By Chris Scroggin, Petrus Consultant
Herb Brooks was the 1980 Olympic Ice Hockey coach that, against all odds, beat the Russian National team and then went on to win the gold medal.
It really was a “David vs. Goliath” tale that no one expected.
Herb had taken a bunch of college amateurs...
By Rhen Hoehn, Petrus Director of Marketing
Welcome back! In part one of this two-part series, we discussed three steps that must be taken to position an organization for undertaking a capital campaign. In this article, we look at three more steps to kick off the process of a campaign.
Th...
By Rhen Hoehn, Petrus Director of Marketing
A capital campaign is a targeted fundraising project meant to raise significant dollars in a relatively short period of time.
Campaigns can be used to fund needed projects such as building repairs, or they can fund the expansion of a campus to m...
Tips and Tricks from Andrew Robison, Petrus President
Q: Cold calls to prospective donors are really hard for me. I don't like making them, and I rarely get the results I want. Are calls a necessary part of fundraising? How do I increase my odds of success?
A: Cold calls are hard. Few dev...
By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor
A group of people are sitting around a table. There are probably some snacks. A leader speaks with passion about some great need in the parish, Church, or community. The leader shares her vision of how major change can come about. She invites those arou...
“Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is the advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice.”
From the very first line in the prologue of his Rule, Saint Benedict is showing his desire ...
On this week's episode of the Petrus Development Show, we are hosting a crossover event that introduces you to another Petrus podcast called Holy Donors. Holy Donors is a collaborative production between Petrus and RED-C Catholic Radio that tells stories of radical generosity that changed the wo...
By Andrew Robinson, Petrus President
Recently, my family and I stayed in an Airbnb. I had an interesting encounter with an appliance that illustrates a problem that a lot of nonprofit leaders struggle with.
Your dishwasher can actually dry your dishes...
You’re probably wondering why this w...
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.” Also, in the United Stat...
By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor
Cecilia (not her real name, but everything else is true) is an energized Catholic. She aims to
attend daily Mass and give her time, talent, and treasure to help others. She owns and maintains
her own home, and her son is “launched,” earning his own way in t...
By Mary Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor
Latest Information on Giving Trends
Giving USA 2022: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2021 was released in June. The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy researched and wrote the report.
The following are highligh...
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 year in co...
