Gracious, Friendly and Polite

I learned so much about development from my Mamma. She always worked hard to teach me to be gracious, friendly and polite. She and Daddy always felt the social graces were at least as important as reading, writing and arithmetic. “At least your neighbors may find you tolerable,” my Daddy would say. I hope my…

Read More

Where Do We Go From Here—One Person’s Thoughts

A reporter from a national publication recently called me, as they frequently do at the end of the year, to ask “What will happen in fundraising in the next year?”  Everyone is always wondering what is going to happen in the future, just like they were wondering what would happen after the recent presidential election. …

Read More

The Yo Art Project

The Yo Art Project Yo Art, Inc. is a non-profit organization recognized by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for its after-school program, working with inner-city youth. Using one-to-one mentoring, the organization helps boys and girls establish goals and see the unlimited opportunities that are available beyond the bounds of their local neighborhoods.…

Read More

The Importance of Qualifying in the Feasibility Study Interview

A feasibility study is a critical first component of a successful capital campaign. The ultimate value of a feasibility study is relative to the quality of the information gathered as part of that study. In this article, we’ll teach you the importance of qualifying the potential support of the person or organization being interviewed, and…

Read More

The Physics of Fundraising

Fundraising is a business oriented around communication. As such, we often think through our life’s experience, trying to find good analogies to demonstrate some of the fundamentals we discuss on a daily basis. We often talk about how fundraising is all about building and keeping momentum by sparking some activity with positive results. The equations…

Read More