Thanks to a White Paper by Veritus Group , now I have a plan I can live with for qualifying major donors. Up until I read this White Paper, every time my Executive Director asked for my plan for each donor, I wrote one up, and handed it in, but always with the caveat,...
“I can’t ask people for money. I HATE begging! Don’t you? How can you stand it?” If you’re in Development, you’ve heard these words – from board members, administrators, staff and volunteers. But in Development, we just see asking differently. For us, we invite...
If ever there was an example of how to benefit a cause, how to live a mission, John Lewis lived it. As I listened to the tributes at his funeral, I thought, that’s who all of us in the social sectors want to be. John Lewis lived a life of purpose, a life with meaning....
Like you, I’ve been working to help boards understand the difference in running a successful business and leading a successful nonprofit. The monograph “Good to Great & the Social Sector” uses language that helps business oriented minds understand. Collins says...
If you’re in Development, you probably get a lot of pressure to focus on money. Bring it in NOW. Get the gifts. Make the asks! A board member or even your Executive Director may push you to have events – lots of events. “They bring in the money. “ “They build the...
With the world so unsettled lately, I’ve been looking at my resume. I’m very goal oriented. Tell me you need $10. I’ll get you $20. Everywhere I’ve been, I exceeded monetary goals, doubled, or tripled the donor base, increased donor retention. The list of...
Maybe we’ve been looking at Development wrong. In fact, maybe we’ve been looking at our nonprofit structures wrong. We segmented roles: boards govern and oversee the director; the staff carries out the mission, the administration oversees the staff, and donors supply...
There is a need for formal pieces. They introduce you to an audience you don’t really know yet. I learned a lot about formal pieces as the first ever Director of Communications at Chatham Hall. Chatham Hall does things well. It was the perfect place to perfect the...
Board members are absolutely key. Many grants will ask for a list of your board members. A number of grantors will ask about what percentage of the board financially supports your mission. They want the answer to be 100%. I always tell my board members, “If we don’t...
As Development Officers, we think a lot about money. There are goals to be met, programs to fund, salaries to pay. Even when everyone: staff, board, dedicated donors and volunteers help, that goal feels very personal. The stress can feel enormous and too often...
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