Caring for Your Major Donors

First, who are your major donors? You’ll have to analyze your donor base and identify those individuals – not foundations – who have given your most significant gifts. There is likely a small group that rises to the top as your major donors, whether that is gifts of $5,000 or $50,000. This group of your…

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The Law of 80/20 and Capital Campaigns

The Pareto Principle, or the law of 80/20, seems to apply to many things in our lives – from Pareto’s original observation of wealth distribution to a wide range of phenomenon revealing that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. This principle certainly applies to capital campaigns. In other words, you can expect to…

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Webinar Series: The Green to Dream

It’s a new year and with that come new resolutions! At Library Strategies we are dedicated to sharing our knowledge and expertise with libraries and library organizations across the world. We feel strongly that by connecting and engaging with others, we can both learn and share ideas that will allow libraries to continue to be…

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Capital Campaign in Your Future?

Are you anticipating a capital campaign to help fund a new building or renovation of your library? Before launching a campaign, there are several steps you should be taking now to prepare your organization and improve your potential for a successful campaign. Long before launching a capital campaign – and to strengthen your library’s future…

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Capital Campaigns Don’t Just Happen: Planning for Success

We’ve been fundraising for many years. While some things have changed on the margins, fundraising remains simply this: people give to people. In other words, major donors give to campaigns because someone (preferably a peer) asked them to do so. In a face-to-face meeting. With a very specific request for a gift. These very thoughtfully…

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How to Sabotage Your Capital Campaign

Conducting a successful capital campaign requires careful planning, consistent execution, and strong leadership. If you are anticipating a capital campaign for the first time, there is much to consider. We’ve compiled a list of actions that will surely sabotage any capital campaign. Avoid these mistakes and you will significantly improve your potential to achieve your…

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Ten Ways Consultants Can Help You

10 Ways Consultants Can Help, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

Sometimes it really does take money to make money. You may not need a professional’s advice for a book sale, annual fund, or a small fundraising project, but some kinds of fundraising activities can benefit from professional assistance. Capital campaigns, for example, can be very difficult to complete successfully without this expertise. How do you…

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Writing an Effective Solicitation Letter

Writing an Effective Solicitation Letter, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

The solicitation letter may be one of the oldest fundraising strategies out there, and although it is true that there are many other, more modern efforts, the solicitation letter is still around for one major reason: it works. We decided to outline a few tips and tricks to make your next solicitation letter more effective.…

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10 Great Ways to Thank and Nurture Your Donors

10 Ways to Thank Donors, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

With year-end fundraising wrapped up, it’s time to thank your donors for supporting your library, Friends, and foundation. Although December may be your busiest fundraising month, these ten tips for recognizing your donors should be followed throughout the year. Properly thanking and honoring donors is a crucial step in fundraising. It helps strengthen relationships with…

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Campaign Chairs

7 Habits of Highly Effective Campaign Leaders, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

No matter how compelling your mission or case statement, the success or failure of a capital campaign largely rests with the effectiveness of your campaign leadership. A campaign chair or chairs, with a small Steering Committee, will become your champions in the community, communicating your vision and encouraging major donors to join in as partners…

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