There is a good article in FundRaising Success magazine this month (click here to read the full article) listing 50 ways to increase giving revenue.  While targeted mainly at large nonprofits that run serious direct mail programs, there are some ideas that carry over. While most of the organizations that we work with don't have a "control package" (the direct mail package that has the best response rate, and against which all new packages are measured), all of our clients can still compare one mailing against the next.  Did last year's letter pull better than this year's?  What did we do differently?

You may be able to find a few ideas in this article that will work for your organization - don't miss the receipt and thank you sections for solid ideas that are inexpensive to implement and proven to increase revenue.  All too often we are too shy to ask for additional gifts.  We are so thankful for a gift that we forget that donors are giving because they want to - they believe in your mission and are willing to support your work.  Giving them additional opportunities to send a gift, or different ways to support your oganization (planned giving, for example) will not turn them off from giving.  This is proven time and time again at major nonprofits that run large and successful direct mail progams. 

All too often, when revenue drops, organizations begin to add new fundraising programs - raffles, events, and more.  Avoid the temptation to overburden your staff with new programs, and begin instead with the low-hanging fruit, improving your existing programs.