Or, how to make your ask concrete, if you work for an arts organization. Arts lovers know that art can’t always be constrained by words. I spent a good part of my career as a staff person in an arts organization. Theater was my route into the nonprofit world. But my love for all kinds […]
Lapsed donors: you don’t really want to say goodbye, do you?
Are you thinking about lapsed donors right now? We’ve been living through a few years of crisis, calamity, catastrophe… you name it. From Covid to conflict, it’s been a heck of a ride. This climate has been good to some organizations. Human services and international aid – these are needs that are ever-present in people’s […]
Fundraising appeals: think before you act
So you’re ready to write a fundraising appeal. Now what? Before you even begin to write your appeal, there are some things you should think about. What’s the ONE thing you’ll ask a reader to do? Too often, we use a fundraising appeal as a catch-all for everything we want to tell people. This is […]
This is your brain on stories
When I was in high school, it was the highly-anticipated movie event of a lifetime. None of the theaters nearby were showing it – yet. But my friends and I were determined. We located a theater 40 minutes away. The next problem: how would we get there? My parents couldn’t give me the car that […]
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 […]