Do you have a board member who often asks how you're bringing in new donors? And maybe they are great connectors themselves? These board members are who I refer to as "Catalysts". And I am willing to bet that you have at least one Catalyst on your board. Don't get it twisted--Catalysts don't just start off being all-stars. They need to be invested in.

I was at a happy hour networking event. Remember those? How we dreaded them and now they are... thought of longingly. At least, by me. Well, I met this young professional who worked at Deloitte as a consultant. Nice guy. Interested in philanthropy. He gave me his card, mentioned that he wanted to do more with his giving, then drove off in his Prius.

I am featured on the We Are For Good podcast! I had an incredible conversation with Jonathan McCoy and Becky Endicott as we discussed how to Change What You Believe, Change How You Fundraise, and Change the Size of Your Impact.

So, let's talk about something that is a giant misconception in philanthropy. White people have more money. (That's not the misconception, that's a fact.) White people are more generous. (That's the misconception.) What happens is nonprofits get distracted by wealth when we should focus on passion and generosity. Here's how I'll explain it.

Why should I care about DAFs? Your donors probably have them. They are the fastest growing way to give to charity today. I think, in part, this is because these commercial funds make it SUPER easy and clear to give to them. And nonprofits usually make giving more complicated.

$134B in 4 weeks. That’s what Americans gave to charity in the month of December in 2019. It’s roughly 30% of ALL giving done in 2019!

As a leader serving the community you care about, it can be tempting to overextend yourself and your team. You are a leader led by compassion to give your life away on behalf of others. But where do you draw the line? How do you avoid being distracted? You see the strategies that you know are great to implement, but how to prioritize?

I’ve worked with so many nonprofit organizations over the course of the last decade+ and I want to share some results that are absolutely possible for you. Due to the private nature of these relationships and to maintain my client’s confidentiality, no names of individuals or organizations are listed in these case studies, but I share as much detail as possible to get a sense of the organization’s size.

I help people who are already good at fundraising get great at fundraising. Maximize their donors. Maximize their impact. Stop the incessant looking for new new new and appreciate the current donors you have. That’s where the most sustainable new business strategy lies anyway. But what if we centered enjoyment in our work more? What might be the result?

So often, even after we’ve done the research, we understand that our donor lives in a $3M home, we understand that they have been giving since the start of our organization, we understand that they are passionate about the mission and work being done, and look at the tangible evidence that not only do they have the capacity to give $10k+, but are inclined to do so—why is it that we still struggle to raise the money? Fear.

Every board member wants to do a good job as a board member. Every organization wants to create a great experience for their board members. Imagine a board that fundraises and makes the give/get requirement obsolete, shows up and brings their best energy and ideas, and it’s fun working together! How to do it?

Every nonprofit client I’ve ever worked with has raised more money in less time. Hands down. However, it’s rarely from first-time donors. My client typically thinks their largest donors are tapped and once we invest more in the relationship, we learn it’s not even close.