By • July 19, 2018
I think it is quite ironic that most nonprofits and fundraisers have so much trouble with money. The ways we consider the money we raise and the money we spend are still measured and defined by the old-fashioned rules of charitable activities. Charitable money is a gift, it is free; …
By • June 1, 2017
Many fundraisers are aware of relationship fundraising. Ken Burnett’s famous book Relationship Fundraising has opened many eyes over the last 25 years. There aren’t many fundraisers who haven’t read this book. However, its vision and core message have never been fully implemented in our sector.
The central theme in Burnett’s work …
By • February 6, 2017
This graph shows face-to-face attrition, in the first three months, for an enormous UK charity.
It’s more than likely a very familiar, and frustrating, image for you.
In fact, it’s so familiar that a recent and extensive research project on face-to-face fundraising was unable to find a single charity that had significantly …
By • January 18, 2017
Have you ever, in your first few months of a new job, asked a question and been told, “That’s just the way we do things here”?
Have you ever been the person frantically multitasking to stay on top of things who responded to the keen newcomer, “That’s just the way …
By • December 19, 2016
2016 is ending not completely without marvel for me. Two great things happened last week. First, on December 16, the family of Canadian philanthropists Larry and Judy Tanenbaum donated $20 million to create the Tanenbaum Open Institute at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital. Inspired by open science, these donors …
By • November 29, 2016
I’d be shocked if there were any, or many, Trump supporters among this community of fundraising hipsters. But how many otherwise great people inadvertently emulate him as fundraising practitioners?
What do I mean? Well, if I (as ‘the Donald’ is wont to do) let fly a barrage of sweeping generalisations about …
By • November 10, 2016
“The Daily Mail is not inherently anti fundraising”, I recently and naively posted on a chat forum on Facebook. The response was vigorous, and almost universally in disagreement. I stand corrected. But some of the language surprised me.
“Fundraising is currently being subjected to a concerted ideological attack by the state, …
By • November 7, 2016
I remember volunteering for Childline.
Kids would phone, text or e-mail with all sorts of questions and stories – from horrific cases of abuse to completely nonsensical banter.
Many calls were pranks…groups of kids phoning up to tease us, mock us and attempt to get a rise out of us. No matter …
By • November 3, 2016
Sometimes it’s the simple things that transform the relationship with a donor into something magic. As part of my quest for examples of the best donor-centric fundraising for The Commission on the Donor Experience I came across an inspiring story I’d like to share with you. This is the fantastic …
By • October 31, 2016
It’s a straight forward question for any fundraiser, but you’d be surprised at how difficult it can be to answer.
As a donor, I usually phone up charities to give them my money. I like to speak to a human being and have the chance to ask questions if I want …
