Strategic Planning

Take the Lead: How to Use Technology to Develop a Volunteer Action Plan
April 19, 2017 at 11:07 am

When the time draws near for the yearly 10K run or the cleaning drive at the local park, nonprofits always call on their volunteers to take the lead and make sure things run smoothly. If your nonprofit hasn’t gotten around to setting up a workflow for volunteer management or if you’re still on the fence about using volunteers...

What Is the Most Important Position in a Nonprofit?
April 19, 2017 at 9:06 am

Leadership makes the difference! Of this, I have no doubt. Effective CEOs can transform an organization, and donors look to the CEO as a benchmark when considering a major investment. However, I believe that there is one leadership role more important to an organization—and more critical to its short and long-term success...

A/B Test Your Way to Better Fundraising Results
April 6, 2017 at 10:18 pm

Your organization’s current fundraising programs may be getting results. They’re working—or so it seems. But what if your results could be getting better… and better and better? The highest performing nonprofits continually test their appeals programs to optimize programs...

Creating Compelling Success Stories for Your Nonprofit
March 23, 2017 at 8:27 am

Generating compelling success stories won’t happen by magic. In order to get the stories, you need to help your staff understand the importance of stories in the organization’s marketing and fundraising efforts and to feel comfortable asking clients for their stories...

Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Development Plan
March 22, 2017 at 8:31 am

You wouldn’t leave your house and drive your car aimlessly hoping you’d eventually find your great aunt Marge’s house in Tucson, even though you’ve never even been to Arizona. So as a nonprofit professional or volunteer, why would you just start doing random things to try to raise money for your organization and hope that the outcome is enough money?...

Magnificent Millennials: Changing the World
March 15, 2017 at 3:46 pm

Millennials are going to change the nonprofit world in incredible ways. Their enthusiasm and capabilities are significantly different than the generations that came before them, and they are motivated to make the world a better place...

3 Key Factors to a Successful Meeting
March 15, 2017 at 3:45 pm

Be sure that the meetings you hold are needed. If so, take a few steps to ensure that you have the right people at the table, you have the right agenda to achieve your goals and you guide the meeting to keep the discussion on point and on schedule...

The No. 1 Habit of Successful Fundraisers
February 28, 2017 at 11:31 am

Just to say thank you. For years, we’ve heard that it takes 21 days to create a habit for the long haul. But in reality, it turns out that’s a bit of a myth. I say, commit to these daily calls, come hell or high water, for three months straight. Jot it down on your calendar and begin tomorrow—no ifs, ands or buts about it. And then, reach out. I want to hear from you. What habits are you embracing to ramp up your fundraising this year?...

The Giving Movement: It’s More Than Just #GivingTuesday
February 27, 2017 at 10:54 am

Giving Tuesday has revolutionized giving days. A movement that started in 2012 by 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, Giving Tuesday aims to “celebrate and encourage giving during a commercially focused season,” Jessie Salpeter, senior digital account executive for Chapman Cubine and Hussey, said during the DMA Nonprofit Federation Conference...

Association of Fundraising Professionals Weighs in on Johnson Amendment Repeal
February 23, 2017 at 11:11 am

Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump publicly announced that he intends on repealing the Johnson Amendment. Last week, we published an article about our thoughts on the Johnson Amendment and how its repeal could affect nonprofit organizations. Slowly nonprofits are voicing opinions about what this could mean for the nonprofit sector...