In honor of the last season of Game of Thrones, let’s talk about dragons. Besides being mythical (maybe), dragons are big and fire-breathing and terrifying. Not something you want to handle on your own. But for fundraising? You want a dragon. I don’t mean something imaginary. I mean something very real, very big and right […]
Why the things you hate make good appeals
Ever seen an appeal you just hated? I mean, really hated? Most of my career, I’ve focused on annual giving – and especially on communicating with donors. I often open and look at the solicitations I receive. I usually have professional opinions on the appeals. But even so, I’m always surprised by the negative reactions […]
Do you want to raise more money? You need a plan
If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. ~Yogi Berra Is this you? Many organizations share a problem. They’re either new and need to build a fundraising program… Or they’re not new at all but have never focused on building a fundraising program. In both situations, the answer is […]
6 big fundraising mistakes small organizations make
If you fixed just 6 big fundraising mistakes, you’d raise more money. And I know, like it isn’t hard enough being a small organization, right? Not enough staff. Not enough time. And definitely, not enough money. You get used to making do. Find shortcuts. You work a lot. But too often, you don’t do the things […]
The lesson of my mom’s chili
By Mary Cahalane at Hands-On Fundraising Or why too many cooks who don’t know what’s already in the pot can make a mess. Years ago, my family was gathered at my parents’ home to celebrate Christmas. By now, we were a big crowd – I have three siblings, and each of us has two children. […]