{"id":4402231488862,"date":"2026-05-06T09:54:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T13:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.philanthropy.com\/?p=4402231488862"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:01:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:01:22","slug":"4-of-the-best-hacks-for-fundraisers-and-leaders-from-afp-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.philanthropy.com\/solutions\/4-of-the-best-hacks-for-fundraisers-and-leaders-from-afp-icon\/","title":{"rendered":"4 of the Best Hacks for Fundraisers and Leaders From AFP Icon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last  week fundraisers from around the country gathered at the Association of Fundraising Professionals conference in San Diego. There were hundreds of sessions to choose from and lots of knowledge offered. Here are four key takeaways.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensure donor messages foster trust and loyalty.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fundraisers spend a lot of energy figuring out ways to engage and retain donors. Sometimes they resort to tactics that aren\u2019t really helpful, said Laurel McCombs, senior philanthropy adviser with the Osborne Group. <\/p>\n\n\n

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For example, sending donors birthday cards. That\u2019s a great strategy, she said, \u201cif you want to be like my dentist or like my insurance company \u2014 they do that, too.\u201d Fundraisers who want to retain donors should focus on trust, impact, and engagement and be really clear about telling supporters what your organization is doing, McCombs advised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When recognizing donors, focus on the length of time they have been giving to your organization \u2014 not just the amount of money. For example, honor five-year, 10-year, and 20-year donors. This will encourage loyalty, which will increase engagement and retention, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCombs notes that donors want to understand their impact, too. \u201cDonors want to change something; they don’t just want to fund something,\u201d McCombs said. \u201cYou are all doing really important work in your communities. Sing it to the rooftops, and especially sing it to the people who are helping make it happen and allow them to do it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eliminate barriers to board members\u2019 fundraising.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Board members can really help dial up the success of an organization\u2019s fundraising, but too often they don\u2019t. When board members aren\u2019t fundraising, said Jonathan Meagher-Zayas, founder of Equity Warrior Strategies, it\u2019s often due to unclear expectations or anxiety about fundraising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rochelle Jerry, CEO of Jerry Consulting Group, notes that even deeply committed board members can struggle. \u201cThe barrier isn\u2019t always capacity,\u201d Jerry said. \u201cIt\u2019s clarity and confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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