In the excellent book, “The Four Disciplines of Execution,” Chris McChesney & Sean Covey warn of “getting caught in the whirlwind”. Put simply, this means that our goals are often neglected or delayed because we allow “urgent” matters to take priority over what is really important. I have spent over…
I still remember the day I got my formal education in major gift solicitation. An elderly donor in Indianapolis had made several regular gifts in the $10,000 to $15,000 range, but she had the capacity to give far more. She seemed to have a genuine fondness for the charity, reached…
In 2015 it was estimated that over $34 billion dollars was raised through crowdfunding and that number has continued to grow exponentially ever since. All of us would like to launch a crowdfunding campaign that catches fire and raises hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of dollars as a result…
Diversity is one of those hot button topics that is particularly relevant in the philanthropic community. Whether we are applying for a grant, or rubbing elbows in our charitable circles, diversity always finds a way to enter the conversation. For the purpose of this post, I would like us to…
On August 23rd, 2014 I was sitting at a board of directors meeting with a dozen other leaders discussing the future of one of the most important Christian Universities in all of Africa. 60 years earlier pioneer missionaries traveled into remote jungle regions of Nigeria to establish Nigerian Christian Bible…
GoFundME Indigogo Kickstarter Facebook Instagram The list of social media tools and resources is almost inexhaustible, but there is still a tremendous need to build old school relationships with donors. Don’t misunderstand, I am not a technophobe, and I do understand the intrinsic value of social media, communication tools, and…
Estate plans are not simply for the rich. Most people can benefit from a well designed estate plan, if they will take the time to avoid the pitfalls inherent in the process. Below you will find 10 estate planning mistakes that you will want to avoid – along with a…
A friend recently published a response to a post on Franklin Graham’s annual salary. My response in this blog is neither an endorsement or an indictment of Franklin Graham – it is a response to the general population’s attitudes towards non-profit salaries. I have spent most of my career working…
A significant portion of our success in direct mail solicitation hinges on the quality of our mailing lists. To begin with, consumer mailing lists go sour at a rate of 2% per month, or 25% per year. That means over the next twelve months one quarter of your mailing list…
Advocacy groups always face one of the greatest challenges in the nonprofit community – they have to play ball in the political arena. Politics is a nasty, ugly, and unforgiving realm and those who are unprepared for the fight are best to sit on the sidelines. One of my mentors…
