Insights

This is a hard one. You know the boss, the supervisor, the “leader” who doesn’t know what they don’t know.  Who thinks they have all the answers. You don’t want to be a smart-ass.  You want to be helpful. But how? Having been on both sides of this equation, I…

I’m proud to have earned my CFRE. What is a CFRE? It stands for Certified Fund Raising Executive, and is the professional standard for fundraisers in the nonprofit sector.  Like other accreditations, the CFRE means the fundraiser has gained a certain level of expertise. It also means that we aspire…

Recently, I led a team of young women who were at the beginning of their careers. When I told them part of my job as their supervisor was to help them prepare for their next job, it surprised them. But I have been in the fundraising business for decades, and…

“Showing up is 80 percent of life.” This saying is often misquoted and most often attributed to Woody Allen. Honestly, it doesn’t matter who said it first. What matters is doing it. Show up. Show up ready to do your work, whatever that work may be. Show up appropriately dressed.…

As a manager, I always made sure my team knew I supported their professional development and my own. For most of my years as a professional fundraiser, I have paid for my own membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals, as well as for conferences and other professional fees. I…

A conversation with a donor is one of the most basic tools in your fundraising toolkit. Yet it’s the one we are least likely to use. We create all kinds of excuses. “I don’t have time.” “I don’t have enough information.” “Maybe they’re out of town?” “Who would want to…

Making phone calls to thank your donors and keep them informed is only part of your overall donor communications or stewardship plan. In a perfect world you would make 7-12 touch points each year with specific content for each one. Okay, I can see you rolling your eyes. Whether you…

Gratitude: the quality of being grateful; readiness to show appreciation for and return kindness. Gratitude is the quality we should show our donors. Why? Because we are grateful for their financial support. Because their dollars allow us to do the work we love and serve others who need our help.…