Posts by Sarah Cortell Vandersypen
Preparing for Year-End Fundraising
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | August 22, 2018 | 0
I know, I know. It's only August. You just got the kids back to school. Maybe your organization's programming rebooted this month. But it's important to start preparing for your year-end fundraising campaign now. Why so early? Fifty percent (50%) of organizations receive a majority of their annual donations from October through December. Nonprofits that…
Sarah to Join AFP Board of Directors
I have some exciting news to share! I have been nominated to the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Board of Directors. Once the slate is approved by membership, I will begin a two-year term in January 2019. In this role, I will help to shape fundraising policy, ensure fundraisers' professional development needs are met, and champion important initiatives…
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | June 26, 2018 | 0
CANDIDATE PROFILE In an effort to grow and expand its reach and support, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) is seeking an experienced fundraising professional to join the organization as its Development Director. Working directly with the Executive Director, Rebecca Triche, the Development Director will create and implement a fundraising program to attract support from individuals,…
Recruiting Board Members
Board members are one of the most critical components of every nonprofit organization. Except a few exceptions, almost all board members serve the organizations for free. Since board members are in charge of major decisions in your organization, it is important that you recruit the best board members for your organization. Understanding what motivates people…
Artists and Tax Law
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | April 27, 2018 | 0
Have you been wondering why is it so difficult to get artists to donate to your organization? Artists cannot receive a tax deduction for the value of their art. For example, a painter who has spent months to finish a painting and could sell the painting to a customer for $30,000 can only get tax…
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is Set for a Brighter Future
This blog post is Part 2 of a pair of posts which looks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's decision to charge a mandatory admission fee. —- The Metropolitan Museum of Art made a decision that could greatly raise and stabilize their revenue. The museum will be charging $25 for the general admission fee. The…
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's New Policy, a Failure for a Public Institution
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | April 6, 2018 | 0
This is the first post of two that will explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art's new admission policy. Each post takes the opposite stance about the policy. Starting in March 2018, the Metropolitan Museum of Art said goodbye to its "pay as you wish" policy. The new general admission fee is $25, which is considered…
New workshop offerings in partnership with Sanford Institute of Philanthropy at Xavier University of Louisiana
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | March 23, 2018 | 0
The Sanford Institute of Philanthropy at Xavier University of Louisiana was established to offer a range of high-quality educational opportunities to further strengthen nonprofit organizations throughout the Southeast, but especially in the New Orleans region. Founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist, T. Denny Sanford, the Institute focuses on preparing exemplary nonprofit leaders and providing the support…
Some Ideas About Leadership
It is needless to say that leadership is an extremely important part of any nonprofit organization. Nonprofits, especially smaller organizations, often have problem maintaining high profile leaders. They usually lose them to their competitors because they cannot afford to pay a high salary. Also, nonprofit leaders face burn-out as they are expected to cover multiple…
Why Producing Creative Product is Challenging
By Sarah Cortell Vandersypen | February 26, 2018 | 0
Creative Products are different than consumer products. As an artist, I find it very challenging to advertise for my services. This is a challenge that most people in nonprofit organizations who are dedicated to produce creative products. Demand is uncertain. Unlike consumer products and other services, it is difficult to calculate the demand for an…
"Sarah was instrumental in the success of the Diocese of Baton Rouge's crowdfunding initiative, #iGiveCatholic. As program manager, she managed the project's social media strategy, trained participants and successfully sought key sponsorships. She is energetic, passionate and extremely proficient with utilizing technology to advance an organization's fundraising goals."
-- Tammy V. Abshire, Executive Director, Catholic Foundation of Baton Rouge