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The universal hero story is attractive. This “monomyth” is “hard-wired into our psyches.”[1] In the donor’s hero story, the donor’s role as hero is compelling…. Read More
Too often fundraisers make assumptions about what donors want. Usually, this is driven by top leaders or board members. They decide, for instance, that it… Read More
Recently a friend of mine was promoted. Now she is in a leader position at her organization’s headquarters. Yippee! I asked her, “What will you… Read More
An old book filled with timeless lessons. I was cleaning out a cabinet last weekend and I came across an old book I read long… Read More
What happens all too often when advancement leaders announce that they’re bringing in an expert to train their staff? Some staff members get their backs… Read More
Put the proposition in human terms. Imagine two people that you observe on multiple occasions: One seems to be playing a role, the other seems comfortable… Read More
“I was on a mission from God.” I met John the first year I started working in major gifts. John was a retired financial advisor… Read More
When it comes to ‘how to ask for a gift,’ you’ll see there’s a parallel between how we conduct sales here at MarketSmart and how… Read More
When you think about the wealthiest of earners in the U.S., those who fall into the top 0.1 percent, who comes to mind? For most,… Read More
Words matter. They shape our thoughts. Our thoughts shape our actions and influence our decisions. The lexicon of fundraising is full of one-way terms, as… Read More
Your job title as a fundraiser is part of the first impression you make with a donor. Of course, you might be wondering, “Come on…… Read More
Before you think this is another post about how to tell great fundraising stories, read this: This article is not about the elements of how… Read More
Teen Talk Barbie famously stated, “Math is hard.”[1] This may be particularly true in fundraising. Giving is motivated by social emotion. Triggering math, logic, error-detection thoughts can hurt. It… Read More
This news can be shocking to hear and might even make some fundraisers and nonprofit administrators fall out of their seats. But it’s true. Donors… Read More
In fundraising, a gift results when motivation overcomes cost. Increasing motivation helps. So does lowering cost. These make the gift easier. But sometimes, these two processes conflict. Number problems… Read More
No one cares how much money you’ve raised. Displaying how much money you’ve raised on your website, on your LinkedIn, on your resume, or anywhere… Read More
At the heart of philanthropy is story. Story starts with character. Without a relatable character, the fundraising story is dead. To be relatable, the donor… Read More
Philanthropy originates in story. In the earliest foundations of human social cooperation, story is at the center.[1] In empathy development of preschool children, story is… Read More
This is the fifth and final post that summarizes a series that tackles why storytelling doesn’t work on its own to generate big donations. To… Read More
My journey My career has always focused on charitable giving. This was true in my practice experience, my research, and my teaching. But I’ll admit… Read More
You might want to check out the first post in this series before reading this one. In that post, I told you that telling is… Read More
In my previous article, I explained what fundraisers get wrong about storytelling. Mostly they tend to think stories about what their organization does can inspire… Read More
In case you missed my last post… I wrote about my unease with the storytelling surge in our sector. It made me uncomfortable because I… Read More
First, the surge in storytelling. Five or ten years ago, it seemed like everyone in fundraising suddenly started talking about storytelling. Books were written, conferences… Read More
Feeling like your job is getting harder because donor expectations have changed and competition for the charitable dollar is growing?
Finding that the old orthodoxies and conventions espoused by so-called experts in online echo-chambers and at conferences don’t work anymore?
Want to help more people make impact by facilitating their acts of philanthropy but feel like too many obstacles keep getting in your way?
Then this book is for you.
Engagement Fundraising was developed from the perspective of a donor who discovered firsthand that the impersonal, spray-and-pray approaches of his beloved charity were not only offensive but also wasteful and ineffective. So he took action. And now, you can too.
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