ARTICLES

"Getting Grants Right" by Giselle Huff

This article offers important and useful suggestions for ensuring that the  grant proposals your organizations sends get all the details right. 

"Top 10 Tips on the Fine Art of Cultivating Donors" by Joanne Fritz

Making initial contact with a donor is a big step, but the most important thing is to cultivate a long term relationship.  This article discusses good tips on maintaining that relationship.

"Planning Special Events: Blueprint for Success"by Debora Meskauskas

Though the article is written for librarians, it still applies to nonprofits by giving a good overview on how to plan a successful event.

"Making Contact with Donors" by Donors Forum

This article, from Donors Forum, tells development teams what to do for contacting Donors.  Multiple links to other helpful articles and steps in contacting donors are provided.

"Analyze This: A Nonprofits Guide to Event Fundraising Analytics" by Jono Smith

This "e-book" teaches  non profits how to use the information you gain from holding events to improve upon and predict the success of events in the future. The book has a special emphasis on fundraising events.

"The Timing of your Mailings" by Stephen Hitchcock

This article from Guidestar, a website which gathers and publicizes information about nonprofit organizations, suggests the key times throughout the year to mail to donors, reminding us that "you don't really know when your donors or prospective donors are disposed to give."

"Top 10 Fundraising "How-To's" for 2010" by Kevin Gentry

This "fundraising tip of the week," courtesy of Kevin Gentry, reminds us about the essentials to maximizing revenue, particularly in a time of recession.

“A Whole New Twist on Bequest Mailings” by Deborah Block and Paul Karps

If you haven't given much thought to creating legacies, you should! This article, with sample mailing, shows a nice way to integrate the legacy into your mailings.

“Landing Page Optimization” by Nick Allen

Do you have a "landing page" to secure donations? This article from Mal Warwick's shop offers a brief list of tips to consider.

"Using Giving Circles in Diaspora Giving" by Laura Zylstra

Thinking about tapping into diaspora giving? Read up on the MarWarwick.com article that can spur some good brainstorming.

"Success in Fundraising Starts With the Board of Directors" by Ruthellen S. Rubin

Are these familiar refrains from your board members -- “I give my time, so I don’t have to give my money.” “I’m on a lot of boards, so I can’t give much.” “You should appreciate me for my good ideas ... that’s enough.” If so, check out this article which says "NO!" to each of these cop outs.

"25 Steps To Fall & Holiday Fundraising Success" by Network For Good

Network for Good is a nonprofit website that enables donors to make online donations to "any charity, anywhere online." Check out its services for nonprofits such as this fundraising guide.

"Making Direct Mail Work for You" by Ann Fitzgerald

Ann Fitzgerald, president of AC Fitzgerald and Associates, and frequent Atlas guest lecturer, provides a brief Q and A about direct mail.

"Fundraising Success- Using Storytelling to Motivate Constituents" by Abny Santicola

Fundraisingsuccessmag.com is another online tool to check out. This articles links to several presentations that share the value of telling good stories to energize your cause.

"Raising Money" from Up from Slavery: An Autobiography 1901" by Booker T. Washington

Joseph Lehman, president of Mackinac Center in Michigan, delivered a moving lecture at Atlas's Liberty forum, drawing from this classic article from Booker T. Washington's autobiography.

"Finding the Funding: A Hands-on Approach to Fundraising Essentials"by Ann Fitzgerald and Associates

Ann Fitzgerald, president of AC Fitzgerald and Associates, and frequent Atlas guest lecturer, provides succinct tips on proposal writing, direct mail, and visiting with donors.

"10 Steps to Persuasive Proposals " by Ann Fitzgerald

Ann Fitzgerald, president of AC Fitzgerald and Associates, and frequent Atlas guest lecturer, provides tips on proposal writing.

"Steps to Hiring and Retaining the Fundraising Talent You Need" by Christina K. Smith

Christina Smith, former director of development at SPN, offers tips on hiring fundraising talent.

"Cookies or Camp?Fundraising or Development?" by John Woodyard

Development Consultant John Woodyard provides a "relationship" fundraising perspective at an SPN training program.

"Are There Easy Ways to Reduce Donor Attrition Rates?" by Stephen Hitchcock

Guidestar.com is another fundraising information sharing site that should be on your bookmarked page. This Guidestar link shares tips for retaining donors.

"Effective Fundraising Techniques- Corporate Sponsorship" by Hellenic Leadership Institute

This presentation by the Hellenic Institute (Greece) at Atlas's Liberty Forum in 2007 describes its methods for reaching out totwo categories of donors: house file donors and "activity-related donors."

"How To Approach Grant Donors That Are Not Accepting Grant Applications and Get Their Attention" by Arlene Spencer

Seeking Grant Money Today describes basics about, how to's, current events in, and gives practical examples of how nonprofit 501(c)(3), etc. organizations can achieve success in all operations.

"Franklin Forum Roundup: 14 Print Material Prep Tips" by Abny Santicola

This section from fundraisingsuccess.com offers tips for preparing print materials for direct-mail campaigns.

"29 Tips for Gaining and Retaining a Donor Base" by Abny Santicola

This section from fundraisingsuccess.com offers a series of questions to ask as you set up membership programs to increase donor retention.

"20 Emergency Funding Sources for Nonprofits" by Fieldstone Alliance

The Fieldstone Alliance provides consulting, publishing, training, and research and demonstration projects geared towards nonprofits and funders. In this link, it offers a list of 20 emergency funding ideas based on revenue sources that can be accessed quickly. Not all of these sources are available to all nonprofits, and some of them carry great risk. Nonetheless, you may find the list useful...and thought-provoking.

"Foundation Grants for International Causes Show No Signs of Slowing Down" by Marty Michaels

For all who are concerned about international philanthropic giving, this article details findings that suggest international giving is on the increase (published in 2008).

"Donor Power Blog" by Jeff Brooks

Here's another site you might want to know about. The blog offers a range of postings on fundraising topics.

"How much to Upgrade" by Susie Fought

If you are not famliar with this website, check it out. Mal Warwick is the favorite fundraising mentor of our good friend, Kevin Gentry. In this link, the author explores the pros and cons of increasing ask amounts from donors.

BOOKS *All summaries of books can be found here
"Influence" by Robert B. Cialdini
"My Life In Advertising: Scientific Advertising" by Claude C. Hopkins
"The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al Ries and Jack Trout
"Ogilvy on Advertising" by David Ogilvy
"Mega Gifts" by Jerold Panas
"Selling to the Affluent" by Thomas Stanley
"Revolution in the Mailbox" by Mal Warwick
"The Five Strategies for Fundraising Success" by Mal Warwick
"How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters" by Mal Warwick
"10 Steps to Fundraising Success" by Mal Warwick

RESOURCES
Effective Fundraising Techniques- Corporate
Charity Accreditors- Online Research tools