Fundraising, taughtby fundraisers.

Video courses from development directors and campaign leads, and the conversation under every lesson.

This week on Donor Theory

Madeleine Nance

teaches Write Better Fundraising Appeals

Director of Development, Pacific Northwest Food Bank Network

18 years in annual giving. Wrote the year-end appeals that grew one food bank's individual giving from $1.2M to $4.8M.

Lesson 1 of 6: Write to one donor, not everyone4:10
Members watch all 6 lessons. Madeleine's channel

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6 lessons, 42 min

Write Better Fundraising Appeals

with Madeleine Nance

Six lessons on writing the appeal letter your donors finish and act on. Madeleine walks through a real year-end letter from blank page to mailbox: who you're writing to, the first sentence, the story, the ask, the P.S., and the edit that makes it work.

5 lessons, 42 min

The First Major Gift Ask

with Darius Okafor

Five lessons that take you from a name on a list to a gift in hand. Darius walks through a real $50,000 ask: the research, the discovery visit, the proposal, the ask meeting, and what to do in the ninety seconds after you ask.

6 lessons, 44 min

Build a Monthly Giving Program

with Priya Raman

Six lessons on launching, growing and keeping a monthly giving program. Priya shares the actual pages, emails and spreadsheets from Open Door's program, and the numbers behind each decision.

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Our year-end letter is four pages. Is that too long, or is the problem something else?
Length isn't the problem if every paragraph earns its place. Send me the first two and I'll show you what I mean.