Jan
20
2023
Now Is the Time to Check In
January and February can be the two of the toughest months (from a mental health perspective). The fast-paced end-of-year, replete with holiday celebrations with friends and...
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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...
Feb
18
2022
Looking For A Reason NOT To Donate?
You Will ALWAYS Find One How many times have we, as fundraisers, heard “Organization ABC decided to blah-blah-blah. I won’t give them any financial support anymore.”? My...
Jun
11
2021
Getting to 90% Might be Good Enough
I admit it. I like to move at a good pace. Perhaps it is my Attention Deficit Disorder, and that I get bored quickly. I guess...
May
14
2021
UPDATE: Make Life Complicated with a Policy
Four years ago, I wrote about making life difficult for donors, especially through a needless policy. I spoke of all the superfluous data sometimes you have...
Jan
15
2021
We are Family!
Welcome to 2021 — here’s hoping that this is a much better year than 2020! Over the break, I spent quite a lot of time chatting...
Oct
02
2020
The Gambler: Lyrics to Live By
I have to admit that I am a fan of country music. Something is soothing about the tempo, and I can usually understand the lyrics. Some...
Sep
11
2020
Nature Abhors a Vacuum in Leadership
Aristotle stated 2,000 years ago that Nature abhors a vacuum. The theory is that the denser surrounding material would immediately fill the rarity of an incipient...
Jun
26
2020
Why vs How: A Tool for the Debate
A few years ago, I wrote an article discussing the Why vs How when it comes to fundraising. This has always been at the heart of...
May
22
2020
Are you Fishing in the Right Pond?
There is always this push/pull dichotomy between donor acquisition and donor upgrade. Above all, a fundraiser’s efforts should be precise and fruitful — the spray and...