GIVING Stories

COVER STORY
The U.S. Navy SEALs can trace their roots back to World War II, and have played critical roles in almost every conflict the United States has been involved with since. As the Navy’s primary special operations force, SEALs have a long history of performing high-stakes operations, including rescuing hostages and eliminating dangerous terrorists. They are world-renowned as elite warriors who never back down.

COVER STORY
Coal Creek Meals on Wheels has grown pretty significantly, and philanthropy has been a big driver in that growth. Our contributed revenue budget has doubled over the last four years, and that’s in large part been due to an increase in individual donors.

COVER STORY
Creating and maintaining a donor-centric culture within a nonprofit organization is essential for fostering strong, lasting relationships with donors and ensuring the long-term success of fundraising efforts.

COVER STORY
I was involved in fundraising informally from an early age, collecting for UNICEF and distributing food and clothing at shelters. In my late 20s, when my best friend contracted leukemia, I became more engaged in community giving, organizing blood drives and fundraising for research. After his passing, I pursued a graduate degree and began working full-time in fundraising, starting with reforestation and environmental initiatives in Armenia.

COVER STORY
I learned so much from my theater days. Having done both scene work with a script in front of me and improv with no script, I recommend writing a “script” before going into any major donor meetings. For me, that script is usually a bullet-point list of topics that I want to cover and important information about the donor and their giving history. Having a “practice” conversation with a friend or colleague beforehand is really helpful too.

COVER STORY
The most powerful tool in a fundraising professional’s arsenal is the ability to share stories of transformation. This allows the nonprofit to connect the donor to the cause and inspire them to take action. Authenticity in storytelling is essential for creating meaningful connections between donors and the mission.