Apr
20
2018
Is your bucket leaking donors?
There is a great adage out there that it is better/more economical to retain a customer/donor than it is to acquire a new one. That is...
Apr
13
2018
Why fundraising is like working out.
Many people know that aside from fundraising, I now like to work out. I try to run at least 20 kilometres a week outdoors and when...
Mar
23
2018
Why the Board Should ask Others for Support
There is a great quote from Joan Garry’s book Guide to Nonprofit Leadership that says: “A funny thing can happen to a board member when it comes to...
Mar
16
2018
Fundraising is both an Art AND a Science
This is a profession that requires both hemispheres of the brain — the creative, along with the analytical. You can have all of the passion in...
Mar
09
2018
Using a skills Matrix
Some organizations take a fisherman’s approach to find board members — they throw out a net and hopefully, they will land a bunch of big fish...
Mar
02
2018
Leadership sets the pace
I have written in previous posts about the board and fundraising. I would like to extend that thought to the senior leadership of any charitable organization....
Feb
23
2018
Questioning the Status Quo
I am always questioning the status quo. Even as a child, my parents used to get so frustrated with me because I questioned everything. Ad nauseum. Now,...
Feb
16
2018
The quality of a gift is directly related to the quality of the relationship between the solicitor and prospect
I have been asked so many times if I have a degree in business (arguably so that I can utilize the business acumen I acquired to...
Feb
09
2018
What’s a Major Gift for your Organization?
The phrase Major Gift is fundraiser jargon. Personally, I loathe the term, but in our industry, it’s what we use. (Some fundraisers actually have the title Major...
Feb
02
2018
The Board you have is the Board you build
I heard this saying once many years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. So many senior executives grumble about the board — whether...