The Fundraiser’s Toolbox
You know that fundraising is hard work. To be successful you need to be well equipped to take on all its challenges. At SOFII, we thought you might like some help. So we’ve put together this fundraiser’s toolbox that we’ll be filling with essential examples, formats, articles, case studies, ideas and tips that we think every fundraiser should know about.
The BADASSforGOOD podcast. Episodes six to ten.‘I might just ruffle a few feathers’
by R. Trent Thompson
Mr Badass is back! We bring you five more short, sharp and provocative podcasts from R. Trent Thompson that will transform how you think about your non-profit brand and the impact it makes.
Read moreIntroducing the wisdom of Jerry Huntsinger
by Gwen Chapman
Jerry Huntsinger is the dean of direct mail fundraising. Now, just for you, he is sharing his wisdom here, in the unique Jerry Huntsinger tutorials.
Read moreTutorial 1: Creating fundraising letters and packages
by Jerry Huntsinger
The purpose of these tutorials is to stimulate your thinking. Challenge your preconceived notions. Stimulate your appetite for testing a new idea.
Read moreTutorial 2: Is direct mail fundraising a science or an art?
by Jerry Huntsinger
It is a little of both. If you are a writer assigned to create fundraising letters, then you have to deal with feelings, intuition, motivation. Direct mail is a personal form of communication. And communication occurs only when you reach out and touch a person at a deep level.
Read moreTutorial 3: What makes a successful letter-writer?
by Jerry Huntsinger
A successful letter-writer must overcome human inertia by putting words on paper. A tough job. Good letter-writers are extremely rare, but here’s how you can spot one.
Read moreTutorial 4: Motivation, magic and junk mail
by Jerry Huntsinger
A few motivations often listed in textbook approaches to fundraising.
Read moreTutorial 5: What’s all this talk about junk mail?
by Jerry Huntsinger
Mail opening in most households is a time of great anticipation. And since the advent of email and electronic communications, the arrival of snail mail has become a high point of the day. You most likely know someone who laments that they no longer receive letter mail.
Read moreTutorial 6: The power of a letter
by Jerry Huntsinger
To be successful in this business, you have to recognise the power of a letter. Why? Because there are now so many people in fundraising who understand computers, finance, business management, or work flow systems. All of these skills are basic to competent fundraising organisations. But what’s happened to the letter?
Read moreTutorial 7: A funny thing happens on the way to the mailbox
by Jerry Huntsinger
A letter owes part of its power to the way in which it is delivered. Perhaps your mail is delivered to your door. Do you ever rush to the door when you hear the mail hit the floor? Or perhaps you have to walk or travel a distance to collect your mail. Do you ever feel your pulse quicken in anticipation of collecting your mail?
Read moreMy first weeks as a fundraiser: where do I start?
by Ken Burnett
SOFII presents ‘My first weeks as a fundraiser’: a series to guide you through the start of your fundraising career. We hope to create a treasure trove linking you to the best of what’s on SOFII when it comes to the essentials of fundraising, aka everything you need to get your feet under the table.
Read moreThe (almost) complete reading list for fundraisers
by Lisa Sargent
If you're starting out in fundraising and are wondering where to get the knowledge you need, this list of inspirational books is for you.
Read moreCDE project 7 summary: companies
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
This project will consider all aspects of the evolving field of corporate partnerships from the perspective of the donor - including directors, senior managers, selection panels and staff to identify ways of enhancing the experience to the benefit of all involved.
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