Ahhhhh here we are. Event season is coming up real soon.When it comes to fundraising events, it seems the only part of the word "fundraising" a Board pays attention to...
Remember the good old days? The days when the #1 issue your organization faced was not enough money for the Mission?Well, this new era of disruption and resignation brought about...
How would you do your work if you took a minute to reflect on that everything you do is part of a bigger picture?Every day, you look through a microscope...
The sound of the TV was playing in the background one weekend morning while I was making some food in the kitchen.The local news was on, and I heard the...
Dither vs. DecideYou can either succumb to your pile of excuses, or you can act. There is no such thing as the "right" choice. Every decision you make has consequences....
It was only a handful of months ago that my weekly column directed Nonprofit Leaders to "throw it all at the wall". In the nonprofit sector, 2021 and 2022 could...
Welcome back from what was hopefully a refreshing and restorative break from the usual grind. As we head into September, I'm reminded of how much I love Fall every year....
Flashback...
Rarely does a year go by when the nonprofit sector doesn't see 5-10 articles published by major news outlets about the "looming generosity crisis". It's a collective fear of wealthy,...
Here we are in the thick of summer. For most nonprofits, it's a perfect occasion to be idle - much like the rest of society when the holidays come around...
What would it take for you to see your fundraising efforts through the eyes of your supporters? It's a big question for a sector that focuses almost solely on affordability,...
It's Day 98 of a 100-day fundraising campaign. The target is $80,000. On Friday at 5 pm, staff member Linda tidies up her desk, switches her phone to voicemail, and waves...
Lately I'm being approached to do things. My recent visibility is definitely the catalyst. I began a quest to amplify my voice in writing this year. The result has been...
I was asked recently, "If you could go back and change one thing during your time as a full time Executive Director, what would it be?" I knew the answer...
In all the years I've consulted with and coached Executive Directors, there is one issue I see universally. Nearly every one of them is stepping over the most egregious behavior...
We're about to hit the halfway point of 2022. If your intention is to produce some truly fantastic results in your nonprofit - and you haven't yet embarked on that journey for...
Let's say you meet a young person, Molly, age 18. After what appears to be a relatively successful interview, you decide to employ her in your nonprofit. Knowing she is...
Let's pretend that I am presenting you with a choice of two envelopes, the selection of which will decide your next fundraising effort. The first envelope contains an index card...
Something I've noticed for quite a while now is that we are now firmly rooted in an unusual epidemic. While so many people are still masking up and getting tested...
It's rare for me to speak or write about vague or general topics. Today I'm tackling a topic that keeps coming up lately. It's a word you likely hear a...
Last week's writing touched on the importance of being known in your community as a nonprofit leader. Known for the work you do, the impact it has, and the on-the-court...
If there is one thing I've embraced as a nonprofit leader, it's what I'll call community exposure. I love people. I especially love meeting strangers. I listen to what they're...
If you are an Executive Director of a nonprofit, this article was written with you in mind. I have enormous respect and appreciation for those who, like me, respond to...
You may have noticed an underlying theme in the bulk of my writing, which is leadership. It's something I've always been passionate about. Few things move me to action faster...
Like many of you, I was moved by the recent passing of Claudette Bradshaw. Nothing could be more fitting than dedicating this week's writing to her legacy. I admit that...
The future for nonprofits exists in technology. It's one door, and every nonprofit must go through it to stay open. Two technological tools should be at the ready. First, a...
Let's acknowledge who is walking in the door for an interview today. By and large, this person sends in the same generic resume to every employer, and it's full of...
Do you remember when the #1 issue nonprofits faced was money for the mission? It was the reason things couldn't happen. Well, there's a new carnival in town. The post-pandemic...
Slick.Dirty money.Not charitable.Highly unethical.Over the last 10 years, words and phrases like these were used to describe nonprofits that applied for a Gaming license and ran a 50/50 lottery to...
Are you sensing what I'm sensing? It's hard to miss. For quite some time now, there has been an undercurrent of anger in nearly every public conversation. I've come to...
We are coming upon the two year anniversary of the day the world came to an abrupt halt. It was alarming for every one of us to experience the interruption...
Washing hands, wearing masks, staying indoors, and counting the number of people in a group are daily rituals. The gravity of the situation we are facing as a human community stops...
It’s that time of year when fresh blueberries show up - on the shelf at the market, in 5lb boxes at the Superstore, or maybe at your door from a...
Hiring is an interesting animal, isn't it? If you're like most people, you've never been trained on how to hire "right". You have templates, questions, forms and notes -...
Success is a funny thing. Tough to achieve. Doesn’t come overnight. And the thing about success is that it spurs weird questions. Especially when it’s another organization’s success. You watch it. You...
Schools taught us an interesting way to think. You probably had the "top down" chain of command in your classroom. Day in and day out, you regurgitated the answers the...
It's a constant chase for money. It never ends. Most days, you're not sure how much longer you can do it. It's harder and harder to keep the doors open. Why is...
Do you remember what prompted you to join the Board where you currently serve? During your tenure, have you ever secretly asked yourself - “What am I really here for?” If you...
It’s open season in hiring for most organizations. Check with a colleague or visit a nonprofit and you’ll hear about "hard to fill positions" and "it's tough to keep good...
As an Executive Director, do you ever wonder where to turn for answers knowing that, some questions you can't ask your staff or your Board? For the solution, click below! [video width="1920"...
On Tuesday you have a big event. It takes you and everyone else to make it happen. The night before the event, you get a text. "Not feeling well won’t...
Do you sometimes find it frustrating when someone walks through the doors of your organization and asks why it exists and what you do there? Do you ever wonder how you...
You may not realize it, but there was a day your Board started micromanaging every little thing. Maybe it was subtle at first...
Have you noticed how challenging it is to cause a breakthrough in your fundraising results? Do you ever wonder why that is? If so, you're not alone. Did you know there...
How do you make good decisions inside your organization? It begins with knowing exactly what constitutes a good decision. Without specific criteria, due diligence and a clear method of measurement,...
Happy Philanthropy Day! You may have heard the Alice Hocker quote, "Your greatness is not what you have, it's what you give.", and it couldn't be more relevant than on Philanthropy Day. Philanthropy is...
Flip one more page in the calendar and you land on December. Where did the year go? Did you lose one or two fundraising staff this year? Or maybe it...
"We can't keep a fundraiser on staff" Have you ever wondered WHY you can’t seem to keep a fundraiser on staff for the long haul? HINT: It’s not because you haven’t found...
"We we are small non-profit with a big mission and a small bank account" ATTENTION: Small Shops Are you struggling to make it through the week...
As the leaves fall and the air cools, you hunker down to do some massive work before the year-end finish line. Where have you been for the last nine months?...
“It’s a lot of hard work.” Really? Is it hard? Or is that how you see everything? It comes down to doing what matters. You focus on what is important. That’s the...
That about sums up most Boards. For too many Executive Directors and Board members, a Board meeting is a confusing gathering where issues just scratch the surface and conversations divert...
What holds you back? The size of your community? A shortage of volunteers? Not enough staff? A tired Board? All of these may seem like reasons to avoid making a move....
What do you do when you’re driving up to a yellow light? Hit the gas to beat the red or accept the stop as imminent and wait your turn? How...
The door opened and a volunteer walked in. The phone rang, it was a donor. This happens every day in our organization. But what happens, if in our busyness, we...
Have you ever been to a Board meeting that goes like this: Agenda, Minutes Approval, and then a series of Reports that deal with past issues? Staff are notorious for...
...To raise money for a good cause. ...To have breakthrough results with healthy cash flow. ...To exceed goals and deliver on the mission promise. Executive Directors and Fundraisers desire all of these in...
It’s the little words that have the most meaning. It’s the simple words that often have the most impact. It’s the heartfelt words that linger in our minds. Yet in the non-profit sector,...
Friday night I started a project that I had waited for months to get into—putting together a Teak Glider bench. Solid...