Impact. This is why people in the US continue to maintain volunteer numbers far beyond those of any other country. According to the United Nations Volunteers’ 2018 Volunteering in America report, more than 77M Americans volunteer in their communities and beyond – each year. Philanthropy is about making a difference, and one of the ways … Read More →
April is National Volunteer Month. Volunteers have always been critical to the success of our communities, but the events of the past year have really brought that into focus. Our ability to be optimistic about 2021 is, in part, significantly impacted by the work of our volunteer force. Since last March, volunteers have stepped into … Read More →
Communication. A word that is so recognizable and easy to define, yet so hard to accomplish. Businesses close, marriages fail, and families are estranged every year due to communication issues. Surely we can do better. I started working in healthcare philanthropy in 2013. Fast forward to 2020. I really enjoy the opportunity to help connect … Read More →
In small organizations, it is critical that everyone pitch in to ensure that things get done. This means that sometimes your title is not what dictates how you spend your time. Small organizations notoriously have fewer staff and each person is responsible for things that, traditionally, might not go along with their title, education, or … Read More →
Recently I had an executive from a small nonprofit in Kansas ask me how to improve organizational sustainability in the New Year. There have been a lot of predictions regarding how the new tax legislation will impact nonprofit organizations. Some predict that it will be even more difficult to effectively raise money in the new financial … Read More →
As I spoke to colleagues in preparation for this article, similar versions of the same question came up a couple of times. “Why are you writing about cannabis, you don’t know anything about it?” It is true – I do not use cannabis and so my knowledge about the specific product is limited to what … Read More →
A few months ago, I had the chance to attend the “Experience Hendrix” show in Denver. This is a nationwide tour, managed by Experience Hendrix LLC under the leadership of President and CEO Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister. The tour includes some of today’s top blues and rock guitarists and is designed to share the music … Read More →
If you have been raising money for any length of time, surely by now you will have been told ‘no.’ Sometimes a ‘no’ can be a major setback, especially if there is no Plan B in place. Was it something I said? Was it something I didn’t say? What will happen to the project? How … Read More →
April is National Volunteer Month, a time to highlight and honor the work that is accomplished every day by volunteers in our community. As I reflect on the meaning of volunteerism, it occurs to me that the concept is a lot broader than some people recognize. During the fall holiday season, there is a … Read More →
Have you ever been trying to reach a donor and left a LOT of messages? I don’t mean “all in the same day,” that could be construed as stalking and no one wants that. I am referring to calling the same donor/prospect over and over without getting a return call. Perhaps you might call twice … Read More →