Author: Alan Sharpe

You’ll be encouraged to know that the art of writing effective fundraising letters can be learned. I learned it. So can you.

Successful fundraising letters share a number of things in common. Once you know what these things are, your letter is already half-way written.

Before I share what they are, let me explain what I mean by a “successful” or “effective” fundraising letter. I mean a letter that generates a gift, certainly, but I also mean a letter that builds upon the relationship you have with your supporters. You can easily craft a guilt-inducing letter that brings in a donation for now but repels a donor forever. Successful fundraising letters take the long-term approach, knowing that donors need to be nurtured and educated over time.

So here are some things that all successful fundraising letters have in common. Include as many of them as you can in each letter you write.

1. Is personal
Effective fundraising letters sound as though they are written by a human being, not an institution. Unlike grant proposals or special events, they are person-to-person pieces of communication. With the exception of a phone call, fundraising letters are the closest thing that you can get to a face-to-face meeting with a donor.

2. Is conversational
Again, unlike grant proposals and charity auctions, effective fundraising letters read like a conversation (though admittedly a monologue) between two people. Wouldn’t you agree that good letters involve the reader? Like you, I believe that effective letters involve the supporter in the message whenever possible without sounding contrived.

3. Is addressed to a person by name
Don’t send form letters to make friends. Friends don’t mail form letters. They send personal letters. Letters addressed to their friends by name. My wife never sends me a letter that begins, “Dear Friend.” Neither do my friends. I realize that personalization costs more. But personalization is the right thing to do. And it boost response, which is a bonus you get for doing the right thing.

4. Describes the case for support in human terms
The best fundraising letters translate institutional needs in terms of people, not programs, remembering that people give to people to help people. So instead of saying “we need $10,000 for our general fund,” a savvy fundraising letter says “our soup kitchen aims to help over 100 needy toddlers this Christmas Eve, and your gift today will make that possible.”

5. Is donor-centred
The best-received fundraising letters say “you” more than they say “we.” As Jeff Brooks, senior creative director at the Domain Group, says, “Donors are interested in you because of what you help them do. You are their agent in their personal mission to make the world better. That should be the topic of all your fundraising. Not the inner workings of the organization. Not the accomplishments of notable others. Not the need for raised consciousness or philosophical buy-in.”

6. Asks for the gift
I’ve read letters that were so high-pressure that I kept my donation in my pocket. And I’ve read others that were so vague that I wasn’t sure if the sender wanted my gift–or expected it. In the fundraising profession, we say that if you don’t ask, you won’t receive. Which is a true statement most of the time, because sometimes you’ll receive gifts unsolicited. But with a fundraising letter, you need to ask for a donation, and more than once in the letter, if you expect to cover your costs.

7. Educates donors
The best fundraising letters leave donors better-informed than they were before they opened the envelope. They give donors more reasons to support your cause by describing how your organization helps its constituents, how a donor’s past gifts are changing lives, or in other ways reinforcing your case for support.

8. Appeals to the heart
Donors give to causes that win their hearts and their minds, usually in that order. Good appeal letters stir feelings of compassion, mercy, empathy, altruism and more so that the donor identifies with your cause on more than a cerebral level.

© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/successful-nonforprofit-fundraising-letters-share-eight-qualities-864.html

About the Author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com.

Author: Don Midgett

Do it now or do it over – with strategic planning, mission and vision statements come first. Proper building blocks for strategic planning, whether for-profit or non-profit organizations, begins with well crafted mission and vision statements.

“There aren’t short cuts for such important actions,” states Don Midgett, business consultant and author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. “Laying the right foundation provides the accurate guide for strategic and long-range planning as well as day-to-day operations.” In short, do it from the start or do it over later. Some real-world examples of non-profit and for-profit organizations using a vision driven approach to strategic planning are given below.

“I had been through other planning processes and inevitably they would only take you so far” said Tim Logerquist, Association Director for the non-profit Gold Coast Baptist Association in southern California. “As we continued the mission and vision process I was able to align my mission and vision statements with strategies and actions that would yield results. This investment in time and effort up front proved successful to the strategic planning process as we now have initiated strategies with real impact.”

“Visionary businesses excel because they set goals that relate directly to their vision. They communicate the vision and vision-based goals to their customers and employees” continues Midgett. “They come up with strategies and actions to reach their goals and achieve their vision. It is in this way that a for-profit or non-profit organization or business can control its destiny in the marketplace rather than let outside forces determine a business direction.”

An early pioneer in internet consulting, Novo Solutions, Inc. in Virginia Beach, Va. began with the initial mission and vision statements providing affordable, innovative business solutions to small and mid size companies. Now in its sixth year, Novo has begun a process of realignment of its business focus centering on newly revised mission and vision statements which called for changes in their strategic planning.

“Using the model of mission and vision statements as a foundation made it easier to frame our mission, define our market products and understand the benefits of having a visionary, market driven company” said Anne Sych, Novo’s Marketing Manager.

Both time and effort can be used successfully when organizations and businesses see the value in doing “their homework” from the beginning and building on solid plans and actions.

So remember! Don’t do it over – do it now! Create your mission and vision statement today. Begin to lay the solid foundation for your organization’s strategic plan and strategic planning process. To learn more on a vision driven approach to strategic planning, go to http://www.missionvisionstatement.com/.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ask-an-expert-articles/strategic-planning-for-nonprofit-and-forprofit-organizations-580951.html

About the Author

Since 1986 Don has dedicated his expertise to helping business owners understand how to use clear, effective mission and vision statements, success goals and strategic planning to grow their businesses. With additional skills in leadership development, organizational dynamics and teambuilding, Don has extensive experience ranging from government agencies, (including a White House Commission for Small and Minority Businesses), new business owners, and to privately and publicly held companies. Don personally helped a prominent government organization turn around a multi-million dollar loss in less than 12 months by implementing a vision-driven strategic planning and leadership process.

Attribution: ‘Job Application’
flickr.com/photos/26013750@N00/3964492825

Author: Michael Fleischner

In most instances, applying for a non-profit job is similar to the application process for positions in the non-profit sector. That is to say that both types of positions require the same core qualifications. This includes: related professional experience, academic degrees, and availability to relocate or to travel to name a few.

However, there are a few areas of expertise that are unique to non-profit. By showcasing your past work history in regards to these areas, you will be substantially enhancing your candidacy and stand out compared to similar candidates applying for the same job.

1. Grant Writing. Securing funds through grants is one of the paramount duties of a non-profit concern. Although most directors will want someone already skilled in this endeavor, if you have a graduate degree in English, and have researched successful grant proposals, you may want to create some sample grant proposals which you can submit with your resume. By doing this, you may be considered for a support role within the organization.

2. Fund Raising. An equally important aspect of the non-profit sector. Here, people skills and networking are at a premium. If you are articulate, self-composed, and easily interact with people, mention those skills in your resume and then support those claims with details from your employment history even if it is not from a related fund-raising endeavor.

For example, if you have been an outstanding sales representative and have won numerous awards, your past performance will enhance your candidacy.

Also, if you have volunteered for community events or have assisted political candidates to reach their goals, showcase this information in the opening summary of your resume.

3. Knowledge of 501(c)(3) accounting practices. 501(c)(3) refers to the tax-exempt status for non-profit organizations. Accountants or bookkeepers who are knowledgeable of this are sought out by the non-profit sector

However, even if you do not have experience in these accounting practices, by familiarizing yourself with the requirements or by taking related courses in the subject, you will be advancing your candidacy over others without similar knowledge.

In addition to following the above guidelines, it is also wise to thoroughly research the organizations website to determine their non-profit culture. Are they conservative? Or are they on the cutting edge and considered hip? Knowing, in advance, the way the organization is structured and the types of individuals that operate it will provide key information for the format and structure of your resume, so that it is effective and gets noticed.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/how-to-write-a-resume-for-nonprofits-310410.html

About the Author

Michael Fleischner is the Managing Director of ResumeEdge, the leading provider of Resume Writing Services and Cover Letters. ResumeEdge is the official resume partner of Yahoo! HotJobs and the Wall Street Journal. For Resume Samples, visit our site.