We recently facilitated two board meetings for two very different types of organizations. One was an institution that is over 100 years old with a multi-million dollar budget. The other was an emerging grassroots, community-based organization. At both meetings the focus was fundraising, and board members were actively engaged. They had suggestions about how to
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln “I wish someone would take care of all the details.” Such is the lament of fundraising staff who stagger under the weight of never ending activities and details. They try to keep it all
The universe is big. It’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles. – Dr. Who Windfall gifts are the secret fantasy of every fundraiser. These large, unexpected gifts can take a capital campaign “over the top.” In other instances they are the saving grace
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. – Albert Einstein Ideally your nonprofit is focused on raising the money you need to deliver on your mission and vision. You have a strong fundraising team with talented staff, enthusiastic volunteers, the right technology, and a communications strategy that
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can never live long enough to make them all yourself.” ― G. Marx Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us about our recent column on fundraising and proofreading. We heard from readers in Memphis, New York, and California on this topic. They included donors, volunteers, an executive
Communication is the name of the game. It’s not just what we say it’s also what we write. How are you communicating using the written word? Do you read your reports, emails, and letters before hitting send? Does the thought of grammar and sentence structure make you roll your eyes and think back to days in
“We wear a lot of hats around here.” This is a common refrain at many small and medium-sized nonprofits. It’s even true amongst larger nonprofits that are under-resourced. Sometimes it’s said with pride. Other times it is followed by a sigh that signals fatigue. We understand both sentiments. If you are one who “wears many
Grant funds are a major source of revenue for many nonprofits. Grant awards are heralded with public fanfare. Gaining – or losing – a grant can have critical implications. Is the grant management process at your organization as proactive as it could be? Consider these two groups of questions as you review your process. Deciding
Sometimes it is necessary for you as a nonprofit leader to personally check how easy or difficult it is to communicate with your organization. When you verify these for yourself you can best assess your nonprofit’s responsiveness. Check the following to ensure you won’t have to make excuses in the future. Call your office during
Have you thought about branding – or rebranding – your nonprofit, college, or even your business? Is branding about a logo or something deeper? Discussions of branding can quickly turn to logos, colors, web updates and a social media presence. Are those your brand, or are they expressions of your brand? We believe they are
