Sandy Rees

Way too many folks who work in the nonprofit world limit themselves with how they look at their organizations. They see them as little. Stop for a minute and think about what that means. If I believe my organization is little, I see it as not having the resources it needs or the opportunities it deserves. Subsequently, I may believe that everything is hard because of that. I may start evaluating things from the standpoint of what's appropriate for a little nonprofit, and I may miss opportunities that could propel the organization forward.

Eliminating time wasters and organizing tasks are keys to effective time management.

Here are some simple steps to ensure your fundraising has more treats than tricks.

Many people use these terms interchangeably, but I think there's a significant difference, especially for folks working in a small shop. When you're overworked and maybe overwhelmed, it's easy to get caught up in the frenzy of raising money. You need the dollars, right? Gotta make budget, right? Programs can't be delivered without funds, right?

When you engage in small thinking, your nonprofit is doomed to remain small. But if you want to raise a lot more money and help more people or make a bigger impact in the world, you have to start thinking bigger.

Special events have an important place in a good overall fundraising program. One or maybe two well-done events can generate publicity for your organization in addition to raising money. Events can also give you a way to cultivate relationships.

Done right, recruiting and using volunteers can be a huge blessing. Done poorly, they're headaches. So how do you manage volunteers right? Here are seven tips to make sure that both your volunteers and you have a mutually beneficial experience.

Done right, recruiting and using volunteers can be a huge blessing. Done poorly, they're headaches. So how do you manage volunteers right? Here are seven tips to make sure that both your volunteers and you have a mutually beneficial experience.

Since Halloween is approaching as I write this (and probably just passed as you read it) — and since I can't get the "Little Shop of Horrors" song out of my head — I thought I'd share some of the scariest mistakes I've seen from small 
nonprofits. My hope is that you take heed and learn from these so you can avoid them.

Successful fundraisers know how to manage their priorities and protect their time so they can focus on the things that need to get done.

One of the easiest ways to leverage your time is to create systems. Systems help you provide consistent service to your donors and the community, streamline your work and save time because you aren't reinventing the wheel every time something happens.

These days, savvy fundraisers are looking for every possible opportunity to connect with donors and raise money. Web-based tools and social media offer possibilities that we’ve never had before. Blogs have been around for a while, mostly used in journalism and other fields. Now, blogs are being used for advocacy, awareness and even fundraising.

Before you begin any fundraising program you need a plan to guide you along the way.

A good fundraising plan is a roadmap to success and shows you how to allocate your precious resources of time and money.  It can also help keep you out of crisis mode and help you control the flow of work in your office.   This is a shift from being reactive to being proactive. When you’re proactive, you’re organized and focused.  You raise more money.

Spasiba. That's Russian for "thank you." It's the one word I got really good at saying while walking around Moscow. I'm big on appreciation, and live my life in a grateful way, so it seemed fitting that I would be thanking people halfway across the world when I visited them.

Fundraising can be a tough job. There’s usually more to do than we can get done, and there’s a constant need for increased funding. Even in a prosperous year, working in fundraising isn’t for the faint-of-heart. This year, with the unsteady economy and the sense of gloom hanging in the air, it can be downright stressful.