Can I help you? I am not a scientist. Mine is a brain made for metaphor, not molecules. But so long as I don’t need to crack a biology textbook, memorize the periodic table, or dissect a frog, I’m willing to dip a toe in. And one area I find fascinating is neuroscience. Why do […]
The Oprah Syndrome
I think of it as The Oprah Syndrome. And if you raise money for a nonprofit, I’m betting you’ve run into it, too. Picture this: you’re at a board meeting. The topic of discussion is a forecast deficit for the year. “What are we to do?”, the finance chair moans. Board members look around, hoping […]
Are donors tired – or just tired of you?
Your donors are tired… Were they for real? I was at a meeting with a number of organizations the other day, along with some fundraising consultants. During the course of the meeting, I was surprised to hear the respected counsel suggesting that the organizations cut back on their communications and solicitations with their donors. Why? […]
I’m no hero and neither are you
I’m no hero, but I’m trying to do it all right now. I bet you know what I mean. Year-end is especially busy for those of us who raise money for nonprofits. It’s the high holy season of giving, and if we’re not ever present in our donors’ consciousness, we risk losing support. If we […]
Don’t break my heart.
Don’t break my heart. Remember that fundraising is always personal. You might think I’m writing about the one that got away. The donor we courted and counted on. And then disappeared. We’ve all been there, right? It’s frustrating… sometimes, it breaks your heart. But today I’m writing as a donor. And about communications that reduce […]