Practicing the art of governance as evangelism
Stop the presses on the latest run of board member business cards. There’s a word to add to the title line, and this it is… Read More »Practicing the art of governance as evangelism
nonprofit organizations
Leadership advice worth following
My role with Messiah College’s Master of Arts in Higher Education has expanded recently to half-time, which means I’m thinking a lot these days about… Read More »Leadership advice worth following
Changing boats, patching leaks, and fundraising
“Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching… Read More »Changing boats, patching leaks, and fundraising
Strategic planning is not a compound word
At a recent gathering of ministry CEOs and board members, eight of the nine organizations were identified as having just completed or in the process… Read More »Strategic planning is not a compound word
Have you heard the one about the CEO and fundraising?
“Can a nonprofit succeed at raising money without the CEO’s involvement?” So asked a beleaguered development officer in a one-person fundraising shop with multi-staff-sized goals.… Read More »Have you heard the one about the CEO and fundraising?
The problem with giving as a proxy for board effectiveness
If you’re a board member, you’ve likely heard what I consider one of the lamest rationales out there for your giving. And if you are… Read More »The problem with giving as a proxy for board effectiveness
Explaining a change in plans to campaign donors
“When we launched our campaign back in 2010, the staff position included in the goal made sense. But now that we have the money in… Read More »Explaining a change in plans to campaign donors
How many fundraisers does it take to change a world?
“Here’s a development question for you,” wrote a pastor friend from Canada. “ It seems to me as if there has been an explosion of… Read More »How many fundraisers does it take to change a world?
How not to annoy donors
One article back, I encouraged fundraisers to see themselves through donors’ eyes. Today, the guys over at The Agitator, a daily must-read for me, picked… Read More »How not to annoy donors
To see ourselves through donors’ eyes
“I have difficulty warming up to receiving cold calls.” It’s been a couple of weeks since a reader posted this 9-word comment and I’ve yet… Read More »To see ourselves through donors’ eyes