PERFORMANCE METRICS: Navigating the Murky Waters of Fundraising ROI

by Eddie Thompson | Jan 18, 2021 | Development Management

As we venture into 2021, I feel compelled to add a few comments about nonprofit plans and policies going forward. Specifically, I’m doubling down on my suggestion to establish consistent metrics, without which it’s impossible to tell how well or how poorly our...

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2021 (Part 3): Fundraising for Your First Quarter

by Eddie Thompson | Nov 5, 2020 | Development Management, Donor Communications

Over the last six months of 2020, many of our Thompson & Associates discussions in our “Conversations with Industry Icons” podcast series have revolved around one primary topic: the strategies and objectives for 2021. In response, I’m revisiting the underlying...

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2021 (Part 2): Defining a Successful Donor Visit

by Eddie Thompson | Sep 21, 2020 | Development Management, Donor Communications

My conversations with nonprofit leaders over the last few months have focused on where to go from here and the strategic planning process for 2021. With that in mind, I’ve decided to revisit the essential elements of a long-term fund-development strategy. As I wrote...

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2021 (Part 1): Five Big Ideas About Fundraising

by Eddie Thompson | Aug 26, 2020 | Development Management

In my recent conversations with Thompson & Associates clients, we’ve all agreed that between now and the end of the year, organizations need to begin thinking through their approach to fundraising for 2021 and beyond. Given the current challenges facing nonprofit...

OVER-RELIANCE ON ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS: What It Can and Cannot Accomplish

by Eddie Thompson | Jul 20, 2020 | Development Management, Donor Communications

Over the last months, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented increase in electronic communications with staff and stakeholders. That has in many ways been a lifesaver for nonprofits. Imagine how difficult it would be to stay in touch without Zoom or...

THE WOODCUTTER’S WISDOM: Reserving Judgment About Nonprofit Futures

by Eddie Thompson | Jun 29, 2020 | Development Management, Professional Development

In my discussion with nonprofit leaders over the last few weeks, there’s a persistent anxiety about the future—and for good reasons. They’re having to deal with staff reductions and furloughs in fund-development departments, the inability to visit donors, and...