Recall the one teacher in your life that made the most positive and lasting impression on you. Perhaps you remember a teacher from your earliest years. Or perhaps it was a university professor that made the impact. Although I’m no gambler, I would wager that this teacher engaged you far beyond the content of the…
Category: Fundraising
Let’s Finish This Campaign Quickly! – One Phrase, Two Meanings
Case Study #1 A president who is new to campaign work and has found that she genuinely enjoys working in the philanthropic vineyard was in a meeting with the vice president for advancement and me. She said, “I’m so excited about what this new facility will allow us to do for our students and for…
The Right Answer vs. The Best Answer
We are taught to seek out the single, right answer. And we are trained to learn the formula that leads us to the single, right answer in most all circumstances. The problem for development leaders, of course, is that there is almost never an unconditionally “right” answer. Qualitatively complex human interactions are far too varied…
If you don’t ask. . .
Despite its triteness, the following platitude regarding our work is true: “If you don’t ask, the answer will almost always be ‘no’.” We need to be out of our offices, asking for specific gifts. However, to do this work well, asking alone is not enough. To round out this statement, I would add the following:…
Your Calling
My hope is that you are in this work we call advancement because you are driven to make the lived experience for others better. My hope is that you chose this work because you are committed to a meaningful mission. My hope is that you wake up most days eager to fully live into a…
Practicing the Art of “Giftfinding”
For all of human history until just very recently, people have used systems-level thinking to navigate the natural world and the opportunities and dangers it presents. For instance, the ancient people of Polynesia practiced the art of “wayfinding,” which applied a sophisticated understanding of broad natural cues to safely pilot a canoe from one island…
The Illusion of Understanding
Recently, an annual fund officer was talking to me about making calls on past annual fund leadership donors who had not given in the last two years. This list of donors was not that long, but it was still troubling. All of these past donors had given at least $1,000+ annually until the 2012-2013 year….
The Most Important Question To Ask Yourself
Here is the most important question a development officer can ask himself: “Am I more focused on how I look or on what I see?” How I look vs. What I see. Where is your focus? On your own presentation or on the prospective donor? When you are more concerned with “how you look,” you’ll…
Why “Going Viral” Shouldn’t Be Your Goal
The #ALSIceBucketChallenge has been a tremendous success no matter how one might define the term. The challenge began in July and, within the last month, the awareness of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease as it is still known, is sky high. In addition, ALS is now reporting that the challenge has raised almost $80 million dollars…
On Fundraising Attitudes and Aptitudes
Being an advancement leader brings with it the responsibility to “teach up.” Whether you work with a Dean, a Chancellor, a President, a CEO, or a Board member, getting the best possible results means working with and through others. In many instances, donors will respond more generously when an institutional leader plays a meaningful role…