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I just finished reading several blogs and reflections from AFP-ICON, which just wrapped up in New Orleans, and it sounds like people are extremely nervous! Why? Because a recent report by the...
4 min read
If you have a data set of 10,000 donors who have been giving for at least ten years and have made a gift within the past three years, I’d bet you have about 67-81 donors (with an average of 74) with...
2 min read
You know those sound machines that create white noise and block out all the other sounds around them? That’s what’s happening to your donors right now because everyone is following the same donor...
3 min read
Your hands ache from writing “We couldn’t do this work without you,” on hundreds of cards. The papercuts on your fingertips sting as you shovel another handful of Fritos into your mouth, desperate to...
2 min read
Why does your donor love your organization so much? Have you sat down with your donor and really listened to their answer? If they said something like, “well, I just think you do a great job,” did...
3 min read
One of the advantages of being an outside consultant is that you can see things that those who are “in it” can’t, for one reason or another. It doesn’t mean a consultant is better than a front-line...
2 min read
Fourth in a six-part series: Truth Bombs About Major Gifts You cannot start or invest in a major gift program and see immediate results. The problem in our industry is that non-profit leaders and...
1 min read
Maybe you’ve heard that old adage: information tells, emotion sells. I suggest you print that out and put it in front of you when you’re writing, so that you make sure you start with emotion and then...
2 min read
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...
2 min read
#5 in the series How a Caseload Grows Over Time Budget time in any organization, commercial or non-profit, is when revenue forecasts are always made. Someone will invariably say, “We need growth of...
