2 min read
What Are You Grateful For This Year?
As many of us in the U.S. prepare to pull up a chair at the Thanksgiving table—and even if you’re reading this from somewhere far beyond our borders—I want to take a moment to pause with you. This...
2 min read
As many of us in the U.S. prepare to pull up a chair at the Thanksgiving table—and even if you’re reading this from somewhere far beyond our borders—I want to take a moment to pause with you. This...
2 min read
One of the most frustrating challenges for a non-profit fundraiser is when leadership resists embracing a relationship-based fundraising program. Maybe they’re clinging to old habits—relying solely...
2 min read
Not long ago, I was talking with a group of board members after a meeting. The conversation started light—family, sports, business. But it didn’t stay there. One of them leaned in and said, “I don’t...
3 min read
Folks, I've been on the road again lately, crisscrossing the world and talking with non-profit leaders from all walks of life. And let me tell you something I've noticed time and again – the...
2 min read
One of my colleagues in the industry, Jason Lewis, has a phrase for the way that many non-profits approach fundraising: arms-length fundraising. It’s the idea that organizations treat fundraising...
3 min read
Major Gift work is not easy. Yet when I read the headlines of our industry magazines and websites, everyone seems to have either an easy way to do major gifts, or some kind of major gift fundraising...
5 min read
This is Part 2 of a series on building trust: “No Trust, No Relationship, No Money.” “The fish stinks from the head.”
4 min read
This is Part 1 of a series on building trust: “No Trust, No Relationship, No Money.” Trust is the core building block of all relationships. Yet many donors do not trust the organizations they give to...
4 min read
In our last blog, Lisa Robertson shared the top five reasons leaders fear starting a mid-level program. I can’t let that go by without also sharing some concrete examples of how I’ve seen...
4 min read
“Can you talk to our team?” It’s not an unusual request, but one we often receive when we suggest to folks that investing in a mid-level program is their logical next step in ensuring a healthy donor...
Twice monthly, Richard and Jeff address current topics and classic problems in major gift fundraising.