September 26, 2017

Build the House

A successful nonprofit organization will have a successful fundraising program. These go hand in hand. Like building a solid house, a comprehensive fundraising program must be constructed wisely, one step at a time:

The first floor
The ground floor of a well-built fundraising program provides the base upon which everything else is built. The solid base includes a supportive board of directors, an involved development committee, development staff, and a committed CEO or Executive Director, who is behind the development director and the development staff 100 percent.

The second floor
The next floor is the heart of the program: a reliable donor management system that produces reliable data that will contribute to a solid fundraising effort. Building on this is the all-important annual fund campaign and other specialized mailings that occur throughout the year. In addition, the organization's capability to identify major gifts and compare statistical data that allows for ROI and attrition monitoring depend on a quality tracking system.

The third floor
The top floor is where the large-dollar giving takes place. This is the major gifts department; the planned gifts department; and the capital or special campaigns department. The dollars generated from these efforts fund the organization's vision and provide for its success into the future through endowed monies. This is the specialized area that must rely on the first and second floors for information and direction.

Build the fundraising house carefully, and you will have a successful program. Maintain the house well, and you will have an even better organization. Once the house is complete, there are additional enhancements to be made: campaign reports, marketing materials, a case for support and everything else necessary to add a personal touch to a solidly built fundraising structure.

John Warren, Executive Vice President (Winchester, Va.) [email protected]

Join Us on the Growing Philanthropy Tour

Next stops on the road to achieving Hartsook's mission of growing philanthropy by 25 percent in the next 20 years:

Las Vegas
September 26-28, 2017
14th Annual Association of Donor Relations Professionals International Conference
Adrian Sargeant

Quincy, Ill.
October 12, 2017
Tri-State Area Fundraising Professionals Board
Janell Johnson

Scotland, U.K.
October 23-25, 2017
Alan Clayton Associates
Great Fundraising Masterclass
Adrian Sargeant

Kansas City
October 26, 2017
Nonprofit Connect
Building a Culture of Philanthropy
Karin Cox

Wichita, Kan.
November 16, 2017
AFP Greater Wichita Chapter
Supporting Sponsor: Hartsook

Scotland, U.K.
February 7-9, 2018
Alan Clayton Associates
Great Fundraising Masterclass
Adrian Sargeant

Minneapolis
February 28-March 3, 2018
ALDE IGNITE International Conference
Massive Fundraising
Adrian Sargeant

Past Stops on the Tour

Resources for Smart Fundraising Available on Kindle

Keep up to date on the latest fundraising trends with the Kindle ASR Media collection:

• Reality Fundraising - Ideas, insights and lessons learned through hundreds of best practices from nonprofit professionals nationwide by Bob Hartsook
  
• Fundraising Leadership - The definitive source for empowering board members to become pro-active fundraising leaders by Karin L. Cox
  
• Getting Your Ducks in a Row - A tool box of strategies for effective campaign fundraising by Bob Hartsook
  
• Million Dollar Gifts - Real-life stories of million-dollar gifts that will amaze and inspire your fundraising by Bob Hartsook
  
• Closing that Gift - "29 secrets" to closing a gift and avoiding the top 10 solicitation mistakes by Bob Hartsook
  
• Performance-Driven Fundraising - Handy, yet entertaining reference tool for new and seasoned fundraisers by Matthew J. Beem
  
• Nobody Wants to Give Money Away! - Stories, humor and more than two decades of fundraising experience in which Bob explores the nine fundraising truths essential to success by Bob Hartsook
  
• On The Money! - An enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide by Bob Hartsook
• $231 Billion Raised and Counting - by Bob Hartsook, Matthew J. Beem, Karin Cox and over a dozen Hartsook consultants and clients. Hartsook shares stories and "Strategies for Success" that will educate and inspire

Book Deal of the Month

Hartsook has pushed and challenged the status quo, and nobody in the world has had a greater impact on the fundraising profession than Bob Hartsook. The strategies shared in $231 Billion Raised and Counting are the culmination of Bob's many years as a fundraiser, consultant, and philanthropist - as he and co-authors Matthew J. Beem and Karin Cox bring together insights from the many consultants who make up the extraordinary Hartsook team. Go here to purchase your copy for a special price of $10 (plus shipping and handling).

On the Web

	Blogs and articles. President and CEO Matthew J. Beem and Founder and Chairman Bob Hartsook regularly share simple, but powerful messages about philanthropy, fundraising and the power of relationships.
	Timely Tips and Tweets! Follow us on Twitter at HartsookTips for tips and giveaways.
	Facebook: Become a Fan and a Friend. Fundraising tips, event photos, news and updates - see what's new at Hartsook by becoming a fan of us on Facebook. Friend Hartsook Founder and Chair Bob Hartsook, CEO Matthew J. Beem, and Chief Creative Officer Karin Cox for even more updates!

Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with thousands of fundraising professionals. We welcome your best practices contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success editor Karin Cox, [email protected]. If you'd like a free subscription to Strategies for Success or its monthly companion, eHartsook on Philanthropy, contact [email protected].

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