Author: Jason McNeal

Perhaps the most concerning giving trend in the U.S. is the continuing decrease in the total number of donors making charitable gifts each year. Regardless of the variables and reasons researchers point to in explaining this decades-long trend, I remain convinced that people are not growing less interested in doing good.  I remain convinced that…

Ask most any educational, healthcare, or social nonprofit executive about the goals they have for their Board or Advisory Council and you will hear phrases like, “deeper engagement,” “philanthropic leadership,” and, “meaningful volunteer experience.” What we say, however, often stands in stark relief when compared to how we actually behave. And, in the case of…

If year-over-year gift income has increased, advancement leaders will regularly make the case (to their bosses, to their Boards, etc.) that good work is happening.  Fundraising totals are an easy-to-understand metric, they make comparisons easy, and they highlight what many people believe advancement programs should be doing. But assessing any enterprise – especially an advancement…

It’s easy to complain that our institution doesn’t have the support from the types of wealthy donors that other institutions enjoy.  Far more difficult to engage, invite, and steward the donors who currently support our mission. It’s easy to identify the shortcomings of the individual who held our position before we arrived.  Far more difficult…

If you are seeking more meaning, satisfaction, and joy from your work as an advancement professional, addressing these 3 questions will be helpful: 1. Do I believe people to be more generous or more stingy? This question, which focuses on your deeply-held beliefs around the basic social DNA of people, will fundamentally shape the enjoyment…

“It didn’t work, so we aren’t planning to do it again.” I’ve heard this statement from advancement professionals after phonathons, direct mail solicitations, donor surveys, and even, social media-focused giving days. But, when probing just a bit further, there are almost always two separate misunderstandings that are driving this statement. First, there usually is low…

The practice of donor-centrism has morphed into a wholly-disconnected concept from its original intent. Gone is the admonition that donors and philanthropy should be embraced and celebrated as an important thread making up the fabric of an institution’s culture – that institutions should actually care about donors.  In it’s place is the widespread misunderstanding that…

In the “we need more gift income yesterday,” reality of many institutions, the concept of practicing patience with donors can feel antithetical.  There is no time for patience.  The money is needed now. In these pressurized settings, the message is clear, “cultivate donors quickly and ask soon.” But there is a lot to be said…

. . . seeks to learn more about your institution’s strategic plan. . . . asks if a 5-year pledge schedule is acceptable. . . . expects to sign a pledge document or gift agreement. . . . asks how many other donors are giving at the level they are. . . . asks how…