It finally happened. This morning I actually dreamed about fundraising strategy. I saw myself walking back to the office with a large group of staff and volunteers of some kind of youth leadership organization. One of them says, "We didn't raise enough money and the conference is tomorrow." I ask how much they need, insisting on a specific number. $500. For cryin' out loud. They probably could raise that right now from among themselves. Holding that thought, I ask them each to think of 3 people close to the organization they could call and ask for $500 today. We get upstairs and out come the flip charts. Name names. Is there anything left that could be sponsored? My idea was The Dish of Candy, which in the light of day seems ridiculously un-compelling. That's when my husband nudged me about making coffee, on his way out for a run.

So I lounged, imagining these young people getting their checkbooks to make their own modest gifts. And going to the phones to ask people with Ability, Belief, and Connection for $500 and $100.

The next big thing: mobile giving.

He gave, she gave: gender differences in philanthropy.

From the 2008 Bridge Conference: Major-Gift Fundraising for Anyone.

Are Fund-Raising Lessons From the Obama Campaign applicable to nonprofits?

Should You Ask a Donor to Cover Your Group's Budget Deficit? Marc Pitman says no.

Steve Meyerson offers Tips for Raising Money in a Recession.

The “Silver Tsunami”: how older volunteers can aid your nonprofit.

I do: Charitable donations often go hand-in-hand with weddings.

"I am a philanthropist": The African American Women's Giving Circle of DC.

The Wall Street Journal says that tax breaks for donating a vehicle haven't completely vanished.

Do you live in one of the Top 5 Most Charitable U.S. Cities and States?

Have you come across an interesting article or post in the past week or so? Let us know about it!

Not the most elegant fundraising pitch. Jim's buddy Dennis tries to get him to buy tickets to the Policemen's Ball. This is the ill-advised, but classic approach called “twisting his arm.” From the Rockford Files.

While my colleague Amy and I are both passionate and—we hope—knowledgeable about fundraising, neither of us are what you might call early adopters of technology.

But while investigating the recent hubbub surrounding Web 2.0’s impact on fundraising, I checked out del.icio.us. Imagine my delight when I saw quite a few links for Fundraising Breakthroughs, both for the main blog site and for specific articles.

For those of you who don’t know, del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website where you can:

• Keep links to your favorite articles, blogs, music, reviews, recipes, and more, and access them from any computer on the web.

• Share favorites with friends, family, coworkers, and the del.icio.us community.

• Discover new things. Everything on del.icio.us is someone's favorite -- they've already done the work of finding it. So del.icio.us is full of bookmarks about technology, entertainment, useful information, and more.

So, thanks to all of our del.icio.us fans. We really appreciate the support, you Digg?

UPDATE: del.icio.us.com is now delicious.com with a new, cleaner look. Check them out.

“Only 13 percent [of charitable donors] say the charity they supported went beyond their expectations,” reports The Chronicle of Philanthropy in a recent write up of The Great American Donor Survey.

Am I the only one who thinks that this percentage is too low? So, what can those of us in the nonprofit sector do to really wow our donors? Here’s how to start:

1. Benchmark Against Your Peers

Compare your donor materials against those of similar organizations in your field. What is the norm among your peers? Whatever it is, that’s the bare minimum. Once you have a sense of what your colleagues are doing, you need to do more. Also, don’t be shy about comparing yourself against somewhat larger organizations. What nonprofits are leaders in your field? Check out their donor materials and see how you measure up.

2. Ask Your Donors What They Want

It’s a shocking concept, I know. But try asking some of your donors how you’re doing with the frequency and quality of your interactions. This could be through a survey or focus group or by simply calling some donors and engaging them in discussion. Be sure to ask enough to get a decent sampling. You might be surprised at what you hear once you get a dialogue going, and your donors just might be flattered that you asked them.

3. Diversify Your Messaging

I was impressed to learn that Goodwill of Greater Washington classified its donors and other people it wanted to reach into 25 distinct groups. They’ve had great results from this approach. The more you’re able to tailor your outreach, the more relevant your messages will be to your prospective donors.

4. Personalize Your Outreach

Even with specialized donor outreach materials, you are still treating people as a group. When was the last time you called up a long-term contributor to thank them for their support and dedication? What about taking some of your best donors out to lunch without asking them for more funds? A handwritten note from your president or a card signed by your charity’s beneficiaries can go a long way in making that individual donor feel valued.

5. Get Creative

When was the last time you examined your core assumptions about how you interact with donors? Get brainstorming with as many people as possible in your organization, including staff, board members, and volunteers. You never know how many fresh ideas are lying fallow. Follow up with a working group to investigate how to implement the best of the ideas you generate.