Advocacy 101: Where to start

This week, I’ll be attending Habitat for Humanity’s Habitat on the Hill event in Washington, DC. I started attending years ago, when I worked for a local affiliate in Tennessee, and it remains one of my favorite events of the year. We’ll be celebrating the successes of Habitat affiliates around the country who have enhanced the…

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Campaign Meetings with Sizzle . . . and Efficiency

The first questions potential campaign volunteers pose often focus on time. Typical time commitments include prospect communication such as calling to set appointments, writing door-opener and follow-up letters, and actually making visits. These are time-consuming activities, and volunteers usually understand that they are essential and that only they can perform these duties.

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Eighteen Lessons on Leadership

Every one of us has leadership roles to assume. Wherever we are leaders, the position, by its very name, demands we provide the best influence possible for others. But how do we learn to be a leader? General Colin Powell has written eloquently on his view of leadership in “A Leadership Primer.” While his views…

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Consistent, Methodical Work

  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” –  2 Timothy 4:7 Why do some people seem to achieve the greatest heights?  What do they do differently than most people?  Are they more intelligent, physically stronger or more gifted or talented?  I think not.  They are…

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Considering the Context – Lifecycle of a Social Issue

Few people would equate grantmaking with farming, but the comparison may be apt. Farmers adapt their crop decisions to different variables of soil and climate and develop a keen sense for when their crops are ripe and should be harvested. Like a farmer, a grantmaker must consider conditions, timing and ripeness to be effective. For…

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Connecting with People

In the fundraising consulting business, we deal with people every day. If we are to work with them effectively and successfully, we have to be able to make personal connections. Connecting with people allows us to create the conditions for our own success and the success of the organizations we strive to represent. Connecting with…

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Check Your Ego at the Door

When the New England Patriots went to the Super Bowl in 2002, they did something that no other team has done before: Before the game, when every other team introduces its starters individually, New England came out as a team. “No introductions. No names. No stars. Just 53 teammates coming onto the field as a…

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A Few Words about Nonprofit Web Site Design

Below are a few thoughts one should consider when designing or revamping a nonprofit Web site: The home page is critical to a Web site’s success.Home pages that I find most attractive introduce me to what their Web sites have to offer, but they do not overwhelm me. They allow me to drill down through…

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