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Hope or fear – which powerful emotion should you use?

Hope or fear… picture a year-end appeal. The goal isn’t met. Time is running out. Your appeal urges donors to act right away, or bad things may happen. “Can’t we keep it upbeat? You know, focus on the good stuff?” a board member will ask. “We know that’s more effective, right?” Well… I don’t think […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal letters, emotional fundraising, negative messaging 2 Comments

Are you worried about new overtime rules?

Are you worried about new overtime rules? Be the change that you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi Let’s be the change in our nonprofit sector Last week, the Obama administration issued new labor rules about overtime. Salaried employees who earn less than $47,476 now must be paid overtime for hours in excess […]

Filed Under: Blog, Caring for yourself Tagged With: Fundraising, nonprofit staff, women in nonprofits 4 Comments

7 Reasons to focus on your monthly giving program

7 Reasons to focus on your monthly giving program And why you should get started today. My first try at monthly giving happened years ago. As an unrepentant fundraising do-it-yourselfer, I read a lot. So more than 10 years ago, I happened on an article by Harvey McKinnon, author of Hidden Gold, about monthly giving. […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog Tagged With: monthly giving 6 Comments

Is unicorn guilt hurting your cause?

Are you the magic unicorn? Feeling like it’s all on your shoulders? I’ve been involved recently in several conversations with other nonprofit professionals on an important topic. For nonprofit people, balancing life and work is always an important topic. But one conversation raised questions I think are important for all of us. It came down […]

Filed Under: Blog, Caring for yourself Tagged With: making room for donors, nonprofit unicorns, work life balance 2 Comments

To my younger fundraising self – and maybe you

To my younger fundraising self – and maybe you I was an accidental fundraiser. There wasn’t a grand plan in place. It’s just that once I left one terrific regional theater, I wanted to work in another. And I felt the one area I hadn’t gotten a good look at was fundraising. I thought I’d […]

Filed Under: Blog, Caring for yourself Tagged With: confidence, women in fundraising, work life balance 4 Comments

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