Summer vacation is a time that a lot of people take to catch up on those books they’ve been meaning to read. It can also be a great time to do a little professional development! To help you make the most of your summer reading time, we compiled a list of 10 must-read books for nonprofit fundraisers.
Summer Reading for Nonprofit Fundraisers
Pack a few of these books and get ready to learn wherever your summer takes you!
1. The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications by Jeff Brooks
How you communicate with your donors matters. Let Jeff Brooks show you how to communicate in a way that will motivate donors to give generously and repeatedly.
2. Relationship Fundraising: A Donor Based Approach to the Business of Raising Money by Ken Burnett
In this book, Ken Burnett, an internationally acclaimed fundraising consultant, shows you how to reignite your passion for fundraising with creative strategies, a better understanding of your donors, how to avoid common pitfalls, and so much more.
3. Ask Without Fear!: A Simple Guide to Connecting Donors With What Matters to Them Most by Marc A. Pitman
As a fundraiser, you know that it’s all in the ask. How, when, where, and why you ask for donations can make all the difference. In Ask Without Fear!, Marc Pitman details a step-by-step, easy to remember process for building authentic relationships with potential donors. This includes ways to avoid the most common fundraising mistakes and how to quickly identify a person’s personality traits so you can tailor your message to fit them.
4. Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers: Talk Your Way to Success with Donors and Funders by Janet Levine & Laurie A. Selik
If you struggle with the ask, this is the book for you! The authors give you tips, tricks, and even interaction and conversation guides to help you in your fundraising efforts. Whether you struggle with attracting new donors, reengaging existing donors, or upgrading donors, you’re sure to find guidance in this book.
5. The Little Book of Gold: Fundraising for Small (and Very Small) Nonprofits by Erik Hanberg
If your nonprofit is operating on a shoestring budget, this book is for you! Erik Hanberg gives you strategies you can use to boost your fundraising efforts, along with special password-protected features you can access online after you’ve purchased the book.
6. Fundraising Freedom: 7 Steps to Build and Sustain Your Next Campaign by Mary Valloni
Mary Valloni drew on her years of experience as Development Director for the American Cancer Society, the ALS Association, and Special Olympics to give readers seven ways to build and sustain a successful fundraising campaign. She takes the fear and mystery out of fundraising so you know exactly what you need to do to create lucrative campaigns.
7. Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace by Sharon Salzberg
As a nonprofit employee, you probably wear a lot of hats, which can leave you feeling unorganized, scatterbrained, and even like you’re not doing as much as you could or should. Real Happiness at Work gives you the tools to counteract stress at work and bring mindfulness, calm, and awareness back to the office.
8. The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact without Burnout by Beth Kanter
Everyone is susceptible to burnout, but nonprofit employees seem to feel it more than people in other industries. In this book, Beth Kanter teaches nonprofit leaders to avoid burnout themselves and how to restructure their organization to help employees avoid it.
9. Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership: Because Nonprofits Are Messy by Joan Garry
While the title would have you believe this book is only for nonprofit leaders, there is plenty of valuable information about nonprofit operation, including how to create a sustainable fundraising program. With over 20 years as a leader and consultant in the nonprofit sector, Joan Garry has been called the “Dear Abby” of nonprofits, so she has a lot of insight to share!
10. Engine of Impact: Essentials of Strategic Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector by William F. Meehan & Kim Starkey Jonker
Want to know what it takes to have a high-achieving organization? In this book, Meehan & Jonker give you seven components of strategic leadership that will do just that.
Contact Capital Business Solutions for Nonprofit Accounting Software
Keep up with donors, donations, and your organization’s fundraising efforts with accounting software specifically made for nonprofit organizations. Call us at (888) 249-6008 or fill out our contact form to learn more about our financial management software, cloud-based accounting software, and consulting services.