Money Mishegas
There is a colorful Yiddish word, “mishegas” which affectionately refers to one’s “craziness” about something. Most of us have strong feelings when it comes to money; for some of us, those passions are what brought us to this profession. The spectrum of personal “money mishegas” extremes runs from spendthrifts to overindulgence, and everything in between. Most of these attitudes are ...
Hiding In Plain Sight
Opportunity is everywhere, and not just strictly in the form of donors and dollars. Sometimes it wears a mask, and it hides in plain sight. But most development professionals have the innate skills to find it, learn from it, and use it to help with future challenges. Here are two examples of what I mean. 1. Fill in the gaps ...
The Power of Pessimism
Henry Ford is famous for saying, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you are right.” Yes, attitude makes all the difference in the world. As development professionals, we are often the public face of the organizations we serve. As a result, it is especially important that we project optimism and hope – you never know who’s ...
Master Gift Officer… Shifting a Paradigm
Mark Twain, a true master of the written word, observed “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” Yes, language is very important. And like most professionals, those of us in fundraising can get stuck in the inertia of our own dated vernacular. How many of you are ...
How Are Nonprofits Doing These Days?
As a fundraising and strategic consultant for not-for-profit organizations, I am repeatedly asked the same questions from people wherever I go… How are nonprofits doing these days? Are donations down? Perhaps it’s a sign of the times that these inquires are top of mind when it comes to considering the well-being of many of our essential healthcare, social services, arts, ...
Where Are The Mentors?
Success... some folks are born with a natural tendency for it, but in reality most of us need a little help to achieve it. This is especially true when it comes to career development in the world of non-profit fundraising. Being in my third decade in the advancement profession, I got to thinking recently about those “people, places, and things” ...
