Feb
10
2023
Some Charities Ruin it For All
Every now and then, a charity misbehaves. In Canada, there are over 86,000 registered charities (according to the Canada Revenue Agency). There are approximately 1,500 revocations...
failure
Jan
10
2023
Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays Episode 7
EPISODE 7 Episode 7 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays continues my conversation with Barbara Crook, one of Ottawa’s finest philanthropists and advocates. Barbara, along with her...
May
13
2022
Ask the Right Question (of a Potential Fundraiser)
There is a lot of movement out there in the fundraising world. Some have left the profession, while others have entered the profession. I have been...
Dec
10
2021
I Cannot Believe You Did(n’t) Do It
I have heard many fundraising stories in my 25-plus years as a fundraiser. And, I have seen a lot of things —unfortunately, I cannot unsee some...
Oct
22
2021
You Can Be Your Own Worst Enemy
Last year, I touched upon the topic of The Psychology of Fundraising. I reiterated that I would likely be a much better fundraiser if I had a...
May
28
2021
What Does it Take to Be a Great Fundraiser?
The topic this week is a bit of a bone of contention for me. These are my beliefs as to what it takes to be a...
Feb
19
2021
Noble Failure: An Update
I was a fan of the ACBF (Andrea & Charles Bronfman Foundation) before it wound down, specifically how Bronfman went about his thoughtful philanthropy. In his...
Feb
05
2021
Issues Raising Funds — Part II
Last week, I wrote about golf and fundraising — the advent of the graphite shaft amplifies your golf swing (good or bad), just as COVID has...
Jan
29
2021
Signals that you will soon have Issues Raising Funds
Fundraising during COVID is like using a graphite golf club. Those things that go well go really well, and the things that go poorly go really...
Sep
25
2020
Recommended Reading
I have to admit that I wasn’t always a reader. Perhaps it was my ADHD, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of staring...