Success from the Start: Avoid costly mistakes and successfully launch your new nonprofit
Learn from these experts before you make costly mistakes at your startup nonprofit organization Resources Susan Kenny Stevens: Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-Based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, Stagewise Enterprises, 2008 Michel Gelobter: Lean Startups for Social Change: The Revolutionary Path to Big Impact, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2015 Steve Zimmerman and Jeanne Bell: The Sustainability…
Five reasons you should join a mastermind group in 2022
A previous post discussed what a mastermind group is and does. This post explores why nonprofit leaders, fundraising professionals, and development staff can expect to gain from joining a facilitated mastermind group. Mastermind expert Karyn Greentstreet gave a great overview of the mastermind problem solving model in my OnPoint interview….
Four Reasons Successful Fundraisers Earn Advanced Designations
Have you considered pursuing an advanced designation and then wondered if they are worth the time and financial investment? There are several advanced designations and certificates that fundraising professionals can consider. The most common ones that I see for generalists are the CFRE, ACFRE, CAP, and certificates in fundraising, fundraising…
The OnPoint Interview: 5 Questions with Mastermind and Small Business Expert Karyn Greenstreet
The nonprofit sector IS the small business sector: Nonprofits have a median of four employees in the US. According to the Small Business Administration, 99% of nonprofits employ fewer than 500 people. Those large nonprofits are often hospitals and universities. Few are community service organizations like your local emergency housing…
The OnPoint Interview: Finding GIFTS in Holiday Business Networking
A Five Question interview with Debby Peters I recently sat down with author and networking guru Debby Peters to talk about navigating those odd duck gatherings- holiday work events. These include receptions hosted by vendors, open houses, cocktail hours, or holiday programs. After second year of social distancing, many holiday…
Taking time to practice gratitude
No one achieves anything alone. We rely on support and encouragement from many people who play different roles in our lives. It is up to us to remember to reflect back their kindness and help it grow in ourselves and our business and personal relationships. The quality of these relationships-…
OnPoint Book Review: Discover two books that could transform your life (or at least your career)
Two new books are on the OnPoint bookshelf: a fundraising classic by Jerold Panas and a new release by Dorie Clark. Like many people, this is the time of year when I start thinking about my goals for the upcoming year. Sometimes I want to update specific skills or review…
How to make your #GivingTuesday results even better than last year
Use these seven tips to improve your #GivingTuesday results and set your organization up for success (and a bonus tip for 2022) An eye-popping $1.4 billion was given last year on #GivingTuesday. Yes, giving was affected by the pandemic. However, you can continue the momentum by taking steps now to…
Stop the Churn: Improve retention and build donor loyalty
Is your fundraising on a treadmill? Do you acquire donors one year only to lose them the next? You may be experiencing donor churn. Your rate of donor churn significantly impacts your organization’s sustainability and long-term success. Donor churn is the constant turnover of new donors in your giving program….
Thinking about thinking
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How do you make decisions? Do you naturally think of all the things that could go wrong? Or do you get stuck in data collection mode, not feeling like you have all the information you need to make a decision? It’s essential to have a repeatable process for achieving important…