I had the privilege of meeting Jane Goodall in person. She was the featured speaker at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) conference in San Diego. At the time I didn’t know why Jane Goodall would be invited to a fundraising conference—after all she has spent her entire career in jungles with chimpanzees—but I was [...]
Lessons I Learned From Jane Goodall
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on July 2nd, 2012The Foundation Center
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on June 4th, 2012Fundraisers: Here are some free online classes that may interest you. The Foundation Center is a fantastic resource for nonprofits, grantwriters, and development officers. While there are numerous educational opportunities out there, The Foundation Center is a trustworthy source offering free as well as fee courses. Also check out their free online tutorials: The Foundation [...]
Is a Fundraising House Party Right For Your Organization?
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on April 12th, 2012Fundraising house parties can be an exciting way to earn funds for your cause. How do you know if house parties are right for your organization? How do you organize one? The Grant Whisperer answers the age-old question ‘should you bring a llama to a house party’ and more over at BlogTalkRadio. The episode gives [...]
The Frankenstein Grant Proposal
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on March 28th, 2012I had fun over on my Blog Talk Radio Show today. What happens after you have written a great grant proposal and your executive director wants the input of several people in your organization before you submit it? You get a Frankenstein Grant Proposal! The Grant Whisperer shows you how to salvage your proposal and [...]
A Dose of Inspiration…
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on March 16th, 2012As you create your song, may you help others with theirs and may your song and theirs be one of great hope. Unknown
Are You Smarter Than A Sixth-Grader?
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on March 13th, 2012My sixth-grader grand daughter just received the astounding news that she won a scholarship to Space Camp! She went through an excruciating application process that would bring many adults to tears. I’m bringing this up for two reasons. First, I’m an incredibly proud grandmother. Second, I think you might learn something from her experience. Her [...]
The Importance of Community Support
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on August 3rd, 2011Of all the elements that must find their way into a grant proposal, there’s one that may get overlooked. This is the element of community support. Include it and you’ll strengthen your proposal; leave it out and you may get a rejection letter. If all things are equal in two proposals, and one clearly demonstrates [...]
How To Create An Annual Development Plan
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on July 25th, 2011Special Guest Beth Williams, CFRE, visited the Grant Whisperer to offer her expertise and advice for creating an Annual Development Plan for your organization. She discussed how a development plan helps your organization build the structure for all your fundraising programs: Grant Writing, Direct Mail, Special Events, Major Gifts, Planned Giving and Donor Recognition. Beth also [...]
Giving Circles—A Fundraising Opportunity
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on July 21st, 2011I recently attended a workshop on Giving Circles at a local AFP Chapter meeting. Four panelists from diverse communities talked about how their Giving Circle organizations are making an impact in their communities. But first, let me describe what a giving circle is. A giving circle is a group of individuals who pool their funds [...]
Special Guest – Karen Kwan “Grant Writing For The Arts”
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on July 13th, 2011Listen in as Karen Kwan shares her secret tips for arts organizations seeking grants. She also discusses how storytelling can make a powerful difference. Karen Kwan specializes in institutional giving and grants management, having served as an independent grant writing consultant and development staff at various non-profit arts organizations in Silicon Valley, including San Jose [...]
Three Ways To Improve Your Persuasion Skills
Written by Victoria M. Johnson on June 20th, 2011If you’re a grantwriter it stands to reason that you’ll need to sharpen your communication skills. You’ll be called upon to write clear, accurate, error-free proposals. But there’s one other communication skill that isn’t frequently mentioned in job descriptions. The skill of persuasion. Persuasion is the ability to influence, to win over, and perhaps change [...]