That’s not a metaphysical or spiritual question. It’s a question about what will happen to your earthly goods when you are gone, or when you can no longer make decisions for yourself. I’ve never been a Prince fan, but his death has a lesson to teach us. If you are over 18, you need to … More What Will Happen When You Die?
Note: Although the following discusses hiring the wrong person for a job, this also applies to volunteers. It happens. Somebody’s resume looks great, the interview goes well and you hire him. Or, after a long drawn out process with a number of good candidates, a series of interviews, and much angst and discussion, you make … More When You Hire the Wrong Person
I live in College Station, Texas, about a 1 ½ hour drive from Houston. When Hurricane Rita hit in 2005, many people from the Houston area were encouraged to evacuate, and many ended up in my city. When my church announced they were opening a shelter in our activity center, I called to ask how … More 10 Things Hurricane Rita Taught Me about Serving Others
A number of years ago my husband and I made a donation to a charitable organization that was building a playground. For us, this was a significant gift, and as a result, we were able to “name” a park bench after my late father. My dad loved children, was a kid at heart, and we … More The Golden Rule of Benefactor Relations
I was talking to a colleague a few days ago. This person had planned a wonderful recognition/stewardship/thank-you program for benefactors. It had all the elements of thanking benefactors, appropriately recognizing gifts, and helping specific benefactors gently move on to the next level of giving. SO what was wrong with it? Well, what looked great on … More Don’t Bite Off More than You Can Chew
When you run a charity or nonprofit, you will find yourself wondering if you are asking for money too often. Are you bothering you donors by sending out too many letters and emails? Are your benefactors getting tired of your appeals for funding? My short, and loud, answer to this is “NO!” They are not. … More The Myth of Donor Fatigue
When my kids were young, I wanted to volunteer and give them the experience of helping others. So, I went to my local St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. The store sold donated clothing and household items at a low cost, which gave those in need the dignity of being able to make some choices. … More The Care and Feeding of Volunteers
A number of years ago, early in my fundraising career, I wrote a grant proposal asking for support for a nonprofit radio station. The station came into being through a few dedicated enthusiasts, who loved radio, thought that a radio station would be a great asset to the organization, and would provide a media training … More If Money is Your Only Problem, You are in Good Shape
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