Fundraising is not just the person who makes the ask, whoever that may be. It requires a team of people with special talents. What brings it all together is a common purpose. Then you need to understand everything that needs to be done, leverage each person’s strengths to do it, and make sure each person feels recognized and appreciated for his contributions. Read More
The elections are over, and President Obama’s proposals to limit tax breaks are back in the spotlight. How bad could it be, for charities? Predictions range from minor to dire, depending on how you run the numbers, and what you think motivates Americans to give. Read More
1. Your business plan for life begins with you thinking about your life first. What … Read More
It brings front and center one of my pet peeves and core beliefs about fundraising and nonprofits, and gives me an opening to talk about my “general theory about everything.” It’s a pretty simple theory, really. Competition or collaboration? Those are the two options. What will drive someone one way or the other? Read More
In our May newsletter, we provided an overview of the entity planning process. This month we will focus on that all-important first step – defining your mission. Let’s start with where you are. Here’s a quick quiz. Think about the nonprofit institution you’re involved with, and ask yourself—and perhaps others in your organization—the following questions:
Does our organization have a shared understanding of the work we do and why it’s important? Are we clear about what we don’t do?
Am I—and is the rest of the organization—committed to, and even passionate about, our mission? Who else will care about this mission? If you answered “yes” to both, I applaud you and your organization. If you didn’t, here is a framework with some key questions. Read More
The short answer: It all starts when you bring someone onto your board; she needs to understand that fundraising is part of the job. Next, make it easy and – dare I say it?! – fun for her!
It is fairly standard procedure to have a description of board members’ fundraising roles somewhere in the orientation packet. That’s good. My problem is that all too often it reads like a rental lease; it’s all about landlord’s rights and tenant’s responsibilities. There’s no reciprocity. Most people are afraid of asking for money, so you have to give them the support they need to feel they have a reasonable chance of success. Read More
I’ve worked with many nonprofits to help create and launch new development, branding and communications plans. While each organization is unique, they all share a singular challenge. They must develop two communication plans, not one … an internal and an external plan. And no matter how big or small the nonprofit, each must articulate the fundamental goals, values and purpose of the organization using “simple” language that communicates the fundamental proposition that every stakeholder or potential stakeholder is being asked to embrace. This is the secret sauce that is essential to achieving your goals in a timely, effective and efficient manner. Read More
Did you know that we’re doing custom webinars now? Here is a sneak peek of … Read More
We’ve probably all seen it: an array of inspirational quotes or ideas, on yellow post-it’s, on a cubicle wall. I know I can’t resist taking a peek, when I do. And I don’t mind having a few motivational tidbits around, for myself on “one of those days” or to share with others in formal talks or a casual conversation. We compiled a list about philanthropy for Getting to Giving, and thought we’d share them with you here. Read More
“This 90-year old museum decides to do a capital campaign…” Capital campaigns are on a … Read More
