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Are you a farmer or magician?

Years ago, I had lunch with a colleague (John Bordeaux). We had a lovely time getting to know one another. (We had both done the same job, many years apart and the organization is still close to my heart.) He had many interesting things to say, but one really stuck with me. I think you’ll […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising, Planning Tagged With: development staff, donor cultivation, stewardship 16 Comments

What your fundraisers are saying that you need to hear

Why is fundraiser turnover such a big problem? I recently had the chance to present a webinar with Zach Shefska of Market Smart. We covered the results of a poll, conducted by Harris Polls for The Chronicle of Philanthropy and AFP. We covered why fundraisers leave, what it costs to lose a good fundraiser, sometimes […]

Filed Under: Blog, Nonprofits Tagged With: development staff, fundraisers, nonprofit management 3 Comments

The case of the hidden development staff

Have you ever felt your organization’s development staff were hidden away? Maybe on a different plane of existence? Doing strange work normal people wouldn’t understand? I feel strongly about this: development staff must be accessible. Internally and externally. Your work might be specialized, but it’s integral to your organization’s success. (Unless you are fully funded […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: culture of philanthropy, development staff, Fundraising 6 Comments

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Recent Posts

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  • The new way to fundraise? Trust your mail.
  • Donor identity: How do your donors see themselves?

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