At weddings, ministers are fond of rehearsing the historical story of Jesus’ first miracle. He attends a wedding where the host runs out of wine. At the insistence of his mother, he turns six stone jars of water into wine.The belief in m...

Let me introduce you to my friend Jeff Slaughter. He is a missionary, fundraiser, master storyteller and more. Find Jeff at:https://jeffslaughterwrites.com/

As a fundraising consultant, I’ve encountered countless nonprofits who believe they’re telling compelling stories about their work. But when I look at their websites and social media feeds, I’m often left wondering: Where are the stories?

I love Africa and I adore African fundraisers. Your passion, dedication, and tireless efforts to create positive change in your community is truly inspiring. You deserve to get the money you need. There are some things you need to u...

Naming opportunities are a nonprofit's golden ticket to unlocking major donations. This episode reveals the power of offering naming rights to recognize supporters, plus you'll learn 7 key steps to follow to successfully implement this lucrativ...

Describing the need is easy compared with the hard work of finding the descriptive words that paint a picture of the need having been met. If there is one thing I find that leaders don't understand, it is the power o...

When we fail to recognize and celebrate “firsts,” we miss powerful opportunities to strengthen our relationships, build momentum, and create a positive, thriving culture.In families, celebrating firsts – from a baby’s first steps to...

Your vision and mission statements are more than just words on paper - they’re the heart and soul of your nonprofit, guiding every decision you make and every dollar you raise. Invest in getting them right, and watch your impact soar.

Jewish storytellers celebrate unity and brotherhood by telling a story about pouring huge amounts of expensive oil on the top of one of their leader's heads. Their story corresponds to the "rock in the pond" principle.  

One of Dale Carnagie's favorite stories was about fishing. "I love strawberries and cream, but I find for some reason that fish prefer worms."In the same vein, you don't "catch" donors by baiting the hook with what you love...

Organizations and fundraisers go to great pains to make sure donors know that giving to their mission is tax deductible. Is this a major reason why donors give to you?

People who are tens on the leadership scale attract other people who are tens, nines, eights, and lower. Sevens attract other sevens, sixes, fives and so on. Threes can attract other threes, twos, and ones.People who are a five on the le...

If people don't believe in your mission, (and everyone won't), they won't give. But, if they do THEY WILL GIVE YOU THEIR MILLIONS! Reading through Jerold Panas' book, Mega Gifts, Who Gives Them, Who Get's Them

Six powerful insights into why people give large gifts to you. From Mega Gifts, by Jerry Panas. 

I am reading Mega Gifts by Jerold Panas. After interviewing dozens of people who gave millions and 1,000 successful fundraisers, he examines why people give to charity. The results are surprising. 

Your story, and your storytelling answers the all important question for the world: WHY

IF you can stop talking about your organization so much, and begin to talk about your donors, your community, your beneficiaries, and their hopes, aspirations, values, and struggles, they will know, like, and trust you more.And, if they ...

The world will ignore you when you tell your stories the wrong way.I FIND THAT MOST FUNDRAISERS THINK THEY ARE TELLING STORIES WHEN THEY ARE MERELY GIVING REPORTS. What is the difference?A story is about one pe...

Visionary fundraisers know that telling the truth makes people free, but first, it makes them miserable. This is where story comes in. Storytelling takes a gentler approach and minimizes potential resistance. This is why one of the ...

Just like the legendary King Arthur and his mighty sword Excalibur, your storytelling is a celestial key that unlocks incredible power.Imagine storytelling as holding your very own Excalibur. When you tell a story, you're not just sharin...

Each year as I receive contribution statements from the charities that I supported in the previous year, I am always surprised.As I open them, I am shocked that some are naked. A naked contribution statement is a printed ...

As humans and other animals approach reaching a goal, their efforts toward that goal increase.Rats run faster as they approach a food reward, and humans increase effort as they approach rewards or goals such as visual finish lines.

As a fundraiser you should understand that a significant number of donors make critical decisions about their charitable contributions often in the final days of the year. These donors with high capacity often opt for late year-end ...

Visionary fundraisers know a simple yet powerful maneuver that can multiply their end-of-year appeal exponentially: NOTIFY THE DONOR BEFORE THEY RECEIVE YOUR APPEAL! By proactively reaching out to your donors before sending out you...

Sitting still, a powerful locomotive cannot overcome a 4X4 piece of lumber laid at its wheels. But when that same locomotive is zooming along at fifty-miles-per-hour, it can crush through a brick wall.The difference is momentum...