicited applications? Learn what that means and the next steps you can take the next time you run across these types of funders.

Nonprofits across the Quad Cities face an uncertain financial future. Recent shifts in federal grant funding – freezes, reductions, and policy overhauls – have create ripple effects that threaten organizational stability and disrupt critical services for the most vulnerable residents.

A new Federal Grant Impact Report by Wastyn & Associates reveals the extent of these changes. The findings confirm what many nonprofit leaders already feel: financial uncertainty, staff stress, and competition for limited dollars.

The federal grants environment has been – in a word – “interesting” the last two months. But rather than sit back and let change happen to you and your organization, I recommend that you take an active role – starting immediately – to manage the change rather than let it manage you.

You may have heard people talk about different types of funds that you can raise. Learn what those are, how they differ and how to secure each type for your organization.

By taking a strategic approach – on fundable projects, conducting deep research, and assessing both qualification and logistical fit – you ensure that you pursue the right opportunities rather than just lots of opportunities.

Too often board members and organizations define "conflict of interest" too broadly which may preclude some highly qualified board members from serving on your board. Learn what a conflict is and isn't and how you can protect yourself and your organization from a potential conflict.

Here are 6 ways your board can help navigate change in your organization.

Nonprofit executives do not need to navigate these ever-changing and chaotic times alone; that's part of your board's role. Learn four ways that you can leverage the power for your board to help you and your organization during this time.

Happy Holidays from the Wastyn & Associates team with best wishes for a prosperous and joyous new year.

Successfully engaging staff in organizational change begins with creating an organizational culture that supports change.

25-30% of all gifts come in during the month of December yet many fundraising professionals simply send a letter and wait for the money to pour in, wondering why they didn't raise more. These five strategies will help you raise more money this holiday season.

Now that you have identified the problem and the type of problem, we move to the next phase: generating solutions.

If you have a small and often volunteer-led nonprofit, the question often arises about paying your executive director. Should you? Is it appropriate? How can we afford to? Why should we take money from our mission to support a salary? Learn answers to these and other questions you may have about paying your executive director. (HINT: The answer is YES, pay them!)

Once you effectively identify the problem – the real problem, you need to categorize the type of problem you have.