Fundraiser Education

Ever notice how the training that’s offered to help you be a better fundraiser very often has a predictable pattern? It’s the pattern I call “all the cool kids are doing it.” The French might call it the “topic de jour.”...

Anecdotal evidence says that rage donation does provide a catharsis for political frustration. We know, because we donated to the Wilner’s fundraiser when it was at about $4 million, and yes, we did feel somewhat better! A bigger issue that rage donations bring into focus is the use of Facebook as the fundraising platform of choice...

This article talks about how nonprofits, like the Texas Civil Rights Project and Save the Children, are responding to the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance policy” that has resulted in separating parents seeking asylum at the southern border from their children. Amid the outrage that led up to Trump’s decision to reverse course and sign an executive […]

The truth is the fundraising world is very complex and dynamic. We use simple tools and basic principles that we feel will provide easy answers for us. The truth is all of us make mistakes daily in our jobs. The question is do we know we are making mistakes and try to correct them, or do we assume the wrong way to do things is the right way to accomplish success?

Our lives are full of noise. We’re bombarded by messages designed to interrupt and grab our attention. Here are three keys to help you find your voice and communicate with power, so that your message will resonate with donors...

When we think about the characteristics of a true entrepreneur, we think about their exceptional talent, skills, vision and willingness to take extreme risk; and of course, years of instant ramen, couch hopping and other similar sacrifices, all in pursuit of the next game-changing product or service that would change the way everyone thinks, works, travels, eats, learns, sleeps, loves or banks.

June 1 marked the 80th birthday of “National Doughnut Day.” This day was established by The Salvation Army and is a tribute to the fact that, in 1917 and 1918, about 250 Salvation Army volunteers served American troops on the front lines in France, supplying clothes, support and baked goods...

Understanding the moral foundations that resonate with both liberals and conservatives is essential. If you want to cast a wide net, take care to characterize your mission in ways that will appeal to both. Once you understand the five foundations, you’ve cracked the code...

Where do you even begin? Don’t fret! Grant writing is not intimidating and provides plenty of benefits for your organization.

In my experience, nonprofits can be divided into two groups based on the organizational model they deploy: those that depend on a legacy model that depends on an established donor base supporting an entrenched institution, and those that take a more entrepreneurial fundraising approach...