What makes a campaign successful? “It depends,” is a well-established, go-to answer for consultants, but that doesn’t mean it is an altogether unhelpful response. From leadership, to donor engagement, to giving history at the institution, successful campaigns do, in fact, “depend,” on numerous important variables. One variable, though not often discussed, is exceptionally predictive of […]
Browsing the archives for the Fundraising category
18 Oct 17
17 Oct 17
I’ve been running now for about 10 years (actually, I jog, but that sounds 1980ish). Over those years, I’ve only experienced two injuries that were painful enough to sideline me this activity that I’ve grown to love. One of those injuries occurred about 8 years ago. It was a sharp pain on the outer side […]
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Posted in Advancement, Development, Fundraising
Tagged #AnnualGiving, #majorgifts, Fundraising
Tagged #AnnualGiving, #majorgifts, Fundraising
5 Oct 17
It’s easy to focus on “the gift.” What is the amount we are seeking? For what purpose? Over what period of time? We talk about the gift in strategy sessions, when we ask for it, and when we receive it – especially when we receive one of significance! We write proposals that answer the questions […]
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Posted in Advancement, Development, Fundraising, Uncategorized
Tagged #development, #Giving, #majorgift
Tagged #development, #Giving, #majorgift
4 Oct 17
Within the U.S. space industry, the term “go fever,” refers to the general idea that engineering teams sometimes rush to get a project completed or a program implemented without taking the appropriate time to assess problems or concerns. “Go fever,” was identified as a contributing factor in both the Space Shuttle Challenger (1986) and Space […]
30 May 17
In the April 1, 2017 edition of The NonProfit Times, Mark Hrywna writes about the challenges and opportunities large nonprofit organizations face in keeping employees engaged and feeling valued. In the article, Hrywna quotes Harry Johns, the President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association as follows: “The thing that’s most critical is engaging people in […]
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Posted in Development, Fundraising, Leadership
9 Apr 17
We’ve all been in a social setting – perhaps a theatre prior to a performance – when a voice comes over the public address system and calmly states, “In the unlikely event of an emergency. . .” Or, if you board a airplane, you will certainly hear the phrase, “In the unlikely event of a […]
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Posted in Advancement, Fundraising, Leadership
Tagged major gift donors, major gift officers, Major Gift Solicitation
Tagged major gift donors, major gift officers, Major Gift Solicitation
30 Mar 17
One of the least-discussed, but germane mysteries of our advancement profession is the fact that too many gift officers shy away from asking prospective donors for specific gifts. I’m not suggesting that gift officers are not receiving gifts. But just about every institution I’ve worked with has someone (or more than 1) on the team […]
9 Feb 17
In all the years I’ve flown through Denver airport, I can’t recall ever having my shoes shined there. Earlier this week, though, I had a long layover and realized that my scruffy dress shoes were in desperate need of help. As I waited my turn at one of the chairs, I looked around but […]
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Posted in Advancement, Development, Fundraising, Leadership
Tagged #development, #donors, #generosity
Tagged #development, #donors, #generosity
7 Feb 17
Over the past year, I’ve read two thought-provoking articles – “Donation Inflation,” by Toni Coleman in CASE Currents and “Unplanned Obsolescence,” by Paul Clolery in the NonProfit Times – which focus on different topics but speak to a similar root concern for the future of philanthropy in the U.S. In “Donation Inflation,” Coleman highlights the […]
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Posted in Advancement, Development, Fundraising, Leadership
