If you want to raise more money, generate larger gifts, have positive donors tell others about the power of your organization, and a host of other benefits, enhance your stewardship program. However, you will need a plan, strategy, energy, focus and attention to detail.
F. Duke Haddad
You cannot generate a consistent flow of dollars without an experienced and dynamic resource development staff. Unfortunately, for many of us in the profession, keeping qualified and trained development officers is easier said than done.
The Lilly School of Philanthropy, which provides world class education in my backyard, continually plans for the future of philanthropy. This school, along with others across the country, are continually striving with respect to philanthropy, to advance knowledge.
Employees who self-evaluate are typically happier, more committed, more productive, and more loyal to the organizations they serve. A tool that can be used for self-analysis is a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).
Many of us choose to have a career in the nonprofit sector. In addition to changing nonprofit jobs and focus areas over time, we aspire to be nonprofit leaders over time. If you aspire to be a nonprofit leader, you need a strong behavioral tool kit to thrive.
The spirit of giving time, talent and treasure is important to the long-term success of nonprofits. Happy volunteers and donors will encourage others to follow suit...
Can you believe the final quarter of the calendar year is here? For everyone in the nonprofit universe, it is go-time for year-end giving! The pace of work is faster and the urgency to succeed is greater...
As a former football player, I tried to be prepared for every quarter of the game. I was especially fired up for the fourth quarter. Like football, the final quarter of fundraising, or year-end giving, depends upon focus, preparation, strategic thinking and continual excellent execution...
It was exciting working with Kiwanis members on various projects that helped the community. That experience with a service club gave me a sense of purpose and reinforced the fact that we all have some obligation to help others...
Today, many years into my work career, I still depend on a visual to-do list that I can constantly review to keep me focused. I continually wonder if there is a better way to prioritize my work activities...
Mentorship is a two-way street. It should be a give-and-take process. Be both a mentee and mentor over time. Receive advice and guidance from those who have already been where you plan to go. Over time, be prepared to give your knowledge and experience to others by paying it forward...
For these organizations to truly succeed, these organizations must set concrete goals that can be achieved, be willing to constantly ask for money, take big risks and adapt to successes and failures, plus master organizational rules...
In normal years, volunteers are a precious resource. Think about 2021, when more than 90% of volunteering in the U.S. virtually shut down in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to VolunteerMatch. The question is: Can you bring these volunteers back into the fold? ...
As the tide of uncertainty moved in a variety of directions during the pandemic, organizations lost valuable employees, including executive directors. As we move into the fall of 2021, many organizations have determined to organizationally regroup and begin to look for new employees plus leadership...
I was recently asked to sit on a nonprofit position interview as an unpaid adviser. I was also asked to serve as an adviser to a nonprofit search committee. Another hiring firm contacted me recently and asked me to recommend them to a prospective nonprofit. There is a great deal of action in the nonprofit hiring world these days...
