For many readers of this blog, today is the end of the fiscal year. Congratulations! You’ve made it! What are you doing to celebrate? We live in a fast paced world. And our organization’s financial needs are insatiable. All too often, our year end is merely punctuated by a flurry of direct mail and phone [...]

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Brian Solis wrote an amazing post today listing loads of Twitter tools for building community. In his post, he gives a description and links to each of these tools: twubble GroupTweet twitt(url)y TwitLinks TweetDeck Gridjit Tweet Later Twist Twerp Scan Summize Twemes #hashtags Tweet Scan Twinfluence TwitterGrader Twittertise Twitterrific Twhirl TwitterWhere tweetbeep twitterfeed TwitDir Ping.fm [...]

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One of the biggest jobs in we in development have is being “keepers of the lore.” So often our organizations are so focused on the present–being the best they can at their mission–and the future–strategizing where they’re going and how they’ll get there–that they forget the past–the very people and events that brought they to [...]

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The Chronicle of Philanthropy is reporting that Sen. Grassley is continuing his push to increase regulations on nonprofit hospitals. I work in one and didn’t think the regulation could get any tighter–especially for small community hospitals with a large reliance on Medicaid and Medicare! His focus and intensity on this issue seems to me to [...]

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My blog post What really bugs your donors? has gotten a lot of traffic. I’ve received over 100 responses between the question on LinkedIn, the comments on the blog, and emails sent directly to me! I’ve been amazed at how relieved people are that someone finally asked them what annoys them! Donors have been carrying [...]

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As you all know, I’m a big believer in actually asking donors what they think rather than trying to read their mind. So yesterday I posted this question on LinkedIn.com: As a donor to charity, what do we nonprofits do that REALLY annoys the tar out of you? What do we do that irritates you? [...]

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Last night, I held a free Ask Without Fear! fundraising seminar to a standing room only crowd at the local library. It’s always a rush to speak to a standing room only group. And these were mainly “normal people”–board members and volunteers. I love talking to this group! But my 8 year-old son had a [...]

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I just signed three thank you notes that have given me more joy than any I’ve had the privilege to sign: one to each of my kids ages 8, 6, and 3. On Father’s Day, they gave my breakfast in bed. They also each gave 25 cents to the Foundation. They knew I raised money [...]

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Gayle Robertswas my guest on today’s Ask Without Fear radio show. You really owe it to yourself to listen to Gayle’s thoughts on fundraising and generousity. You’ll be challenged to re-evaluate your thoughts on raising support for nonprofits. And you’ll be re-energized as you realize how incredibly important your role is. And you’ll hear Gayle’s [...]

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In the spirit of the last fundraising secret People give to people, I offer Fundraising Secret #16: ALWAYS be interested in the donor as a PERSON not as a pocketbook. Relationships are always our most vital asset. Whether or not people give to us, they are intrinsically important. That’s not to say we have to [...]

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