And we’re being asked to be extraordinary in response. For some it feels like the world is swirling out of control and we’re seeing and hearing about the fear, concern and downright panic people are feeling. So, this is our attempt at offering some comfort – or at least some perspective as you try to adjust in these trying times. …
COVID-19 has changed everything. How do you keep fundraising when folks are worried about the state of the world and worried about their health? In this video, I’ll explain 5 tangible actions and things to keep in mind during this time including KYPU! (watch the video to see what that means.) Take gentle care. Cathy As life becomes harder and more …
If you want to succeed at fundraising, you can’t simply work hard at raising money. You need to create the right conditions within your organization – the enabling ecology – for fundraising to thrive. The enabling ecology approach intentionally integrates the culture of philanthropy and your organizational values directly into your fundraising program. In this video, I’ll be sharing sharing the four …
I tried a little experiment recently. On LinkedIn, I asked a simple question: what advice would you give to your younger fundraising self? A couple of dozen folks shared their best advice. Here’s a link to the article I wrote about it in case you want to check it out. Their responses got me thinking. So I tried another experiment. …
I’ve been working in fundraising for a long time. As a result, sometimes, I think things that are common sense – simply because I’ve been at this for a while – are not common at all. I was reminded of this a few years ago when friends helped my partner and I re-side an extension on our house. It was …
I mean, come on.. who calls a podcast Heteropatriarchy on Fire? Well, I do. And I’m loving all of the really interesting things I’m learning and the challenging conversations I’m having and the belly laughs I’m sharing as I interview some leaders in the world of philanthropy. The podcast is actually called It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask (itdoesnthurttoaskpodcast.com) and this …
It’s ok Mommy, everybody has a little bit of pain. This kid slays me. She’s five years old and she’s my great-niece. When Maddie was born she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. We were afraid but her mom (my niece) and her dad were matter-of-fact: they weren’t going to let CF interfere with their daughter having an amazing life. Evening …
I have a friend who’s dying of ALS. My great-niece has Cystic Fibrosis and my mother died of breast cancer 6 years ago. These issues are all causes that fall into the realm of what we think of as traditional philanthropy. But traditional philanthropy is not what gets me fired up. To quote my colleague Rosemary Oliver who works at …
I love writing direct mail letters. I love hearing people’s stories and why they’re passionate about the causes they support. And I’m curious about people, so writing direct mail letters gives me an opportunity to meet interesting people doing cool things. If you know me, you may know that, given the opportunity, I can talk the ear off an elephant. …
For years, I used the story of babies floating in a river to describe the difference between social change organizations and more traditional charities. In case you’re not familiar with it, it goes like this: a passerby saw a baby floating down the river, jumped in and saved him. Day after day, more babies showed up in the river. The …