Giving is Good
When social science researchers who study successful marriages ask couples their secret to staying together for 40, 50, even 60 years, one of the key contributing variables which emerges is predictability. Specifically, couples will point to the day-in, day-out predictably dependable behaviors of their mate. He gets up at 6:00am, gets the paper and starts…
Donors expect your every direct mail letter to be perfectly personalized. They expect your special events to begin precisely on time, to last just long enough (but not too long!), to be inspiring and engaging. They expect to receive a gift receipt before the ink dries on their electronic check. They expect your website to…
The word “philanthropy” is said to have been coined some 2,500 years ago in ancient Greek. It means, “the love of humanity.” The vast majority of your long time donors and your major donors are philanthropic. They give in support of your institution because they believe it will make a difference in the lives of…
I once worked for a President who was known to say, “we can never say thank you enough to our donors.” A wonderful sentiment for 501(c)3 leaders and advancement professionals to embrace. And, as important as it is to thank donors often, it also is important to thank them in meaningful and customized ways. For…
The Nashville, Tennessee, airport has a decidedly “country-music feel” to it (as one might expect!). In fact, there are a few places throughout the airport that showcase country-music singers who are trying to make it. One such place is the well-known restaurant/honky tonk “Tootsies.” Whenever I walk by Tootsie’s in the Nashville airport some…
“. . . if we had another major gifts officer. ” “. . . if we had more money in the budget for our direct response program.” “. . . if our board would provide more philanthropic leadership.” “. . . if our major donors responded more generously.” These are common misunderstandings about why institutions…
Despite how appealing a week marooned alone on a deserted island might sound in the fantasies of our hectic lives, the reality is that humans are intensely social creatures. When given the choice of aloneness versus togetherness, we dependably choose the fellowship of others. Think of the choices we’ve made over the eons of time….
So, the Food and Drug Administration published their Defect Levels Handbook some time back. The purpose of the handbook is to identify levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods that present no health hazards for humans. In other words, if food manufacturers stay below these levels of “unavoidable defects” in the products you…
Development work can become a 24/7 lifestyle. There are always more events to attend. More lunches to have with donors. More trips to visit prospects. It can seem never-ending. And ultimately, if one is not careful, it can produce an unhealthy, out-of-balance lifestyle. In response to these very real pressures, some people apply a…
Fresh from a conference with other college presidents, a client once called me to express his concern about moving forward with campaign plans. Like recent days, the markets had been up and down (mostly down) and the talk at the conference had apparently been about institutions pausing their campaign plans or stopping them altogether. “Jason,”…