Giving is Good
There are at least 3 reasons why giving should be a key aspect of a governing board’s work: Board member giving signifies to employees, donors, and the broader community that they believe in and fully support the CEO. If the board desires the CEO to be successful, then personal giving of some amount from each…
When we become so busy there isn’t a time to learn, we are too busy. When we become so busy there isn’t time to read, we are too busy. When we become so busy there isn’t time to relax, we are too busy. When we become so busy there isn’t time to plan, we are…
If you’ve ever been on an inspiring and engaging guided tour of a museum, a zoo, a historical site, a botanical garden, or even a city, chances are you were led by an experienced and talented docent. The word, “docent,” is defined most simply as a college or university teacher or lecturer (not at the…
Simply stated, they are fantastic. They always have been since I can remember. Made from scratch, warm, flaky, and perfect for topping with apple butter. The problem is that she can’t tell you how she makes them. She has no recipe. It’s not difficult – flour, baking soda, buttermilk, etc. But, there is no formula….
First, the printing press made knowledge and information distributable to those who could read. Then, terrestrial radio and television broadcast knowledge and information to anyone with the hardware to receive the signals. Next came the searchable internet which connected hardware so that the whole planet (mostly) could share knowledge and information. Now, we are experiencing…
We focus a good bit on inviting donors to “leave a legacy.” Or, talking with donors about their giving legacy. But what about your legacy in this work? Will you be known as a person who encouraged others on the team? Will you be viewed as the individual who put the mission or the cause…
I recently made an online gift to an institution and here is the automated email receipt and thank you message I received: “Hello Jason: Thank you for your gift. We appreciate your generosity and support of <<Institution Name>>. Your gift truly matters!” Then there was the gift receipt information and a bit more about thanking…
Advancement leaders should be expert question-askers. We should be asking strategic questions to better understand our donors. We should be asking encouraging questions to embolden those who report to us. We should be asking generative questions to inspire our boards and other volunteer leaders. We should ask questions to learn, to engage, and to raise…
Whether we have 5,000 or 500,000+ constituent records in our database, the percentage of “engaged constituents,” is far less. For example, if we define “engaged” as giving recently, or showing up at an event, or interacting via social media, or opening an email, or receiving a direct mail piece, etc., it is not uncommon for…
Advancement leaders talk a lot about “engaging our community.” It could be engaging our alumni community. Or, even more specifically, engaging our young alumni community. It could be engaging our town, city, or region. It could be engaging our campus community. Or, engaging our school community. But, we talk about “engaging our community” a lot….