Let’s Talk

I write this on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder.  His murder – one of the first of a black man by police to be viewed in high-definition video – along with the Covid pandemic, has catalyzed a reexamination of how communities of color and other minority groups have been marginalized in our nation.  The resulting demand for social and economic equality and justice is righteous and must succeed.

Let’s face it, as fundraisers, our success lies with the largesse and generosity of people in the top 2% of wealth – those with annual incomes greater than $400,000. In the alchemy of our economy, all equations balance in the end … so if wealth is concentrated in one place, there is an absence of wealth in others.

Copley Raff recently held a Zoom Reunion of planMGO alumni from across the country, to catch up and to discuss some compelling fundraising issues.  planMGO is a Master Gift OfficerTM curriculum and 4-day training that was conducted by Copley Raff from 2009 – 2016. The following are valuable insights from our discussion along with conversations […]

I want to address how important diversity, equity and inclusion are to the advancement field. As nonprofit leaders, we are well aware of the need to avoid a “stale, male and pale” board of directors. Though I fit the last two descriptors, I have a forty-year history of working with and living among diverse communities.