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Recently, I wrote about the Deadly Sins of Assuming and Guessing. Most often, the area in which we guess and assume…and then get it wrong…is with respect to amount of the gift. Somewhere along the way, two wrong alternatives came to be widely accepted: “Any amount is okay.””We need to make up an amount, because […]
Bylaws. Just seeing the word may fill you with a sense of dread. Or cause your eyes to cross and several yawns to follow. After all, what could be more boring than reading organizational bylaws? They seem so tedious and unnecessary, right? Every organization operates under a massive burden of laws and regulations. These legal […]
November marks the yearly celebration of National Philanthropy Day for various chapters of AFP all over the country. I look forward to this event every year! My home chapter, AFP Eastern Oklahoma, will celebrate National Philanthropy Day on Friday, November 3. I can’t wait to attend as part of the event team! I’m excited to […]
As a young man in Kansas, I worked on a farm during the summer between graduating high school and starting college. The family I worked for, Dwight and Nora Sauer, had a lasting impact on my life and the lives of many others. Dwight can be best described as very competitive. A college football player […]
There are two Deadly Sins that can completely derail relationships with donors: assuming and guessing. When we assume and guess with regards to a donor’s interest in a charitable project, we almost always get the wrong answer. And that wrong answer can lead to a broken relationship if you’re not careful. Here’s an example. Your organization […]
“I’m not sure we can afford The Asking Academy.” My team and I have heard this before … and it’s a common concern. Your budget is carefully calculated and managed, and before committing to a larger investment of time and resources, you want to know that the investment is going to be worth it. I understand […]
I say Yes! Here’s why Top performers, no matter the field, continually sieze opportunities to build their skills and enhance their professionalism. In my work, Certified Fund Raising Executive is the standard of excellence. I first invested the time, effort, and money to achieve the CFRE designation in 1999. CFRE International grants the credential to over 5,500 development professionals worldwide who meet […]
During my time at the 2017 AFP International Conference on Fundraising, I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with someone who I’ve long admired for her work as a fundraiser, author, and development professional. Amy Eisenstein and I have been colleagues for many years, and you’ve likely heard me mention her before. At […]
Whether your #1 issue this month is about fundraising, governance, executive leadership, or a related topic, I’d love to grab a coffee with you and talk it through. Join me on Wednesday, June 21 for Walk with a Consultant. We’ll meet again at Shades of Brown Coffee and spend time discussing the obstacles that stand […]
In 2009, I created a workshop called 7 Reasons Campaigns Fail, and How to Avoid Them. Recently, as I looked over some of my notes from those early sessions, I was struck by this truth: the #1 reason campaigns fail is the same today as it was back then! What is the #1 reason? It […]