There are two questions consistently asked by serious advancement professionals: “How can our institution get better prepared for our next campaign?” and “How can I get better at asking for major gifts?” These questions, of course, are linked. Consistently soliciting gifts effectively will help ensure that an institution is well-prepared for a campaign. However, there…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
What Are You More Afraid Of?
Setting goals and not meeting them OR Realizing that your work isn’t important; Not knowing the right answer OR Not knowing the best questions to ask; Feeling as though you have failed OR Feeling as though you didn’t try hard enough; Being made fun of OR Being unable to make a significant difference; Giving your…
“This Needs To Be Run More Like A Business!”
Recently, I facilitated a focus group populated with private higher education governing board members. One slice of the discussion included a board member lamenting, “Our business model in higher education is broken. I simply do not understand why our tuition and fees are not sufficient to cover our costs. We need to be run more…
Fundraising Is Not A Commodity
A lot of the services we experience from businesses today are commodified. For instance, there are 3 “legacy” airlines now – United, American, and Delta. While each has its own strengths (United has the best mobile app., Delta still serves the best free snacks on flights, etc.), the overall experience of air travel has been…
An Open Letter To A Governing Board Member
Greetings Board Member: We are writing today because recently we’ve been discussing our institution’s engagement of you as a member of our board. Simply put, we recognize that we have failed you in the following important ways: When we recruited you, we failed to share with you a clear, written position description which included a…
Tickled Pink
As I type this message, most of the world finds itself rushing toward the apex of the “Season of Giving.” More personal gifts between family and friends and more tax-deductible charitable gifts will be given over the next 7 days than any other week during the year. Giving is the omnipresent message. And yet, even…
The 3 P’s of Discovery
“I finally have a visit scheduled with Dr. Smith for tomorrow!” This was the joyful exclamation made to me recently by a gift officer. I smiled and congratulated him on the achievement. Dr. Smith had been one of those prospects who made himself very slippery. He was believed to have the capacity to make a…
How Do You Expect Me To Give. . .?
. . . when I still have student loans to pay? . . . when I don’t make much money? . . . when we haven’t received a raise in 3 years? You may think your most important job as an advancement professional in this situation is to address these questions directly and convince the…
More Data or Different Data?
Today, we have more donor and prospective donor data than at any time in history. From wealth indicators to database analytics providing giving predictions, generating donor data can be as simple as conducting a google search or as complex as conducting a paid wealth screen. All manner of donor data is ubiquitous and quite easy…
Humility vs. Transformation
There are two forms of humility. A healthy humbleness emanates from an accurate self-perception that takes into account both your greater and lesser strengths. It is rooted in the authentic recognition that you have distinctive as well as common characteristics when compared with others. Healthy humility is supported by a genuine yet quiet confidence. When…