Must-have book for non-profits!
355895
This is a comprehensive guide to getting sponsorships for your event. Candelaria gives complete details on what to do, how to approach sponsorship requests, even how to find the right people to talk to. He provides descriptive explanations of different types of sponsorship, media usage, how to manage the actual request meeting, creating the sponsorship agreement, tracking the results and using them for future sponsorship requests.

The book is beautifully written and a pleasant read. In short, this is a must-have book for any organization seeking to generate or provide sponsorships.
1452905
Allison's book is a fantastic follow-up to The Networked Nonprofit, which she co-wrote with Beth Kanter in 2010. Both are wake-up calls to nonprofits and other institutions, providing encouragement and practical advice on authentic interaction with the public. Matterness dives into: how "zero-sum" mentalities damage organizational culture and customer/consumer relations, how people are creatively mixing online and in-person communities to create "big small towns," and flipping from an inside-out to an outside-in approach to leadership and strategy. It also provides sound advice for effectively engaging the crowd and facilitating action by that crowd. I'd encourage nonprofits, businesses, and other institutions to read this before starting their next strategic or communications plans.
798584
This is a great book for Executive and Development Directors of larger nonprofits, or perhaps those with little experience in fundraising. This book is professional and easy to read. It is clearly organized with detailed instructions, worksheets, quick tips, and real life examples. It even has a good index so you can quickly find the advice you need. The chapters cover fundraising tools, planning, attracting and keeping donors, major donors, legacies, special events, sales activities, grants, printed materials, and this third edition contains chapters on website design and using social media. At 512 pages it is not a quick read, but it is a thorough reference you will want to keep on hand and share with the rest of the staff.
2541420
I wasn't excited about reading this book, but I knew that I needed to!  We are involved in a non-profit private school, and this book was essential to me understanding the  importance of record keeping and the filing of timely documents. It comes with a cd full of document examples that you can personalize.  These documents have given me fresh ideas on how to keep track of meeting minutes.  This book contains valuable information on general needs, and it includes information pointing you to the correct state contacts that can help you with your individual state requirements.

You might think that you have enough know-how with the persons in your organization to stay out of any legal mess.  I would recommend purchasing this book to reference and to make sure that you are on the right track.  Without proper record keeping and procedures, you can be held accountable for any discrepancies.

This book has alerted me to value of organization.  I plan on reviewing our articles of incorporation, bylaws, and past minutes and make sure that they are located in an easily-accessible notebook.
201576
Don't begin your fundraising event without reading this book! Before reading this book, I honestly thought fundraising was simple and I was really surprised to find out that there are many responsibilities and challenges that go with this project. With this guide I have learnt  step by step all the skills needed to lay down the perfect foundation to a most successful fundraising event. The author has done a lovely job providing the fundamentals of fundraising in a fun way that will result  in profits. I have gained some experience from this book and I recommend it to anyone who would like to host a fundraising event. A must Read!
2387750
This book is a must-read resourse for anyone working in, or interested in knowing about nonprofit fundraising. There is a quote by Albert Einstein at the start of this book: "You don't have to know all the answers, you just need to know where to find them".  Well, THIS book is where to find all the answers when it comes to nonprofit fundraising, and all things related to it. This book should (and very may well be at some point) a college textbook. It is loaded with useful, step-by-step information. The author obviously truly enjoys helping others to learn the ins and outs of nonprofit fundraising. There is an old Taoist proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". In this book, the author, Mr. Heyman gives the reader the tools needed to "fish" for a lifetime. Kudos to the author for an informative and inspiring book!
2048521
All of us who work in fundraising and marketing in the nonprofit sector struggle with how to sell our cause and win support for it. I started my career in a meals program for people with AIDS - an easy sell - but since then I have moved on to nonprofits with missions that are much more complicated and harder to describe. An outdoor education program that unites people with and without disabilities? An international nonprofit that is helping Ukrainians better advocate for themselves? It gets harder and harder to briefly, concisely, and compellingly describe what we do.

Enter Robin Hood Marketing, which helps you let go of the urge to describe every nuance of every project in painful to your constituents and instead helps you focus on creating clear, concise messages that will compel your donors to give, your volunteers to get involved, your champions to go to bat for you.  The book guides you step-by-step through the message development process, how to make a compelling case for your organization - and encouraging you not to worry about whether your constituents understand all the various nuances of what you do, but instead to sell the soul of the cause itself.

Best of all, it is a great, interesting read that I literally could not put down - it was riveting, both for the style of writing and the content, and for the fact that it carries the solution to problems I have struggled with for years.  I can't recommend it enough for anyone involved in fundraising, marketing, or proposal writing of any kind.
1294866
In case you've been trapped on a desert island for the past several years, IDG books has been publishing "Dummies"-themed books on every subject under the sun and moon, from Windows 2000 to sex.  Fundraising for Dummies is a typically informative, easy-to-read, and useful guide to fundraising for nonprofit organizations.
With 28 chapters in five parts and appendices of checklists and how-tos, the book has loads of information for novice and intermediate fundraisers alike.  In fact, it's also a pretty good reference for board members and volunteers involved in fundraising activities.
There is a chapter devoted to predictions on the future of philanthropy in the U.S., with one-paragraph explanations of brief statements, such as "E-giving Will Grow."  Most of these predictions are obvious to nonprofit-sector experts (and especially those of us who participate on CharityChannel!).  However, I must admit to being intrigued by the idea that "Nonprofits Will Rule!", meaning that, as more for-profits become regional and national in scope, local nonprofits will assume increasing local community leadership influence.
As good as this volume is in its general approaches and many helpful tips and techniques, do not mistake this book for a thorough treatment of the subject or any of its components.  I was alarmed by its breezy assertion that nonprofit board service
"...is not as risky as serving on a for-profit board.  Nonprofit board members are protected personally from liability in any legal action against their charitable organization..."
Haven't the authors heard of the IRS and Intermediate Sanctions?  And, since nonprofit corporations are state-chartered (like their for-profit brethren), wouldn't liability vary from state to state, as well as depending on the facts and circumstances of each case?  I would imagine that the D&O liability insurers would like to address this before the second printing!
One benefit of this book I found is one which I'm not sure is intentional.  Grant writing is given short coverage in the appropriately-numbered Chapter 13 of the book, thereby providing two subtle reminders that grants are but a minor part of fundraising success.
Any reader interested in the subject will learn much from this book, as long as they don't take its accounting and legal advice too literally.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part 1 -- Gearing Up to Raise Funds
Part 2 -- Getting to Know Your Donor
Part 3 -- Using Your Fundraising Tools
Part 4 -- On the (Fundraising) Campaign Trail
Part 5 -- The Part of Tens
Index
2538402
I can't put this book down - I'm really excited about it. I love how many progressive organizations are cited as examples throughout the book; for example, the National Women's Law Center's campaign around "Being a Woman Is Not a Pre-existing Condition" with an image illustrating their campaign, Monterey Bay Sea Aquarium's app that helps people make sustainable seafood choices, Amnesty International, Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" campaign, the SurfRider Foudnation, the AIDS walk, IAVA's #GoSilent campaign, etc.

This isn't a book for one type of organization, it's a book about social change for all nonprofits that are working to create change. I love how real the book is. Allyson and Amy have both worked in the nonprofit realm and are able to acknowledge all of the challenges that nonprofits may encounter.

If you're looking for a book about social change, and how to use social media, raise money, and engage more people, I highly recommend reading Social Change Anytime Everywhere! Full disclosure, I know the authors, though I have not let that influence this review.
2405204
Dr. Farb's book is now at the top of my reference list as I volunteer in a leadership role for a national charity.  My only complaint is that I couldn't have the book a year ago!  It's already helping me as we prepare for our largest fundraiser.
2310929
After doing street outreach with adults experiencing homelessness for a long time, this book has been invaluable as I make the transition to doing outreach with youth experiencing homelessness. It came highly recommended to me by a few people who run successful trauma informed outreach and drop-in organizations for street youth (some organizations require new volunteers to read this!). I had a hard time putting this book down and learned new things on every page with Jerry's compassionate, funny, conversational, and obviously well-grounded writing style. The author has done a huge service to youth and the people who work with them by writing this. Highly, highly recommend.
4291557
"As Editor of the Not-for-Profit CEO Monthly Letter, I had occasion to review "Leaders Who Make a Difference" for our readership, which consists almost entirely of executive directors and board members. I  recommended it enthusiastically, telling our readers that `this volume  should be on your desk; not in the book case, but on your desk.' After the  review was published, I received the following letter from a nationally  known consultant to not-for-profit boards." George B. Wright, Editor,  "The Not-For-Profit CEO Monthly Letter," C3 Strategies, Portland,  OR
"The challenges today's nonprofit organizations face make  effective leadership a critical need.  By combining relevant theory with  case studies that exemplify leadership excellence, Nanus and Dobbs have  created an invaluable and much-needed resource for all nonprofit  leaders." Kathleen D. Edwards, consultant and author, Bowman-Edwards  & Associates, Seattle, WA.
2288356
I am giving everyone I know this book for the holidays! It is such a great inspiration to give back to others even if you don't have a lot of money to give. The author highlights different ways that anyone can make the world a better place with case studies from each of the 6 giving models that she clearly delineates in Simple Giving. I love how at the end of each giving model she gives clear steps as to how each of us could get started on giving back. Great book! A book like this has been missing from the market, and I am so glad that Simple Giving is here!
3672987
When I was a full time Development/Marketing/Outreach/Communications/Volunteer Director at a small nonprofit in Virginia, I wore so many hats that it was hard to keep track of my main job title. I was constantly stressed, burned out, irritable, and just not enjoying myself very much. That was years ago, and I wish that I had a book like The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit back then - I would have purchased a copy for everyone in the office! As nonprofit professionals, we are expected to be burning the candle at both ends, taking terrible care of ourselves, and sacrificing our own well-being for the good of the organization and the cause. NO MORE. The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit is a manifesto for the culture shift that desperately needs to take place in the nonprofit sector, but starting the conversation of the VITAL importance of self-care and "WE-care" in the nonprofit workplace. What I love most about the book is that it doesn't just tell you WHY it's important to take care our ourselves - it provides hands-on, practical ways to actually do it! Take on the damaging "Scarcity Mindset" at your organization and within yourself - read this book!
3276156
A very helpful book that is exceedingly well-written and organized. As a social worker in the non-profit world, I'm realizing that the themes are important for non-profit organizations, not just among for-profit businesses. This is especially true in this time of shrinking budgets and competition for funding. I just bought a copy of this book to give to the Development Director of the service agency where I volunteer.
4188677
AS a nonprofit management consultant I am constantly on the lookout for material I can use with my busy, stressed-out clients.  This is the book!  Whether you read it from cover to cover (as I did because it is enormously  amusing) or choose to select one activity at a time, this book is a great  stress-reducer.  My favorite idea so far is singing loudly in the car to  any and all music that appeals to you.  Particularly useful in rush hour  traffic!  After purchasing this book, I immediately bought another dozen  for holiday gifts.
4480517
As a web designer for nonprofit organizations, Brandraising was a priceless read. Brandraising gives organizations a communications framework that works as a foundation for long-term success. I wish this book were a mandatory read for any nonprofit beginning any marketing endeavor. The fundamentals are all here. If you are a large organization, read this book to brush up on the fundamentals of communications in order to tweak your current strategies. If you are a start-up nonprofit, use the Brandraising structure as a base for marketing all efforts in the future.

Love it! Thanks Sarah!