Matt Hugg

Matt Hugg

Matt Hugg is an author and instructor in nonprofit management in the U.S. and abroad. He is president and founder of Nonprofit.Courses, an on-demand, e-learning educational resource for nonprofit leaders, staff, board members and volunteers, with hundreds of courses in nearly every aspect of nonprofit work.  

He’s the author of “The Guide to Nonprofit Consulting,” and “Philanders Family Values, Fun Scenarios for Practical Fundraising Education for Boards, Staff and Volunteers,” and a contributing author to “The Healthcare Nonprofit: Keys to Effective Management.”

Over his 30-year career, Matt has held positions at the Boy Scouts of America, Lebanon Valley College, the University of Cincinnati, Ursinus College and the University of the Arts. In these positions, he raised thousands of gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations and government entities, and worked with hundreds of volunteers on boards and fundraising committees, in addition to his organizational leadership responsibilities.

Matt teaches fundraising, philanthropy and marketing in graduate programs at Eastern University, the University of Pennsylvania, Juniata College and Thomas Edison State University via the web, and in-person in the U.S., Africa, Asia and Europe, and is a popular conference speaker. He has a B.S. from Juniata College and an M.A. in philanthropy and development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Matt has served on the board of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nonprofit Career Network of Philadelphia and several nonprofits.
Recruiting: Are You Locking Out Fundraising Talent?

I’ve done plenty of searches as a manager of fundraisers and as a headhunter. In my headhunting role I would always ask, “Will you consider nontraditional candidates?” Even among those who say "yes" (most are honest and say no, despite my discussion of the possible advantages), it was clear that there was a discomfort with hiring an outsider. This from clients who I knew were outsiders themselves not long before. In effect, they locked the door behind them...

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Are You in Their Head?

How well do you know the people you serve? How well do you know the folks you solicit for gifts? I'm not talking about recognizing them on the street or at an event. I mean how well do you know the kind of life they live? How well do you know how they handle their finances? How well do you know what their day looks like from start to end?

Go for the Green: Prepare for Year-End Fundraising Today

If you're on a June/July fiscal year, you need to make plans now for a strong year's end. That means updating your messaging that you decided last July was the best approach. It means confirming or lining up your interviews for those story-based letters. It means making sure that you're still sending to the right segments.

Of Nuclear Weapons and Nonprofit Careers: Keys That Release Your (Career) Energy

Here’s a puzzle: What two things require two keys to unleash all the energy you could ever imagine? The answer? A nuclear weapon and your nonprofit career. OK, I really don’t know whether it just takes two keys to unleash a nuclear weapon. I dearly pray that however many keys it takes, we lose most of them. But I know that if you want to unleash all the energy potential in a nonprofit career, you need to have two key things nailed down pretty well. Key No. 1: What are my skills? Giving yourself an honest answer to that question is the most important career move of your

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