We all know that millions of Americans enjoy volunteerism. All of us strive to identify, recruit and orient volunteers each year. We also know that, for our organizations to continue to stimulate volunteer engagement, we must provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers to engage in win-win situations. In order to provide those, we need to have those volunteer experiences for ourselves...
It is midway through 2016. In a few short months we will enter the holiday season. Most of us are either halfway through a fiscal year or just beginning a new one. In either case, it is time to take professional stock of where you are and where you are going. Last week, we discussed steps for a midyear personal checkup. This time, let's talk about the 10 steps for a professional nonprofit fundraising checkup...
Last week, I went home to West Virginia, but I did not expect to drive right into a 1,000-year flood. Disaster hit my home state in a big way. That said, what impressed me the most when seeing the flooded areas was how West Virginians are working very hard to survive in any way possible...
At some point, usually after dealing with a seemingly uninformed (dare I say "stupid"?) request from someone who is higher than you on the organizational chart, you probably have fanaticized about being in charge. Maybe your ultimate goal is to manage the complete fundraising program, or you may have your sights set on the "corner office."...
More and more things are free. You can download software, music, get advice, see a movie—all for free. The internet has created what is now called the "copy economy. You can now get just about anything for free—or nearly so...
It is midway through the year. I am in disbelief! Next week, I will share a midyear checkup list for your fundraising. You are in the trenches. This is noble work—a great calling. But I have yet to meet a fundraising professional who did not feel a bit overwhelmed. The average tenure in our profession—well, it’s less than three years...
We’ll dig deeper into when innovation makes sense. When does it really have value? I’ll be suggesting three additional questions for you to consider prior to adopting a new idea. And I’ll offer you a whole new set of tools to help you arrive at answers...
I had a light bulb moment that made me do one of the smartest things I’ve ever done and something that I continue to do 16 years later. You see, I knew that the heart and soul of my fundraising plan would be to learn what our donors’ motivations were. So, after querying our database for 20 loyal donors who had given more than $250 a year during the past five years, I wrote a letter of introduction asking why they had supported the organization...
We often are asked our opinions on the ideal relationship between the leader of the development department and the major gift officer (MGO). Here is what we think, organized by category of work on the left and the two roles to the right...
Recently, I attended an activity for volunteers. The purpose of the event was for our volunteers to help stuff backpacks for needy children. The smiles and response following this hands-on event proved to me that this type of activity is vitally important. It is all about building relationships...
