A pro­file of Mal War­wick: America’s genial guru of fundrais­ing direct mail

What we at SOFII have to say about this guy.

Written by
Christiana Stergiou
Added
June 03, 2011

Despite what Mal himself says (see Mal Warwick in his own words), great and good, not ornery, are just two of the words we at SOFII would use to describe the fundraising legend that is Mal Warwick. He holds his place in fundraising’s hall of fame for his strategic, detailed and highly effective approach to nonprofit direct marketing, as well as his passion for sharing his vast knowledge with thousands of fundraisers around the world.

Mal is a brilliant fundraising strategist and a long-term advocate of socially responsible business. But he’s probably best known as the nonprofit sector’s doyen of direct marketing. He has worked with some of the world’s most prominent nonprofits and causes, including six US Democratic presidential candidates, as well as with dozens of local and regional organisations. Mal and his colleagues have directly raised more than half-a-billion dollars for nonprofit causes – mostly in the form of small gifts from individuals.

Most recently, Mal has served as Chair of the Resource Alliance (2007-8), organisers of the annual International Fundraising Congress in The Netherlands. He is an active member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Nonprofit Federation, Washington, DC, which, in 2009, gave him a prestigious award in recognition of his ‘career characterised by innovation and leadership within the direct marketing community’. This is one of many awards Mal has received. In 2006, he was named as ‘Berkeley’s most useful citizen’ in recognition of his lifetime contributions to his local community in San Francisco.

Many of Mal’s 19 books (yes 19!) are required reading for fundraisers, not just his favourite book, How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, but also The Mercifully Brief, Real-World Guide to Raising $1,000 Gifts by Mail and Revolution in the Mailbox. SOFII will be reviewing the latter soon.

Mal’s latest book, Fundraising When Money is Tight, is filled with pragmatic information on what nonprofits should be doing about their fundraising during these tough economic times.

You can catch Mal speaking at most major, and many smaller, fundraising conferences and workshops from Kenya to Kuala Lumpur to Kansas. Mal, on behalf of all fundraisers, we at SOFII thank you for so willingly passing on your fundraising wisdom to fundraisers around the world.

Now read Mal Warwick in his own words and, if you want to, you can find more about Mal on his easy-to-use website. While you’re there, make sure you sign up to his e-news – more than 11,000 people from 69 countries already have.

To order Mal’s books direct from his publisher, Jossey-Bass/Wiley, click on the covers, above.

About the author: Christiana Stergiou

Christiana Stergiou, is a fundraiser, consultant, copywriter and blogger. She founded Scribbly Bark in 2009 to help nonprofit organisations raise more money for their causes.

Recent Articles

Beyond words – how thanking can transform your relationship with your charity’s supporters

The all-important thank you. After each donation, the thank you sets the tone for what could be a good or bad supporter experience. Yet so often, the thank you becomes automated, forgotten, or worse still – left out of the donor journey on purpose. In this article, Mark Phillips shares why he thinks improving your thanking can be transformational to the relationship you have with your supporters.

Read more

From the Myth Smashers: Do donors really love having a brick with their name on it?

When it comes to capital campaigns, 2022 Myth Smashers winner Kellie O’Sullivan isn’t sure putting your donor’s name on a brick is strictly necessary. She thinks it’s less about the brick and mortar or the physical building – and more about ‘building’ a legacy that lays the foundations of community, connection, and collaboration.

Read more

From the Myth Smashers: Guess what? Mid value donors are not major donors in disguise!

Just like the cliché of the middle child, mid value donors can sometimes be forgotten, ignored, or swept up in other segments. But 2023 Myth Smashers winner Kate Rule believes that mid value donors are not major donors in disguise! Keep reading to discover why Kate wants you to rethink your stewardship strategy for mid value donors.

Read more

Inclusion or disillusion – how do LGBT+ people in the UK feel about giving to charity?

The LGBT+ community represents a huge and growing demographic with considerable giving power. For charities and fundraisers, understanding how to engage this group has never been more important. In this report from sector specialists Consider, their team found out how LGBT+ people in the UK really feel about giving to charities. 

Read more

Supporter care – it’s the best investment you can make in fundraising

Ralph Welch didn’t expect his chance encounter with a Women’s Super League customer service team to make him think much about fundraising. But an unexpected response after a recent purchase made him reflect on charities and supporter care. Read on to find out more and learn a few top tips.

Read more