As donors give more, their annual fund contributions go down. That's how we ask them to structure their gifts. But why? And does it have to be this way?

Have you heard, or even said, "They don't like the annual fund"?
I share my thoughts on what that may mean and how being clear about what the "annual fund" really is and how annual fund donors make a difference gives people a lot to like!

As we think about prospective donors, we can easily imagine the reasons they may not have the capacity or the inclination to give.  That’s usually an internal dialogue, but I took a stab at drafting a solicitation letter that puts those concerns right out there.

Why do we so often send messages that make it sound like our fundraising success is all about us? It’s because we let our internal language get out into the world.

Listen to as Joe Tumolo, CEO of Gift Planning Development, LLC, and I chat about some of the opportunities that exist for Annual Giving and Planned Giving to support and reinforce each other’s efforts. 

What caught my attention about Nintendo’s game “Animal Crossing New Horizons” is that one of the ways you can shape your virtual world is through your own in-game philanthropy. And you’ll receive stewardship similar to what we offer IRL.

The second part of a two-part blog providing advice on how to partner with your IT colleagues when requesting, reviewing, and providing feedback on data downloads, reports, and dashboards.

Whether you are submitting a data or report request that will wait in a long queue or are in a small shop writing your own reports, thinking carefully about why you need a report and how it will be used will make sure you spend your information technology colleagues and your own time as wisely as possible.

When I was a preschooler, I watched a morning TV show called “Romper Room.”  The most memorable part was when Miss Barbara, the teacher, would pull out her “Magic Mirror” and offer an incantation that would cause the mirror she held in front of her face to become transparent. Suddenly I could see her through it, and, more importantly, she could see me.