Rethinking The Donor Fatigue Myth
Donor fatigue. It’s a myth. Donors don’t get tired of giving. In recent years, we’ve seen incredible shows of generosity both to nonprofits and through other channels like GoFundMe and other mutual aid. What donors do get tired of are transactional asks, lazy fundraising, and impersonal communications. After years of support, donors who […]
The Feel-Good Bonus: Unveiling the Tax Benefits of Philanthropy
Tax season? Those two words cause stress and dread, don’t they? We know that our donors are well aware that making a gift to a cause they care about is one of the best ways to make a positive difference in the world. While studies consistently show that people give because they want to make […]
MIT’s Epstein Scandal: A Fundraising Parable for Us All
Trust. It’s the bedrock of every relationship, personal and professional. It’s also integral to ethics. And ethics have been on my mind a lot, since the bombshell revelation about the MIT Media Lab. Is it just me? I’ve been trying to get my head around how this could happen. Having spent my in-house fundraising career […]
2019 Fundraising Trends – And How to Take Advantage of Them
How was your January, fundraiser friend? I view January as a test run of sorts, before we really embark on a new year and new resolutions. This may feel especially true as we’re still figuring out what happened in 2018. Last year we saw lower year-end fundraising results. We saw a decline in the number […]
2018 Was Another Wild Ride. Can We Unbuckle Our Seatbelts Yet?
It’s hard to believe 2018 will soon be in the rear-view mirror. Doesn’t it seem like yesterday, when we greeted January with the new Tax Bill of 2017 in effect? We all wondered if we’d see more of the fundraising volatility we experienced from late 2016 through 2017. We all wished for a less challenging, […]
Is Fundraising a Profession?
I recently spent five days in New Orleans attending the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference. It was an incredible experience, as it is every year. The most provocative question echoing from our conversations is one also debated on the Rogare Advisory Panel I serve on: Is fundraising really a profession? If it isn’t, […]
Doubling Down on Philanthropy in the New Politics
You’ve probably heard the phrase often said ironically, “May you live in interesting times.” Without a doubt, there hasn’t been a more interesting time than the last two weeks. Like at least half of the country, I’ve been thinking and reflecting a lot since last Tuesday. I’m not going to blog about my personal feelings […]