Copley Raff’s 13 Fund Raising Trends to Watch in 2013, Part 1
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." -- Peter Drucker As everyone in the advancement business knows, it is becoming increasingly challenging to raise funds. Organizations need to invest more and more in advancement operations and personnel to grow… or just stay even. 2013 promises to be even more challenging for fund raising than any ...
Boards as Investors and Donors
What’s in a name? That’s a challenging question when it comes to fundraising. The nomenclature behind philanthropic giving has evolved over the years. Terms for what is essentially giving money or resources to a nonprofit have ranged from making a donation; contributing; making a gift; giving a grant; making an investment; venture philanthropy; and, impact investing. They all are valid ...
It’s the DEMOGRAPHICS, Stupid!
So the results are in, and Barack Obama will continue as our President for the next four years. No matter how you personally feel about the outcome, this victory, and the strategy behind it, has many lessons for us in the advancement world. The pundits can explain President Obama’s victory over Mitt Romney in more ways than we can count ...
Should Nonprofits Be Judged By A Different Standard of Success?
Dan Pallotta, a journalist, philanthropist, and businessman with a longstanding background in the nonprofit world, recently published an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Why Can't We Sell Charity Like We Sell Perfume?” The piece raised some provocative questions, though perhaps not the ones the author was originally intending. Mr. Pallotta’s thesis, “It's time to change how society thinks ...
To the Entrepreneurs Among Us
The career of advancement truly offers something for anyone interested in following their passion to make a difference. In addition to the numerous nonprofit verticals - including health care, education, arts and culture, social services, and social justice - the field also offers many work opportunities in which to apply our personal gifts, skills, and talents. Some of us naturally ...
Sevens, Eights, Nines, and Tens
What’s your number? I once heard a wise person say “Sevens hire fives and sixes, and Eights higher nines and tens.” Admittedly, this is a somewhat crude way to express the point that high achievers are willing to work with subordinates and colleagues who may be smarter, harder working, more knowledgeable and gifted than they are. And low achievers ...
