Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Just Ask - Rethinking Development

Bryan discusses an important truth in fundraising: you may be sowing seeds you never reap.

In any profession, it can be discouraging to act but not see immediate fruit. How do you persevere when success doesn’t seem to follow your hard efforts?

Greg asks a sincere question: how do you engage more millennials in philanthropy?

Greg and Bryan answer a question from a listener:

How do you go about finding your first donors? Put another way, how do you build a donor base when you work at a new nonprofit or school?

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Is having an event a good idea to start
• ​Why you should set big goals
• ​How to involve volunteers in the process

Can there be a less time and labor consuming way to raise money than a bake sale? Yes! Bryan discusses why non-profits and churches should put aside this archaic fundraising method and approach fundraising with a more relational approach.

When asking for gifts, there is something to be said for bare bones sincerity. Greg and Bryan take a deep dive into how to make an honest ask.

Greg dives deeper into the question of Catholic identity. You may have encountered donors who ask about the Catholic identity of your school. What is prompting that question? What is it they really want to know? What is their underlying concern? How might you receive and answer the question? With degrees in both business and theology, Greg helps development directors understand the perspective of these donors.

Can an attack dog thwart your fundraising? Greg and Bryan take you down a journey of absurd moments they have had in their fundraising careers.

Every great appeal, ask, invitation, and opportunity has one thing in common: urgency. You cannot undervalue what this one element can do for your fundraising. Bryan and Greg share practical tools and insights on how to make your fundraising more urgent.

One of the hardest parts of fundraising is determining how much to ask someone for. Bryan and Greg take on this topic today and discuss the process and best practices they take to determine: how much should you ask for?

In this episode, Greg presents a solution to how Catholic schools can avoid mission drift while still benefitting from modern fundraising. Also, Greg eats a little bit of crow pie from his arguments in part one.

Have Catholic schools changed? Greg suspects they have. He channels his 30+ years fundraising for Catholic education to navigate the difference he sees occurring in the schools of old with the schools of today. Greg ends with a question for you the listener. You won’t want to miss this first discussion on why Catholic schools are now “all grown up.”

Why can’t you raise money behind a desk? Major fundraising happens when you get out and see people. How many visits should you aim to make? Should you be asking for a gift every time? Bryan leads this topic as he and Greg discuss the logic and best practices to highlight this truth: you can’t raise money behind a desk.

Transparent fundraising should sound a bit redundant. Yet non-profits face frequent decisions of how transparent to be with donors. How much do they need to know? Bryan discusses his approach to this topic.

New episodes coming in September!

[Original release June 2022]

One of the most terrifying terms in development is the “cold call”. How can you take the “cold” out of the critical discovery call in relationships. There can be no relationship or support for your cause without making the discovery call. Today, Bryan breaks down the steps to master this skill and get more appointments.

Competition can be a great motivating force. But, one of the traps fundraisers face is to see competition in an unhealthy way: an “us vs them” outlook regarding other charities. Today, Bryan talks with Greg about how competition can be healthy and unhealthy. They discuss who(or what) your real competition is in fundraising.

What is the number 1 cause of campaigns stalling out? Execution. Without effective organization of solicitation tracking, every charity will watch what could be major gifts slip through the cracks or be left like unharvested fruit on the vine.

Greg leads this discussion on the 5 fields every database should have in place to avoid this trap and execute for success.

One of the biggest mistakes in development is to assume the person you need to see will say no. Professionals and volunteers will often do this before they ever even pick up the phone! Greg shares his 10th and final Principle of Development Strategy. Listen as he and Bryan discuss how to avoid this kind of “Stinkin Thinkin”.

What exactly did Little Jane teach Greg on her first birthday? The simple but true principle of development: the more personal the appeal, the more likely the person will say yes, and the bigger the gift. When you take the time and care to personalize your approach, greater results for your charity and cause will follow. Listen in as Greg and Bryan discuss this 9th of 10 principles.

In this episode, Bryan eats crow pie in regards to fundraising events. In a prior episode, Bryan shared his dislike for events as an effective way to fundraise. However, his organization just put on an event which raised $500,000. How? Bryan discusses with Greg the keys to making an event a major opportunity.

So you work at a nonprofit. Your technical job description doesn’t mention soliciting gifts. But - do you actually fundraise and not know it? Bryan and Greg discuss how you might be more involved in fundraising than you actually realize.

What do Ben Franklin and your current donors have in common? Human nature. Find out why you can use this truth to your charity’s benefit when approaching individuals for support. In this episode, Greg leads the discussion on why the motives for a person to get involved remain relatively stable.

Do you feel like your fundraising has come to a standstill or you’re not moving as fast as you would like to reach your financial goals? Bryan and Greg cover four key ways you may be stalling out your fundraising efforts. This episode will address:

- why you need organized data

- whether events are the best way to fundraise

- the benefit of having more than one development employee

- how good preparation alone won't bring in the funds

Have you ever had someone you wanted to approach for support but felt like you couldn’t get past the door? You are not alone! Every fundraiser encounters this. The principal today is that everybody has someone to whom they can’t say no. If you can master this principle, benefactors who may have been untouchable before, will be open to you. This episode, Bryan hosts Greg‘s discussion on the science behind why this principle works.

Asking volunteers to help fundraise takes time, especially the first time you ask, but it ultimately pays off. If you’ve ever wondered whether involving volunteers is worth the effort, this one’s for you. Greg makes a strong case for involving volunteers in your fundraising efforts.

After the Campaign. You’ve reached the top of the mountain. So what happens now? Bryan and Greg discuss 3 things you need to do when the capital campaign wraps up.

Have you ever found yourself in the “Friendzone?” How about the “Fundraising Friendzone”. This is where a fundraiser has the perfect person to partner with their mission, but they somehow never get around to asking for support. They’re stuck in the Friendzone. Bryan and Greg discuss 3 ways you can fight your way out of the Friendzone and start partnering with the benefactors your cause needs.

Where is your time best spent? Every fundraiser must answer this question day in and day out. Greg shares why you should invest limited resources into prospects with the greatest potential for return. Learn how to reduce low value fundraising efforts and maximize the limited time you have. Greg outlines how execute this latest Principle of Development Strategy and avoid pitfalls along the way.

No, we’re not talking about taking pride in your work. This week Bryan and Greg dive into the philosophical depths of how the ancient sin of pride slips into our field of fundraising. In this episode you’ll learn: why fundraisers use so many arbitrary titles, how pride enters fundraising from a fundraiser and donor perspective, and why fundraisers can be honest about what we do and still be proud of our profession.

Greg reminds us all of a golden rule in fundraising: your current donors are your best future donors. Why? Find out as Bryan hosts Greg’s discussion on this tried and and true method to raising greater support.

You want to raise funds? How do you know if you can raise the money to reach your goal? Greg shares how you need two types of estimates before you begin: income and expense. Bryan hosts the discussion on Greg’s third principle of development strategy.

Bryan and Greg continue the discussion on what makes an "Ask" for support good. This episode focuses on effective strategies for when and how to make the right ask.

How much should you ask someone to give to your cause? What constitutes a major gift? What are the elements that separate a bad proposal from a good one? Listen to part one of a two part conversation on this critical fundraising topic. Bryan dives into the hallmarks of a good "ask" as Greg hosts the discussion. 

Today we cover the 2nd of 8 Principles of Development Strategy: in every fundraising initiative, first identify you best prospects. Greg breaks this down into the impact for annual and campaign drives as Bryan hosts.

Greg highlights the 1st of 8 Principles of Development Strategy: people support what they help to create. These are principles Greg has gleaned from his 30+ years working in development. Bryan hosts the discussion as Greg breaks down why your work with benefactors will bear greater fruit when you use this approach.

Can someone be a fund-raiser on the side? Why does it seem so hard to balance your development duties with your non-fundraising tasks? Bryan and Greg make the case for why you can't approach development with a 50/50 attitude.

Silent Phase? Advance Phase? What should one call the first solicitation phase of a campaign? It matters because it changes how you think about the task at hand. Bryan and Greg walk through the ins and outs of how to approach the Leadership phase of a campaign.

Bryan breaks down 3 reasons people fail to ask for the support they need. 

Anyone raising funds can relate to this feeling. You make a great presentation to a potential supporter and the moment arrives to ask for a gift... but then you don't. What holds us back from taking advantage of the God given opportunities we find before us? Find out as Bryan and Greg discuss this topic.

For any fundraising endeavor to succeed, you need the right benefactors to invest. The old saying in development goes, “involvement precedes investment.” Greg lays out tangible examples of the “why and how” to involve the benefactors you need most as Bryan hosts the discussion.

Have you talked to {insert untouchable major sports player} about your project? Did you see that {Blank} sold their business for $$$ ? Many people believe fundraising is as easy as reading the paper for the latest millionaire. Bryan breaks down the actual steps to find the best prospects for your fundraising endeavor as Greg hosts the discussion.

Listen as co-hosts, Greg Jeffrey and Bryan Wilburn pull back the veil on fundraising. This episode lays out a roadmap for this podcast series. 

When it comes to making great marketing and fundraising copy, we feel it’s all on us to create something amazing. This especially true for Catholic nonprofits, as they seek to lean on 2000 years of faith and tradition. As the saying goes, “worry smarter not harder.” Greg talks about the inspirational language of our Church documents. Familiarity with them will give your school marketing the aspirational language needed to inspire enrollment growth.

“Get stuff done.” How many times has this been your mindset to start the day, only to be derailed by the multitude of tasks faced at a nonprofit. Greg shares three tips to become incredibly more efficient in your work.

Alumni Participation in the Annual Fund. Why do so few graduates support their alma mater? What can be done? Greg and Bryan brainstorm ideas for building alumni participation.

The President’s Role. Formerly a teacher and principal, you’ve just accepted a job as president of a Catholic high school. What does this new job entail? How is it different than principal? Greg leads a discussion about how to take on this key role.

Are foundation appeals just another beauty contest? Bryan shares his take regarding the return on investment of pursuing grant dollars.

Bryan explores a question with Greg: why do so many development professionals leave the non-profit world or turn to consulting jobs? Listen as they diagnose what is causing fundraisers to “get out or sell out.”

Are mailed appeals effective?

Greg takes Bryan on journey through his daily fundraising mail. He shares insights into the world of mailed appeals from the person who matters most: the donor!

Why do people give? On a basic level, most people of us know the answer. Because you asked! But in practice, how many nonprofits ask and ask well? Bryan shares a success story that highlights the fine art of asking.

If your non-profit is out to change the world, just about the last thing you want your cause to be referred to as is “nice.” Bryan discuss with Greg how you can avoid being just another “nice” charity.

A common pitfall non-profits fall into is the tendency to confuse money with relationships. What do we mean? When searching for A Team volunteers, don’t default to the ones you know will say yes. Greg explains why nonprofits often get this wrong and how they might better approach volunteer recruitment.