Event Management

I (Katrina) have had several 10,000-hour thresholds in my career. I started my company, Turnkey, in 1989, so my first 10,000 hours happened around 2007 or so. By that time, while certainly not having achieved genius-level competence...

There is a common lack of understanding about the value of redemption in driving fundraising. As opposed to being a “thank you for your participation” item, the data shows that the act of redeeming for appropriately selected items results in higher levels of revenue on the part of volunteer fundraisers and donors alike...

A legendary name in fundraising, Roger Craver is co-founder of the “The Agitator” and author of “Retention Fundraising: The Art and Science of Keeping Your Donors for Life.” He is not your average fundraiser—a disruptor and a challenger of the status quo—in fact; he continues to bring light and knowledge about donor retention, one of the biggest challenges facing the nonprofit sector today...

At the end of the day our organization and I need highly trained and motivated volunteers to help in a variety of roles, especially fundraising. A board retreat is a great tool to use for this purpose. I strongly encourage annual retreats...

Events are a great way to boost donations and donors too. With the right team, strategies and tools, turn any event to an a success.

Some years ago, I was having dinner with a client and her husband, Bill. In the course of the meal, it came up that Bill was going to be doing a DIY event to raise money for breast cancer research, and they asked if I would consider sponsoring Bill for $100 for his event…

We are big on not attending the same professional conferences year after year. Take a break from your routine and attend a new conference—maybe one outside of your nonprofit sector. This year, I’m taking a break from AFP to attend a different conference and I plan to be back at AFP next year...

Evaluating—or re-evaluating—recruiting strategy, community outreach and ways to improve volunteer programs should include a thorough understanding of current trends and changes impacting the nonprofit sector. In conducting our latest research into the state of volunteerism and volunteer screening in America, we asked for feedback from more than 700 nonprofit professionals...

Leadership makes the difference! Of this, I have no doubt. Effective CEOs can transform an organization, and donors look to the CEO as a benchmark when considering a major investment. However, I believe that there is one leadership role more important to an organization—and more critical to its short and long-term success...

It was a simple idea: A live bluegrass band would “pick” music from the back of a flatbed truck. But the choice of venue—San Francisco’s annual Gay Pride Parade—wasn’t. The California Bluegrass Association, a nonprofit founded in 1975, is supported by nearly 3,000 banjo-playing members. And as the twangy music has gained popularity on California’s…