Lisa Z. Greer's Blog, page 2

Fundraising Tip of the Week | September 29, 2025

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Are you truly listening to your donors—or just talking at them? Donors want to be heard, valued, and part of the conversation. Real listening builds trust, and trust builds lasting relationships.

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Fundraising Tip of the Week | September 22, 2025

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Donors don’t just want to give—they want to know how their gift makes a difference. Show them the real impact their support has on your mission and success. When donors see the results, loyalty grows.

Philanthropy 451 by Saving Giving is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Unlocking Major Gifts: Identifying and Cultivating Transformational Donors

Major gifts are the cornerstone of nonprofit fundraising, yet many organizations continue to overlook the full potential already residing within their donor base. The traditional image of a major donor — wealthy, well-connected, and predictably generous — is rapidly becoming outdated. In reality, today’s transformational givers come from increasingly diverse backgrounds and often remain hidden in plain sight.

To truly unlock transformational giving, nonprofits must rethink not only who they con...

Fundraising Tip of the Week | September 15, 2025

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Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) aren’t a niche topic anymore—they’re shaping today’s philanthropy in a big way. If you or your team don’t understand how they work, it’s time to change that. Five minutes of learning today could transform your fundraising tomorrow.

If you want to chat more with someone who has over a decade of personal experience with DAFs as a donor and as a sponsor, contact Lisa here: https://lisagreer.com/contact-us/

Philanthropy 451 by Saving Giving is a reader-supported public...

Fundraising Tip of the Week | September 8, 2025

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Donors don’t want to feel like ATMs. They want to feel like partners in change.

When you invite supporters into the story—showing them how their gift contributes to a larger movement—you build something far more powerful than a single donation: loyalty.

Inclusion = engagement. Engagement = long-term impact.

How is your nonprofit making donors feel like insiders, not outsiders?

Philanthropy 451 by Saving Giving is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider...

Know Thy Donor

I first connected with Chelsea Lientz when she interviewed me for her Johns Hopkins capstone project on Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). Her capstone asked: “What do US-based development professionals think about the explosion of grants contributed through donor advised fund accounts, and how is it impacting philanthropy and the profession of fundraising?” Since then, we have been friends and colleagues, and Chelsea was incredibly helpful during my Seattle AFP ICON presentation.

Our conversations are ...

Fundraising Tip of the Week | September 2, 2025

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Millennials and Gen Z donors are changing philanthropy. They’re not just writing checks — they’re asking:

👉 Where is my money going?

👉 What impact am I making?

👉 Can I trust this organization to be transparent?

If your nonprofit isn’t clear, informative, and impact-driven in its communication, you risk losing the very donors who will shape the future of giving.

✨ Transparency isn’t optional anymore...

Fundraising Tip of the Week | August 25, 2025

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Want to lose a donor fast? Ignore them after they give.

Donors who feel forgotten are unlikely to renew their support—no matter how passionate they once were.

The fix? Stay in touch. Share impact updates, say thank you, and check in without always making an ask.

Consistency builds connection—and connection keeps donors coming back.

Philanthropy 451 by Saving Giving is a reader-supported publicatio...

How to Get a Donor to Give: The Magic Switch

What do donors want, and do we, or should we, care? If we come back from a donor pitch meeting with a gift, haven’t we succeeded?

Isn’t the donor meeting just the means to an end (i.e. the “sale”)? When a fundraiser reports back on a donor meeting, are they congratulated on beginning a relationship with the donor, or do accolades only come based on the binary result — did you get a gift, or not? This common response of relationship being less important than getting a gift is holding us back from...

Fundraising Tip of the Week | August 18, 2025

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Quick wins are great—but lasting impact takes long-term thinking.

Sustainable fundraising isn’t about chasing one-time gifts. It’s about building real, lasting relationships with the people who believe in your mission. When you lead with trust and transparency, support becomes consistent—and transformational.

Donors want to feel like partners in your work, not just sources of revenue.

Philanthrop...