3 min read
Why Are You Hiding the Truth?
I remember when I was a kid, I broke one of my dad’s tools in the garage because I was playing around with it. I knew he would be mad because I wasn’t allowed to play with that particular tool. What...
Passionate Giving BlogTM
Leadership (3)
1 min read
What To Do When Your Non-Profit Board Doesn’t Work
It’s a major dilemma. You’ve invited some outstanding community members, thought leaders, and friends to be on your board. You thought it would go well and it hasn’t. The board, simply, is not...
2 min read
No Wonder You’re Leaving
I feel like every six months or so, either Richard or I feel compelled to write about the state of turnover in our industry. It’s sad, because honestly, not much has changed in over a decade of...
4 min read
What If I’m Trying to Promote Better Collaboration Between Departments?
Fourth in a Six-Part Series: What Should I Do If…? Something happens in almost every non-profit where, over time, we lose focus. And as the non-profit grows, it breaks down into departments or siloes...
3 min read
What If Leadership Is NOT Entirely on Board with a Donor-Centered Program?
First in a Series: What Should I Do If…? A Six-Part Series Inspired by You
2 min read
How You Can Help Your Board Succeed
How effective is your board at helping you solicit major gifts? If your board is like most of the boards Richard and I have encountered over the years, probably not great. It’s not easy to recruit...
2 min read
You Need ‘Your People’
When I was a development director, there were times that I felt really alone. Especially when I was struggling. I didn’t have many people I could bounce ideas off easily. And at that time, it wasn’t...
3 min read
Non-Profit Leaders, There is No Shortcut in Major Gifts
Major Gift work is not easy. Yet when I read the headlines of our industry magazines and web sites, everyone seems to have either an easy way to do major gifts, or some kind of major gift fundraising...
2 min read
Go Tell Your Donors They are Making a Difference!
“How are you telling your donors they are making a difference with their giving? No, really. How are you letting them know they are making an impact on the world?” Richard and I find ourselves asking...
2 min read
Why We Can’t Think Big.
A few weeks ago I was in a meeting with a non-profit development team and their CEO. The CEO came into the meeting, sat down, and with a big smile on her face, said, “Team, I want us to dream big. I...
