Under deadline and working on an appeal? You’ve probably heard you should write fast and edit slow. And so you should. But how do you turn that rambling first draft into an effective appeal – fast? There’s definitely an art to writing a great appeal. It takes time to learn. Time, and lots of trial […]
Why you should be creating a donor newsletter
Newsletters: a love letter to your donors. I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of executive directors who are working with a friend of mine, Jenny Mitchell. Both were interested in the how-to of an annual giving program. I found myself mentioning newsletters often. Yes, appeals. Yes, great thanks. Newsletters rock. But newsletters… newsletters […]
Are you facing the terror of the blank page?
“But I’ve said it all before!” The cursor blinks, daring you to give up. Your hands are poised, willing your brain to direct them. And the page is still blank. Are you working on a spring appeal? Finding it hard to come up with something new? I have some good news for you: you might […]
The lesson of my mom’s chili
By Mary Cahalane at Hands-On Fundraising Or why too many cooks who don’t know what’s already in the pot can make a mess. Years ago, my family was gathered at my parents’ home to celebrate Christmas. By now, we were a big crowd – I have three siblings, and each of us has two children. […]
How to share the value of art
Should we care about art? So, they’re coming after the NEA again. We’ve been here before, haven’t we? And endured the slow death of a thousand cuts in the meantime. So if you work for an arts organization, you are probably feeling concerned right now. You need to turn this problem into an opportunity. You […]