The Extreme Fundraising Blog

This just came across my desk. I’m happy where I am but hopefully this may help someone else!

To: Mr. Marc A. Pitman

Fm: Colette M. Murray, CEO
Paschal Murray, Inc. (Executive Search)
82782 Matthau Drive, Indio, CA 92201
(760) 863-4512
colette@paschalmurray.com

Dear Marc:

The Humanitarian Foundation has carefully planned to create a development department to raise additional funds to further support their dental assistance program for disabled children. The Board has asked my firm to assist them in recruiting candidates for the position National Director of Fund Development.

As a significant indication of their interest in correctly planning for this transition they have secured the services of the consulting firm Benz Whaley Flessner.

The Humanitarian Foudation is the fundraising organization of the Grottos of North American. This is a social and fraternal organization whose members are Free Masons with strong civic interests. Through hard work their endowment has grown significantly and they are proud of their projects that help children and families. They want to do more and they fully realize that a fundraising program is essential. The Foundation offices are very near Columbus, Ohio and the salary is attractive.

A full position description is posted, which describes the organization, the position responsibilities and qualifications. On our Web site, choose “Current Positions” and scroll down to the listing and click on the Title. Go to:

http://www.paschalmurray.com

If you have an interest in this position, please contact me by responding to this message with your letter of application that highlights your interest and expands on how your particular experiences and skills fulfill the responsibilities as outlined in the position description - also attach your current résumé (MS Word preferred). If you wish to nominate a colleague, with thanks, please take this opportunity to provide a name and location. I look forward to hearing from you and I will answer any questions you may have.

 

There’s a great article about the philanthropy of Myra Kraft (owner of the New England Patriots) in the Boston Globe called Giving Large.

It’s long but read the whole thing. It’s a great insight into what motivates giving.

Here’s a sample:

Kraft treats board work like a job…She says she comes at the work with no agenda other than to ask tough questions; in the one instance in which she felt her questions were not welcome, she resigned from the University of Massachusetts board in 1998 after only four years. “I just raise my hand and ask questions – I think that’s what a person is supposed to do if a person sits on a board of trustees,” she says. “I speak my mind, not to be negative or confrontational, but if I disagree with something, I’ll ask it or state it, and they can throw me off the board. At this point, people know what they’re getting with me.”

Today, I’m giving my Creating Donor Evangelists seminar at the annual conference of the New England Association of Healthcare Philanthropy. Part of that seminar involves posting the pictures of real people that are impacted by your mission. Your organization’s website and publications could always have a place with a powerful testimonial and a picture of the person.

Last week, I read a blog post that took this to a new level. The bloggers at BlogBaud.com recommended checking out MercyShips.org. This link brings you to there “Success Stories.” The first page is pictures of happy people with their name. If you click on their picture, you are brought to a page with before and after pictures. There’s Ali before and after the successful cleft lip surgery. There’s four-year-old Ami before and after a successful eye surgery. And check out Abu. This guy had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in his face before it was successfully removed. And there are dozens more pictures in this area.

With the smiling “after” pictures, Mercy Ships doesn’t even need testimonials. The pictures speak for themselves.

My favorite part? “Success Stories” is very easy to find on their home page. One of the tabs at the top. Genius! Why bury these compelling images?

You know you’re changing the lives of the people you work with. But are you telling the story?

And are you telling it with pictures?

Give it a try. It’ll make the people proud to be supporting you. And it will be an easy answer to a donor’s possible “how do I know you’re still successful at what you do” question.

Special reminder for Extreme Fundraising Blog readers

There are just 13 days left to enjoy the special $14.97 price and free Priority Shipping on the digitally remastered “Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program.”

On March 20, the price goes back to the normal $19.95 + $4.50 for shipping and handling. It’ll still be a bargain but why not buy it today instead?

For more information, got to the Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program page at Fundraisingcoach.com.

To buy now with credit card, click here:

There’s a terrific sounding Director of Development position open at WomensEdge.org.

If I were interested in leaving a freezing Central Maine, I’d definitely look at this!

To see all the incredible things this group does go to their website: womensedge.org.

The complete job description is here.

Sounds like Peru is trying to make time count. According to the news, today at noon sirens will sound and church bells ring and all Peruvians are supposed to reset their clocks and watches.

Unfortunately, according to today’s NPR’s MarketPlace Morning Report, when the government officials announced this initiative at a news conference…they showed up 30 minutes late!