We've been asked to "choose a side" since childhood. It may have been on the playground or in a friendly relationship. What happens when neither of those sides is what we seek, support, or can be trusted to be accurate? It calls for critical thinking, consideration of unbiased perspectives, and greater objectivity. Our society could use more of those qualities in today's discourse and deciding where to expend our valuable resources.... Read More
The connection between you, the Colts, Pacers, and nonprofits might not seem obvious, but recent moves and sub-par performances bring it to light. What are their commonalities? Coaches. Both the Colts and the Pacers have several, and nonprofits and individuals can often benefit from them as well.... Read More
Words. There is much spoken, written, and recorded about the use of words. The ones you choose may be right, wrong, motivational, discouraging, instructional or otherwise. Words are written as lyrics, poems, stories and more but there’s one common denominator. ... Read More
Not-for-profits will typically target businesses first when trying to raise funds for an event or project. That may be advantageous if seeking a major sponsorship. However, I tell groups business donations are not the donations on which they need to depend or be seeking on a long-term basis. ... Read More
Trust. Not-for-profit leaders have joined the crescendo of recent talk about having it, losing it, and building it. The latest numbers show trust declines in the NFP sector where individuals and organizations are investing their hard-earned funds, seeking positive change. ... Read More
Most everyone has received one of those dreaded notices that delivers ominous news. “Your personal information has been compromised.” No matter how they say it, our thoughts race to the implications and how quickly we can act to mitigate the damage. ... Read More
Many donors will say they aren’t motivated by recognition, but despite their claim their gifts can be influenced by it. I’ve worked in various forms of fundraising for a couple of decades and have experienced nearly every form of recognition. ... Read More
Donor retention should be high on everyone’s list. After all, it costs much more to acquire a new donor than it does to retain an existing one. Yet, The Fundraising Effectiveness Project cites that the average retention rate is just under 44%. So what are nonprofit organizations doing wrong?... Read More
“The customer is always right.” That mantra was instilled in me early on at my first job in high school. It was in small-business retail which emphasized service and the importance of our customers. ... Read More
It’s time for your next nonprofit board meeting. Are you feeling anticipation? Excited? Anxious? Dreadful? Hopeful? I’ve felt all of those, sometimes more deeply than others. It accompanied board service as a volunteer and running a nonprofit as paid staff for decades. ... Read More
