I'd like to make a donation of $100 to the nonprofit of your choice

In my work as a nonprofit fundraising consultant, I’ve found my most rewarding clients always come through referrals. Currently, I have some opening for new clients, so I am writing to ask for your help in connecting me with good causes in need of support. As my way of saying thanks, if you are able to refer me to a new client who signs a contract before the end of April, I pledge to donate $100 to the nonprofit of your choice!

I see my job as providing nonprofit leaders the practical fundraising tools and solutions that they need to make their jobs easier and to succeed in this ever-changing world. Licensed by the state of California, I draw on over twenty-years of nonprofit management, for-profit business ownership and professional fundraising experience. My areas of expertise include:

• Annual Fund Support
• Board Development
• Corporate Solicitations
• Event Management
• Executive Coaching
• Grant Writing Assistance
• Major Donor Initiatives

As the President of DER, a trade association for San Francisco Bay Area fundraisers, I have an extensive network. Please let your connections know I’m always open to providing free referrals or answering simple questions. For more long-term professional assistance, I am also available on an hourly or project contract basis. (Btw, because of a family connection, I now have access to complementary airfare, so am also available to help good causes outside the Bay Area region!)

Please feel free to download and forward to your colleagues my 1-page introduction or full biography, resume or testimonials sheets. If you have any questions, referrals or suggestions, feel free to contact me anytime at gayle[at]gayleroberts.com.

Thanks so much in advance for all your help and support!

Please join me for lunch this Monday, March 31, at the AFP convention

Would you perhaps be attending next week's Association of Fundraising Professional annual convention in San Diego? If so, I'd love to connect up with you for lunch this Monday, March 31.

According to Yelp San Diego, the best fish tacos in town are only a few blocks away at the Tin Fish Gaslamp cafe, which has a full lunch menu and offers plenty of outdoor seating as well. If that sounds tasty to you, let's plan to meet-up at the Convention Center's main entrance at 11:20 am. Please drop me an email at gayle[at]gayleroberts.com to confirm, and include your cell phone number, so I can give you a call on Sunday to coordinate the exact meet-up location.

Hope to see you soon!

How to produce your next fundraising event and remain smiling

Hey kids, the Giving Carnival has rolled into town again. Let's all go! Hosted by Roger Carr of the Everyday Giving Blog, this month's collection of participants offer valuable of tips on how to produce successful fundraising events.

Creating and sustaining a fund development culture in your organization

How do you promote and sustain a fundraising culture inside your organization, while coping with external pressures, program needs, budget limitations and an overworked staff? Are you a development professional or an Executive Director who has to manage and allocate resources to different areas of your nonprofit? If you so, and you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, please join me Tuesday, March 25th from 3 - 5 p.m. at the San Francisco Foundation Center for an important FAB workshop titled, "Creating and Sustaining a Fund Development Culture in Your Organization."

DER's Fundraisers Anxiety Busters (FAB) workshops are quarterly, peer support workshops for intermediate and seasoned fundraisers, and nonprofit staff and volunteers with development responsibilities (3 or more years experience requested), to share fundraising strategies and tactics, meet challenges and solve problems. This month's guest experts will be Lucy Barnett, the Director of Development for Sutter VNA Hospice in Santa Rosa, and Regina Neu, a Fundraising Counsel and University Professor, who has spent over 25 years working in the nonprofit sector.

I’ll be co-facilitating this event with fellow DER board member Michael Magnaye, Development Director at the SW Community Health Center, who will be taking over future FAB facilitation duties in 2008.

Seating is limited, so for more information or to register, please visit the DER website today.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to give thanks

Given that my posting schedule this new year has been somewhat remiss, I was quite surprised to learn that this blog was recently highlighted on three of the most influential fundraising blogs: Donor Power Blog, Don't Tell the Donor, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy's Give and Take. So pardon me while I send out a big virtual hug of thanks to bloggers Jeff Brooks, A Fundraiser and Ian Wilhelm!

The first two commentators both found value in my post Everything you know about fundraising is wrong. Jeff wrote that, "If you don't see fundraising that way, you're missing something that will increase your joy in your job -- and your effectiveness." While A.F. wrote, "Gayle Roberts proves (once again) that she is one of the most inspirational fundraisers in the business today." All I can say is, "Wow."

Over on Give and Take, Ian linked back to my most recent post, noting that a "good metaphor can be crucial to garnering supporters."

One the most important jobs we have as fundraisers is to help people to believe in themselves. We do this by simply reminding them that, "Yes, you can." To have three of my peers say that to me inspires me to return to a more regular blog posting schedule. In fact, I'm already drafting my next missive tentatively called, "So the Pope emailed me asking for help raising money." True story. Stay tune for details.