'Idea Storming' for Nonprofits

There's even more pressure now for the new: a) because of the clutter and the mental clutter of communication, and b) because it's just more fun and more exciting to be part of something totally new.

FS: What can fundraisers do to get buy-in from the board and executives to invest in innovation?
BM: As the environment gets even tougher, my experience has been that boards and companies are more willing to try things because it's tougher and tougher, and they say, "A lot of this stuff isn't working; let's try something new." Oddly enough I do think, yes, they do want to continue the tried-and-true methods, but because times are so tough certain companies are more open to innovation now than they used to be. Others batten down the hatches and are not. But there are certain organizations that are more open to innovation frankly just because they have to be. It's a matter of survival.