Nonprofits are NOT self-reliant

Nonprofits are NOT self-reliant

One of the biggest red-herrings I see nonprofit boards pursue is a pipe dream of "self sufficiency" for their nonprofit. Rather than pursuing their mission, the board directs the executive director to look at selling things and renting things in a quixotic attempt to...

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Surprises for New Nonprofit Leaders

Surprises for New Nonprofit Leaders

At a recent "Exactly What To SayTM for Nonprofit Leaders" session at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, I asked attendees: When you took on a new leadership position, what surprised you most? While there were responses like "the great impact I get to make" and...

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What do we do now?

What do we do now?

You've made it. It's after GivingTuesday. Your year-end fundraising letters are written, edited, and stuffed. Your year-end fundraising emails are scheduled. Your fundraising systems are in motion. Now what do you do? This is supposed to be the biggest month of the...

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3 Tips for Fundraising in a Recession

3 Tips for Fundraising in a Recession

One of the interesting things of being an active blog for twenty years is you get to cover things like fundraising in a recession. Multiple times. A quick search shows blog posts on recession proof fundraising going back at least 14 years. Including "10 Tips for...

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Low-cost or free fundraising training

Low-cost or free fundraising training

Upcoming Fundraising and Nonprofit Trainings If you're looking for free or low-cost, high-quality fundraising training, here are three events to check out! And each are being recorded so even if you miss them live, you should be able to access them later! Social Media...

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Work in a nonprofit? Then join a board

Work in a nonprofit? Then join a board

Most other teams or organizations are run by a person or a partnership. The people in charge have both the responsibility for the welfare of the organization and the authority to make decisions for it. But nonprofits are weird organizations. The head of a nonprofit...

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Why fundraising asks are so hard

Why fundraising asks are so hard

Fundraising is said to top the lists of things people find most scary. Right up there with fear of public speaking and fear of untimely death. Nonprofit fundraisers and volunteers refer to that fear when they explain why they don't make the fundraising solicitations...

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Inspiration and Advice for a New (Fiscal) Year

Inspiration and Advice for a New (Fiscal) Year

July 1st is the "New Year" for many nonprofits. New fiscal Year, that is! No matter how well the past year's fundraising was, today is the day you start back at zero. Again. So I asked some of the top experts in the field what advise they'd give to nonprofit leaders...

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Deadlines drive donations

Deadlines drive donations

One of my favorite fundraising colleagues, John Donovan, once said, "Deadlines drive donations." As we approach the end of June, this truth can help your fundraising efforts. Many nonprofits in North America end their fiscal year in June. The end of a fiscal year is a...

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21 Ways for Board Members to Engage with their Nonprofit's Fundraising book image

You'll discover the 21 ways each board member can help their nonprofit's fundraising - even if they don't like to ask for money!

As a bonus, you'll get free fundraising tips every other week too!

Help your board fundraise for nonprofit with this FREE ebook

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