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What does giving mean?

How do we define giving? In our own lives? With our friends and families? As fundraisers? Do our definitions differ? Tony Martignetti shared a fascinating, yet troubling, piece recently in Vox the other day. “What happened to giving money to charity?” looks at how the ultrawealthy are donating more, but it seems the rest of […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Fundraising Tagged With: Donors, Fundraising, giving 2 Comments

The why and how of fundraising

If you’re writing that year-end appeal or anything that goes to your donors, you’ll be more successful if you understand the “why” and “how” of fundraising. At first, you’d say it’s pretty easy, right? How is the way to do something, why is the reason you do something. “Why” and “how” matter to your fundraising […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications, Fundraising Leave a Comment

Eff the ineffable

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 […]

Filed Under: Arts Fundraising, Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: appeal writing, arts organization, donor communications, Fundraising Leave a 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

Your work matters. So do you.

His face was bright red. He looked down at me, practically spitting his anger. Next to him stood the organization’s development director, silent but glowering. My sin? I ran the box office of a large regional theater, and it was opening night. My (somewhat impossible) task was to both ensure every seat in the house […]

Filed Under: Caring for yourself, Nonprofits Tagged With: Fundraising, nonprofit staff, respect 3 Comments

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