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Why you should always be learning

I’ve been in the nonprofit world for more than three decades. (I’d like to say I started at 10, but that wouldn’t be quite honest.) But whatever the organization, or even my role, one thing was absolutely true. There was always something to be learned. Always a way to do something better, faster, smarter. And […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: fundraising success, learning 1 Comment

Fundraising is not debate club

I bought a rowing machine last Christmas. It’s still causing arguments. ~John Thompson Full disclosure: I was not in a debate club. I would have been sliced and diced in moments, as I tried to find common ground so everyone could be nice to each other. Take a look at the fundraising mail making its […]

Filed Under: Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: debate, donor comm 1 Comment

Did you miss the day fundraising took a vow of poverty?

Fundraisers – and fundraising – need to be funded. The pandemic has caused an interesting shake-up: many employers are struggling to find or keep employees. Meanwhile, the nonprofit sector has an unfortunate history of paying poorly – that matches up to a history of short stays for employees. (It always seems like the person who […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising, Nonprofits Tagged With: Fundraising, fundraising staff, nonprofit management 1 Comment

What it costs to feel all the feels – and why you should pay

This is a short story about feeling all the feels. Back in my younger days, I was a theater person. I mean, I still feel like a theater person, but now I’m an audience member. Then, I was a performer. As a little girl, my dream was to be a ballet dancer. Watching ballet can […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications, donor love 6 Comments

If you make people cry are you a bully?

Are emotions manipulative? What about images? Is it bad if people cry? When we nonprofits tell a story that shares the needs of a beneficiary, we don’t create the tension that the donor feels. The story just reveals the internal tension the donor holds between how the world is and how they believe the world […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: donor communications, emotional fundraising Leave a Comment

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