A nonprofit advisory board is an important vehicle for a nonprofit organization. Where else can you obtain a diverse set of community leaders representing a variety of organizations and life experiences with a common purpose, which is to provide support for your organization?...
F. Duke Haddad
When you begin your nonprofit career, you basically have a clean sheet a paper at your disposal. You are hungry and want to learn as much as possible about the business. You hopefully listen to others and gather tons of information...
I recently received a note from LinkedIn that a good friend and associate, who is a CEO of a local organization, wanted me to do some nonprofit networking with an individual who is currently working in the sector. She wanted to meet to build a network for expanded nonprofit career opportunities...
I have always believed in the importance of a fundraising coach. Each person is different and comes to the table with a variety of career and life experiences to share. If you can take advantage of coaching opportunities, do so...
In my last blog post, I emphasize the belief that nonprofit certification is important to executive advancement. I stated that you need to determine if this concept is important to you...
How important is a nonprofit certification? I encourage each nonprofit executive to review the landscape of opportunities for growth and development and pursue them with vigor. I have advanced degrees, taken many certification classes, and have been a proud CFRE member for more than 25 years...
Donor cultivation is the key to success. You need to learn what your donors think, feel and know about your organization. You need to quickly understand why they are interested in supporting your organization. You must, over time, match their needs with your wants in a positive way by communicating with them on their terms. You strive for a win-win scenario...
Have you ever wondered how philanthropic married couples make giving decisions? I recently had a private conversation with a long-time donor to our organization. He was so proud of his support through the years, not only from a financial perspective, but through a volunteer perspective...
The truth is the fundraising world is very complex and dynamic. We use simple tools and basic principles that we feel will provide easy answers for us. The truth is all of us make mistakes daily in our jobs. The question is do we know we are making mistakes and try to correct them, or do we assume the wrong way to do things is the right way to accomplish success?
June 1 marked the 80th birthday of “National Doughnut Day.” This day was established by The Salvation Army and is a tribute to the fact that, in 1917 and 1918, about 250 Salvation Army volunteers served American troops on the front lines in France, supplying clothes, support and baked goods...
I was at a church meeting recently when the topic of nonprofit office moves came up. One individual said he had been moved at least six times during his career in the same city. In fact, every person in the room had been affected by at least one nonprofit office move during their career...
Nonprofit volunteerism can be such a power thing. The other day, I woke up early, ready to spend the day as a volunteer to build a new playground for children at Hidden Falls Camp. I would spend five hours this day driving to and from this remote location in the southern rolling hills of Indiana...
The British Royal Family certainly promotes a great deal of philanthropy and charity in Britain and across the world. Thousands of those in need benefit annually from their generosity...
The bottom line for you is to get out of the daily grind and attend a nonprofit national conference at least one time each year. Your academic and social batteries will be recharged and you will quickly realize others have the same problems as you. I bet you leave your conference inspired...
I have also heard through the years from a few former pro football players that the term NFL means “not for long.” What they mean is players do not typically play a long time in the NFL because of the nature of football...
