Chapter 16: Marketing for Strategic Fundraising

Marketing builds strong relationships between an organization and its associated stakeholders. Understanding the marketing process helps nonprofits engage deeply with their donors, benefiting both the organization’s fundraising efforts and the donor’s diverse needs. This chapter explores how marketers complement the work nonprofit fundraisers do to build and strengthen relationships with donors. An effective partnership between marketers and fundraisers helps both parties be more effective in communicating the values exchange that is beneficial to organization and donor alike. The chapter describes how marketers and fundraisers can work together effectively to enhance fundraising and explains key elements of an organization’s brand. Readers will understand how to assess which key audiences and donor groups may be most important to their particular organization and to select market research strategies that can enhance understanding of donors and potential donors. Finally, an introduction to the practice of storytelling is included to help bring the case for support to life for donors.

Aja May Pirtle

Aja May Pirtle is an experienced marketing, branding, and fundraising consultant with nearly two decades of experience in government, tourism, education, and nonprofit marketing. She currently serves as Managing Director of Marketing & Communications for the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, a first-of-its-kind world leader in philanthropic studies, research, and training.

Margaret M. Maxwell

Margaret M. Maxwell of Maxwell Planning LLC helps nonprofits with strategic planning, governance, marketing, and business plan development. She also is a faculty member of The Fund Raising School and a BoardSource Certified Governance Consultant. Prior to consulting, she was Vice President for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions, where she led the fundraising, marketing, strategic planning and earned income programs. She received both a B.A. in journalism and an M.B.A. from Indiana University.

Achieving Excellence editor and Director of The Fund Raising School, Bill Stanczykiewicz discusses this chapter with author(s) Aja May Pirtle and Margaret Maxwell