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...
HR
Sep
21
2018
How long a fundraiser is expected to stay
Something tells me that our profession, the fundraiser, will never be getting the gold watch after 50 years of service. There are varying statistics, but the...
Sep
14
2018
Do Underpaid Employees Perform Better Due to Dedication?
Paying a non-profit employee is always fraught with issues — there is never a right number. Somebody is always disappointed. It could be the employee or...
May
18
2018
Results are the only thing that matters.
Fundraising is very much an A-type personality profession. When I was consulting for various capital campaigns in the 90’s, nothing was more rewarding for me personally...
Dec
08
2017
Work-Life Balance — lessons learned
In all of the jobs that I have had, I always keep track of my hours (for my own sake), clocking in and clocking out. It...
Dec
01
2017
Small development offices vs large ones
In Canada, most fundraising organizations have a professional staff of fewer than five people. That is pretty amazing, considering all that they do. It is those...
Nov
17
2017
NO “I” in Team…but there is an “M” and an “E”
So much of what impacts a fundraiser’s success is predicated on having the right people around him/her, I have found that fundraising is much more of...
Nov
03
2017
Managing Expectations — it’s harder than it seems
If someone were to ask me what my biggest challenge is in my professional life, I would have to say, hands down, that it is managing...
HR / Leadership
Aug
11
2017
Putting the FUN in FUNdraiser
I work hard. No doubt about it. But I also like to unwind hard and have fun. No doubt about that either. Looking back on my...
HR / Leadership
Aug
04
2017
A Typical Day in the Life of a Fundraiser
I should start this article with the time treasured adage every day as a fundraiser is different. I, personally, would not like to have the same day...