Imagine how a donor feels when she’s reached her limit “No, we can’t do that. But it’s a good idea. You should definitely offer that suggestion.” “I can’t. I’ve run out of allowed suggestions.” “Oh, well, they limit them to make it easier on them.” Had enough yet? The above was a real conversation I […]
Triage and nonprofit fundraisers
Nonprofit fundraisers could use some applause I wrote last week about our smaller donors and how wonderful they are. The often unsung backbone of many organizations (or the smart ones, anyway), these folks don’t ask for much and offer what’s probably a lot to them. But without sounding too self-serving, I’d like to celebrate another […]
Have you failed today?
Have you failed today? I hope so! Because when you fail, you have the chance to learn something. And often, it’s the only way we really learn. When I was young, I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. So I did ten times more work. George Bernard Shaw If you’re […]
Is your board making you crazy?
Is your board making you crazy? Driving you right up the wall? You’re not alone. A committed and inspired board leads to a strong organization. A dysfunctional board or one that’s not inspired makes it almost impossible for the organization to succeed. Development staff often spot any board problems. To succeed in our work, we […]
Extrovert? Why you might want to listen more
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen an out-of-control extrovert. I watched as a colleague confidently strode toward the party. Eager to talk to any and everyone in the room, she helped herself to a drink and hurried in. In the fundraising biz, it’s easier to be an extrovert. Extroverts don’t hesitate to wade into […]