Contact Us
FUNdraising in the Month of December

By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor


 

December is the time for the FUN part of FUNdraising! After getting the Christmas/Year-end appeal out,  grab a cup of hot chocolate, sit back, open the mail, and count up the donations! 

 

I hope you get to do lots of that, BUT there...

Continue Reading...
The Need for a Database

By Chris Scroggin, Petrus Consultant


One of the non-profits I worked for didn’t have a database; they had an Excel spreadsheet for their donor information. It wasn’t very organized, and I had no idea how accurate it was. 

 

There was information everywhere - on...

Continue Reading...
The End is Coming!

By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor


The end of the year, that is. 

 

Did you know that about 1/3 of annual giving happens in December? The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a season that encourages generosity. As a result, nonprofits ramp up their “asks.”...

Continue Reading...
Is Your Year-End Appeal Up To The Task?

Has your ministry been sending out the same old year-end appeal letter, year after year?

Is your appeal just a shot in the dark? You spend time getting the wording and layout just right, but you don't really know if it is moving the people who read it.

Is your letter even getting read by its...

Continue Reading...
Faith & Fundraising: Lessons from Philanthropic Psychology - A Talk by Dr. Adrian Sargeant

In this episode, we feature Dr. Adrian Sargeant, co-director of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy, as he gives his keynote address at the Petrus Development Conference in June.  Dr. Sargeant shares his research about donor motivation and identity, and he discusses how we, as...

Continue Reading...
Prioritizing Passion and Innovation - An Interview with Juliette Picciano

In this episode, Andrew visits with Juliette Picciano, former director of the Cardinal’s Annual Stewardship Appeal for the Archdiocese of New York and current president of Cathedral High School in New York.  (Juliette changed positions between when this podcast was recorded and when it...

Continue Reading...
What Development Means to Me


By Jamie Cappetta, President, USC Caruso Catholic Center and Petrus Consultant


Like many development professionals, I didn’t start my career aspiring to be a fundraiser, but rather my aspiration was that of a professional baseball player. However, when I did not get drafted my senior...

Continue Reading...
Planned Giving in the Here and Now

By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor


Clarence, the wingless angel: We don’t use money in heaven.

George Bailey: It comes in pretty handy down here, Bub.

From the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.

 

Note: I am not a lawyer, and the following is not legal advice—just my...

Continue Reading...
The Journey Creates Friends - An Interview with Bishop Konderla

In this 100th episode, Andrew visits with Bishop David Konderla from the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma.  Andrew met Bishop Konderla when they worked together at St. Mary's Catholic Center in College Station, and the pair discusses the successes of the campus ministry’s...

Continue Reading...
My Work Journey Part 2
In part 1 of my development journey, I shared about my first job in development and what it was like interviewing for and accepting a job halfway across the country. 
 
In 2008, just three years into my career, I became the development director for the St. Thomas More Newman Center at...
Continue Reading...
Donor-Centered Language

By Mary Hernandez, Petrus Blog Contributor


Your year-end appeal is about to get to the final proofing stage, and thankfully, there is still time to edit with a critical eye and include your donors as a key player in your messaging. 

 

Your appeal likely includes these elements:

  • ...
Continue Reading...
Blueprint for Development: Annual Fund on the Petrus Development Show

In this episode, the Blueprint for Development series is on it's third installment. Tara and Sarah are back with Annual Funds, also known as an operating budget or director's fund. How can you create a new or sustainable development program that doesn't depend solely on that one event or those...

Continue Reading...
1 2