Over the last 20 years, our world has seen an incredible transformation in the ways humans interact, including how we make friends. Not only has technology focused us more on screens than faces, we have experienced a global pandemic which distanced us from one another, and we are in the midst of deep crisis of…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
“Our Donors”
It’s easy to think of the people who support our mission as, “our donors.” The reality, though, is that generous people give to many different organizations and causes. And “our donors,” also support other institutions. Therefore, they aren’t so much “our donors,” as we are “an organization they support.” This reframe is important. Instead of…
Playing Catch
One of the most helpful ways to become a better baseball player is to practice the simple game of playing catch. You and at least one other player get some distance apart and begin to throw the ball back and forth. This simple, repeatable practice can be a lot of fun. You can practice gripping…
Delighting Or Reminding?
If we believe our job is to delight all donors we will end up frustrated, disappointed, and burned out. Not only is delighting all donors an impossible goal, it’s also the wrong goal. While we know from research and practice that most donors give because of a belief in the goodness of our institutional mission,…
Giving and Feeling
Conventional wisdom is that we must evoke a sense of care, empathy, or concern in order to persuade people to give. So, we spend a lot of time and energy coming up with compelling stories. Clearly, many people will give once their “heart-strings are pulled.” But, the reverse process is also true. When people give…
Adding More Value
When we propose a new stewardship event after careful research and thought. . . When we create a new plan for the annual giving calendar. . . When we initiate a discussion about how major gift portfolios can be re-organized. . . When we recommend a new design template and theme for our e-newsletter. ….
Being Better Artists
We talk a lot about philanthropy being an “art and a science.” In fact, we also talk about it in that order: Our work is “an art and a science.” We never say our work is “a science and an art.” And, yet, my sense is that most folks spend the bulk of their energy…
Luxury
Two kinds of luxury worth considering: First, is the kind of luxury offered to us by marketers. This luxury is perceived as exclusive, upscale, and usually expensive. It’s also mostly for our benefit or pleasure. Any item or experience can be luxurious – from towels, to automobiles, to hotels and vacations. We can call this,…
The Seven Faces of Gift Officers
When The Seven Faces of Philanthropy was first published in the 1990s, it was an instant classic. It helped a generation of gift officers understand the motivations and perspectives of seven different types or “faces” of donors. For many new gift officers, it is still a must read. I have often wondered though, what a…
Groups and Individuals
You can inspire donors in a group setting. You can educate donors in a group setting. You can engage donors in a group setting. You can relationship-build with donors in a group setting. You can share your strategic plans and funding priorities with donors in a group setting. You can receive feedback from donors in…