Last night, I was asked for some tips to help my fellow board members with a fundraising dinner on Thursday. Fundraising events so often devolve into board members huddling together in tight groups of people they all ready know. But money is raised when board members act as ambassadors and hosts. Here’s what I wrote. [...]

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If you’ve been waiting to join Google+ until your nonprofit or organization could have a presence on Google+? The wait is over. About 30 minutes ago, Google opened up Google+ Pages! I’ve scoured their introductory material and have found references to pages being for “businesses, organizations, and groups.” There appear to be no explicit restrictions [...]

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I love it when people come out with practical, nuts-and-bolts books to help nonprofits. It’s even more fun when it’s with people I know! I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Sandy Rees and ask her about her new book Get Fully Funded. [affiliate link] The Fundraising Coach: Why did you feel compelled [...]

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Today, Joe Meehan pointed me toward’s the article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy about President Obama’s new bill limiting charitable deductions. As expected the outcry was fast and strong. At the risk of being a bit controversial: Who cares if deductions are limited? I mean, really. Are nonprofits just another special interest, complaining about government [...]

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As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I love the DiSC personality system. And I’m amazed at how obvious these character traits can be in real life! High-D’s High-D types are people that are extroverted, fast-paced individuals more focused on getting tasks done than on how people feel. They are determined and driving. They can [...]

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There are so many great, free fundraising resources. I’m just now catching up on Tom Ahern’s wonderful newsletter. Tom is an amazing wordsmith of fundraising prose. Every couple week’s, Tom sends out an email filled with anecdotes backed by statistics, reminding us of the way to best communicate with our donors. Here’s a nugget: “Our [...]

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I get the opportunity to work with a lot of faith-based organizations. I love helping them get excited about raising money and showing them that others in the Bible did too. But I’m amazed by a persistent cop-out so common among Christian causes, I’m adding it to my “Fundraising Myths” category. The cop out is: [...]

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Every so often, like last spring, I get calls from potential clients desperately hoping I will give them donors. It’s like they think I have some sort of “magic Rolodex” that I’ll offer them, a list of people anxiously looking for worthy causes to give to. I’ve never found that Rolodex. Fundraising is a long [...]

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I love the DISC personality assessment, especially as taught by Personality Insights. Today, my daughter gave me a perfect example of an S! I just took two of my kids to the library in my Prius. My son sat up front; my 9 y.o. daughter in back. I noticed she chose to sit in the [...]

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It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Clover Frederick. Clover is a marketing consultant, speaker, and blogger specializing in nonprofits. As director and founder of nonprofit marketing network in Lincoln, Neb., she helps connect nonprofits with the marketing professionals they need. She’s also the American Marketing Association Lincoln 2011 Marketer of the Year. When she [...]

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