Jan
25
2019
Database — Friend or Foe?
Databases. It’s a love/hate thing for most people. I have advocated that your database (and the data contained in it) are your organization’s most valuable asset....
Jan
18
2019
Pick up the Phone and MAKE THE CALL
So much has changed in the almost 25-years since I entered this profession. My first campaign had pledge forms filed on index cards and we were...
Jan
11
2019
People Know When the End of the Year is!!!
This is truly a pet peeve of mine. I received no less than 22 emails from various charities (local, national and international) in the last 10...
Nov
30
2018
What is the Olive Cooke tragedy?
In 2015, the world lost Olive Cooke. Being a North American, I had never heard of this lady. She died by suicide, choosing to jump off...
Nov
23
2018
The Three Types of Gifts
For the third time in four weeks, I’m going to quote Jason Lewis from his book The War for Fundraising Talent. (Can you tell I like...
Nov
16
2018
Who is the Superhero Today?
Almost twenty years ago saw the birth of the comic-book-turn-to-movie phenomena. Storytelling went from comics to the big screen. Marvel Comics was at the forefront of...
Nov
09
2018
The relationship needs to change
For as long as I have been a fundraiser, Direct Mail has always been toted as the holy grail — where the most number of donors...
Nov
02
2018
The Primark Approach
Jason Lewis has a great book out there — the War for Fundraising Talent. It is a real eye-opener and I have learned quite a few new...
Oct
26
2018
Some Stats That May (or may not) Impress You
Every now and then I have to think that my Stats degree was useful for something. Below is a list of some interesting fundraising statistics (some...
Oct
19
2018
Raising Time or Raising Money
Many moons ago I was canvassing some Board members for a capital campaign that we were running. We were on pace and tracking quite well. I...