When social media first became a household name, it was January of 2010. A plane had just crashed in the Hudson River and a man named Janis Krums beat the traditional media to telling the story when he snapped a picture and posted it on Twitter. Before that, everyone who extolled the virtues of social […]

Last month, Michael Chatman, maverick philanthropist and host of the Michael Chatman Giving Show, released his second annual list of “America’s Top 40 Most Effective Fundraising Consultants.” Alexander Haas President and CEO, David King, made the list as the only consultant in the top 20 based in the south. I had the opportunity to speak […]

We are asked all the time, “How can we capitalize on all the money being raised on social media?” Like any consultant worth their salt, we answer that question with a question: “What organization are you talking about that raised a lot of money on social media?” What usually follows is silence. And then something […]

Ok, I admit it.  I’m guilty. If you’re like me, you’re caught up in all of the hype concerning how we as fundraisers try to link our organizations more closely to the Gen X and Gen Y folks. I enjoy technology and new “toys,” so I’m intrigued with all the ways technology is enhancing charitable […]

Long gone are the days when networking had to be done via telephone, email or in person. Social media provides great ways to meet people, gather information and keep in touch, that were not previously possible. With careful planning and effective use of social media tools, networking can even be easier and more valuable than […]

Most of the client work that I do for Alexander Haas is with cultural organizations. Recently, several board members of very well-established cultural organizations have made comments in board meetings that are, unfortunately, not uncommon: “But we aren’t feeding people.”  “We aren’t working on the cure for cancer.”  “How can we ask people to make […]

I have a good friend named Jim Paglia who owns a marketing and branding company called In’s and Out’s. The odd name stands for “insights and outcomes,” which is what Jim prides himself on achieving for his clients – and he does. But recently, I’ve been thinking about those two words in a different context: […]

Philanthropy to global causes has grown faster than any other non-profit sector. If you immediately think of natural disasters as the reason for this increase, you are partly correct. The 2004 Asian Tsunami and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti were experienced and witnessed all over the world. Technology has collapsed the distances of world events into our […]