At the two extremes of the Gift Initiation Continuum, our work can be described as either pulling donors along with our institution’s vision and priorities. Or, having donors push their priorities and interests onto us. We can either initiate a gift by proactively sharing a winsome vision for the future with donors and inviting them…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
The Strategy Or The Board
In poker, the “board” is the context of the community cards (the cards dealt face-up in the middle of the table and available for any player to use in putting together her hand) during any given hand. A “dry board,” for instance, occurs when the community cards do not have much connection or relationship with…
Asking Your Way To Becoming Distinctive
Our daughter is in the final stages of her college search and selection process. She has participated in virtual events, on campus events, Zoom calls, email exchanges, and other communications with a number of colleges and universities. As she is narrowing her list, our family is now visiting a few of these wonderful institutions for…
Listening To The Critic
Listening to the critic can help you get better. That special event reception was too short, perhaps. Or, that annual report did contain too few pictures that emphasize diversity. Or, our phonathon callers probably could be more engaging. But, there are times when listening to the critic is wrong-headed. When the critic sends back your…
The 3 Commitments
If your aim is to secure fundraising success for tomorrow, there are 3 commitments you should make today: 1. The Commitment to Encounter – in our hyper-linked, liked, and shared digital world, it is easy to believe in an illusion of human connection, in a misimpression of relationship, in a counterfeit version of knowing others….
Conforming To A Standard
There are 3 standards advancement programs can be measured against: The Standard of Averages – this compares your program results to an aggregate of other institutions which may (or may not) be similar to your institution and advancement program; The Standard of Specific Institutions – this compares your program results to a set of specifically…
And Now What?
Driving on a highway recently, I saw this sign: As I continued to speed down the roadway, I wondered what I was supposed to do in response to this new information that I, apparently, was entering a “blasting zone.” What did that mean for me? Was I in danger? Should I get off at the…
15 Words And Phrases We Need To Stop Using
“Asking for the gift” – instead, use “Inviting the gift” “Targeting the donor” – instead, use “Engaging the donor” “Donate” – instead, use “Give” “Small gifts” – instead, use “Modest gifts” “Donor appointment” – instead, use “Donor visit” “Hit rate” – instead, use “Proposal success rate” “Pushing donors to give more” – instead, use “Inviting…
A “Clean Handoff” Culture
Nothing much of significance happens in advancement through solitary effort. That gift the development officer is credited for soliciting? One colleague worked on the design of the proposal. Another colleague provided valuable insights about the gift amount through research. And, yet another helped arrange the lunch meeting where the donor was invited to give. That…
Combating The Biggest Lie
Snaking throughout all of human history, the biggest lie rears its hissing head time and again. It’s the lie that begets all other lies. It’s the lie that leads to indescribable atrocities and the lie that encourages and flames violence in all its forms. The biggest lie enables the “us versus them” lie. Because, the…