Fundraiser Education

Not long ago, the website for the nonprofit Colon Cancer Alliance offered a treasure trove of information about colorectal screening, colon cancer research and other topics related to the deadly disease. What it did not do was provide a concise explanation of what the group’s aims were and, perhaps more crucially, why people should donate…

For the first time ever, Charity Navigator and GuideStar are entering into a partnership. Under this collaboration, the two organizations will “work together and advance the discussion of impact measurement among nonprofit organizations, while minimizing burden on nonprofits...

Earlier this year, the Indiana School of Philanthropy predicted charitable giving would rise 3.6 percent in 2017. Based on the volume of individual contributions received during the first half of the year, it appears as if the industry is on pace to meet those projections...

How can you avoid all the risks associated technology and software in your nonprofit without bankrupting the organization? With cyber security a huge issue, it almost seems like you are fighting a losing battle, doesn’t it? The first step in addressing technology risks is to understand the problems and identify the risks. Then, you will be better able to develop solutions...

As my company wrapped up its recent 30th anniversary celebration, I had a chance to reflect on how things evolve over time. My father put us on a path at the outset, and though our scope and goals have changed since then, our commitment to giving back and our deep ties to the nonprofit sector…

Most people hesitate to give criticism or honest feedback. I’ve done it myself—sugarcoating my comments rather than telling someone what I really think. Unless someone asks me specifically what I really think, probing in various specific areas, I’m more inclined to give positive feedback...

This summer, I spent three days at The Collaborative, an event that brings together the best and brightest from the nonprofit world (a video is at end of this story). Across all of the panels, I attended and the conversations I had, one theme stuck out: Too often it feels like funders and nonprofits are…

I was not into cars growing up, except for one beautiful late 1950’s Dodge that had the greatest speedometer ever. That speedometer showed green, yellow or red colors as perfect indicators of the speed of the car as it went faster. I have always remembered that color indicator tool that I use for dashboards today. Besides cars, should dashboards be used in business to denote performance?...

In the dead rush to raise much-needed funds for our charitable passions, we sometimes forget that the words we choose in reaching out to our supporters need to be chosen with them in mind. There’s a unique fundraising idea...

President Trump and his re-election campaign have decided to cancel fundraisers scheduled this fall in Texas as the state recovers from Hurricane Harvey. Trump was originally scheduled to hold a fundraising event in Dallas the end of September, while Vice President Mike Pence was slotted to attend fundraisers in San Antonio and Houston the beginning…