Executive Issues

Development Directors Are Not Miracle Workers
January 30, 2013

Assuming that the organization has a compelling mission and does good work, the real keys to effective fundraising are the leadership, vision and skill of the executive director; an engaged, committed and high-functioning board; and a strong working partnership between the board and the executive. If those things are in place, a development director can be successful. And if those things are not in place, even the most talented development director will struggle.

Looking Back: How Does Your (Fundraising) Garden Grow?
January 29, 2013

In our March 2009 cover story, "How Does Your (Fundraising) Garden Grow?" Bernard Ross, director of U.K.-based fundraising consultancy The Management Centre (=mc), and Paula Birnbaum Guillet, then head of fundraising development and innovation for UNICEF, collaborated to outline a strategic process for nurturing innovation in the fundraising mind-set.

The Debate Over Fundraising Costs
January 1, 2013

Fundraisers need to stop apologizing for spending money on more effective management and fundraising and, instead, educate people about the realities of how fundraising works.

Connect Fundraising to Your Strategic Plan
December 14, 2012

If fundraising is the biggest challenge of the nonprofit sector, then strategic planning is second only to it. The crazy thing is, if you connect the two (strategic planning and raising money) you not only are more financially sustainable, but you also achieve more social change.

Does Your Boss Have a Boss?
December 5, 2012

Being a board member, and especially a board chair, is a serious commitment, and there is a fiduciary role that can't be abdicated. The selection of board members and especially leadership is such a critical decision for your nonprofit.

It's OK to Be a Small Shop
December 1, 2012

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.

Creating Your Road Map for Fundraising Success
October 24, 2012

Take time the next few weeks to get away from your day-to-day demands and create or fine-tune the fundraising plan that will take you to new heights in the coming year!