3 min read
When you think about “donor service,” what does that look like, for you and for your organization? I’ve talked with countless fundraisers and non-profit leaders who don’t see the value of exceptional...
2 min read
I was sent away to a boarding school in another country when I was six years old. Except for two years, all of my school and college experience was in boarding schools away from home.
3 min read
The purpose of fundraising seems to be what the word says: FUND raising. That seems self-explanatory. Fundraisers raise the funds. Or more basically – get the money.
3 min read
I sat down with a major donor several weeks ago when I was in New York City. We started talking about her philanthropy, what she was trying to accomplish, what were some of her frustrations as a...
3 min read
I have to tell you I’m tired of it. I’m tired of hearing from MGOs that they don’t have donors on their caseloads that give high five, six and seven figure gifts. If you are an MGO and you have at...
2 min read
“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
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...
3 min read
It never fails. The MGO is stuck in his relationship with the donor. He can’t seem to get her engaged. He even knows what the donor is interested in, but nothing seems to be working. So I ask: “Did...
3 min read
One of the most difficult words to hear is “no”. It cuts to the core of our being. It is immediately personal. It often feels bad. When I was younger the word “no” caused me a great deal of anxiety....
2 min read
I can’t tell you how often I see a headline in a fundraising magazine, e-mail or tweet about “Landing the Big Donor.” It’s infuriating. What’s even crazier is that fundraising professionals and...
