Now or Later: Helping Your Board Members
During my college days, I was a master of procrastination when it came to writing papers. There’s nothing like a deadline to get the “creative juices” flowing, to heighten focus and to ramp up stress!! For the most part, I’ve tried to gain better time management skills the older I’ve become. But I still failRead More Now or Later: Helping Your Board Members
Learning the Language
By Mark Belcher, Partner After more than 20 years of working in and with various types of development organizations – higher ed, research, hospitals, etc. – one thing I have come to appreciate is that there is more often than not a considerable gap translating our work into the language of business operations. As is alsoRead More Learning the Language
Proper Stewardship: It’s More Than A “Thank You!”
By Katie MacKenzie, Project Coordinator Stewardship. In the development world we’ve all heard of it, we all discuss it, and we all agree it is important. However, so often I see some of the clients with which I work think that a simple Thank You note is just that, a simple note. While I don’tRead More Proper Stewardship: It’s More Than A “Thank You!”
Engaging Generation Z
By Project Manager, Heather Thornton Recently, my teenage cousin came for a short visit. She is an amazing kid – smart, funny, engaging…so much so that I sometimes forget I am dealing with a 15-year old and not an older, more mature person. I would say that she represents a fairly typical Gen Zer, thoseRead More Engaging Generation Z
Leave A Legacy
“I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love…I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony…” I was reminded of those lines from a 1971 Coca-Cola ad as I read an article in Planned Giving Today about ‘Leave A Legacy.’ Now, I know I’m showing my age withRead More Leave A Legacy
Engaging In Social Media Platforms
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, WordPress, YouTube, Tumblr… the list goes on. Social media is taking over the internet and how we communicate with one another. If your organization doesn’t have a social media presence you might as well live in the Stone Age. But what does your social media platform do for your giving? ItRead More Engaging In Social Media Platforms
Don’t Treat Your Board Chair And Campaign Chair Like This!
A previous blog offered suggestions on how to aggravate your board in four easy steps. Following up on that post, I’ve received suggestions on how to not only tick off your board chair but your campaign chair as well. Some of these came from chairs that we have worked with throughout the years. It broughtRead More Don’t Treat Your Board Chair And Campaign Chair Like This!
Donor Advised Funds
The website Inside Philanthropy had a provocative blog recently from a nonprofit management consultant named Alan Cantor. Cantor argues that the triple-digit growth in donor advised funds (DAFs in the lingo of the field) is actually hurting charities. Simply put, a DAF is a charitable fund that an individual donor can establish at an investmentRead More Donor Advised Funds
Start Thinking About Your Prospects
By Mark Belcher, Partner I’m sure you read the title and thought to yourself, “That’s all I do!” In today’s environment of increasing competition for funding, I’ve been thinking about the constituency beyond Alumni, donors, foundations and corporations and would encourage you to do the same. Many times we leave important dollars on the tableRead More Start Thinking About Your Prospects
Crowdfunding: The Ask of the Future or Just Another Tool in the Tool Belt?
By Katie MacKenzie, Project Coordinator Crowdfunding. Every week on my various social media feeds, I see at least one or two Kickstarter, GoFundMe, or Indiegogo-type pleas for fundraising support. Some of the causes are noble – supporting a medical mission trip to Haiti, assisting underserved students in need of new classroom supplies – while othersRead More Crowdfunding: The Ask of the Future or Just Another Tool in the Tool Belt?
