The Leadership Attribute We Need Most: Master Weaver
We will not build better advancement operations… – or sustain fundraising success – or build stronger cultures of philanthropy –…
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6 Reasons Why Major Donor Prospects Ignore Your Outreach Efforts
Major donor outreach isn’t easy. When you have success, it feels great. But more often, your efforts to make contact…
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Fundraisers Need to Be Passionate About More Than Mission
Many job descriptions claim to be looking for a fundraiser who will be “passionate about our mission.” That’s a good…
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Stewardship with Soul: Emotional Intelligence Beyond the Gift
Too many fundraisers treat stewardship like the closing chapter. The thank-you note. The impact report. The ribbon-cutting ceremony. But in…
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Fundraising Boss vs. Advancement Leader
Fundraising bosses want you to get gifts; advancement leaders want you to build partnerships. Fundraising bosses want you to solicit…
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Activity vs. Strategic Activity: Which Works Better for Major and Legacy Gift Fundraising Operations?
I worry when fundraising leaders confuse activity with advancement. Too often I hear that staff are celebrated for how many…
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One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How Emotionally Intelligent Fundraisers Adapt to Donor Styles
Ever had a donor go quiet on you after a meeting that felt great? Or sat across from someone who…
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The First Commandment of Advancement: Show Don’t Tell
A donor once shared with me why he had given so generously to an oceanographic institute on the far coast…
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Navigating Internal Tensions: Emotional Intelligence Inside the Fundraising Office
Most people think of emotional intelligence as a tool for managing donor relationships. But some of the most critical applications…
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How To Irritate Good Donors
Want to know how to get under your donors’ skin? Ask them to do something small after they’ve made a big…
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A Good Problem – What to Do If You Have Too Many Pre-qualified Major Donor Prospects
This is a classic good news / bad news scenario. The good news is, we have way more pre-qualified major…
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Donor Visits That Matter: Designing Emotionally Intelligent Conversations
A donor visit isn’t just a meeting. Done well, it’s a moment of transformation—for the donor and the mission. But…
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Moves Management: Misunderstood and Misapplied
In his recent article in APRA’s Connections, Tim DeCelle reveals, “In a 2019 interview, the now-retired David Dunlop reflects on…
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The Power of Calm Leadership: Why Desperation Deters Progress
If you’re desperate, I can’t help you raise money. Nor can anyone else, though some may claim they can. Desperation…
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The Major Gifts Iceberg – What Lies Beneath that First Major Gift?
Have you ever closed a gift that left you underwhelmed and feeling like you left money on the table? Maybe…
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Rejection Without Resentment: The Emotionally Intelligent Fundraiser’s Response to “No”
In fundraising, rejection is inevitable. You’ll hear “no” more than “yes.” You’ll experience silence more than applause. And if you’re…
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Unheard Voices That Come Back to Haunt Fundraising
Too infrequently, unheard voices and various levels within our organizations include: Lapsed donors, whom we too rarely seek out, even…
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The Smarter Way to Prioritize Your Major Donor Outreach: Let Prospects Reveal Themselves to You
Fundraisers are constantly told to “get out and meet more donors.” But that advice misses the deeper issue: outreach takes…
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Planned Giving Is a Love Letter: Emotional Intelligence in Legacy Fundraising
There’s a special kind of generosity that lives in planned giving. It’s forward-looking. Reflective. Sacred. And almost always… deeply emotional.…
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Impact: How We’re Being Short-sighted in Responding to What Donors Want
As fundraisers, we’re being short-sighted as to what donors really want. Here’s an example. The Juilliard School of Music replaces…
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How Nostalgia Drives Giving and Why Donors Open Up When They Tell Their Story
There’s something we’ve been doing for our customers over here at MarketSmart for many years. But we haven’t shared this…
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Fundraising in Uncertain Times: Emotional Intelligence as Your Steady Hand
The world feels uncertain. Crises come fast. Budgets shrink. Priorities shift. And in the nonprofit world, fundraisers are often expected…
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Why Aren’t You Raising More Million-Dollar Gifts?
Have you ever wondered why you aren’t raising more million-dollar gifts? There’s plenty to go around, right? Why aren’t you…
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5 Outcomes You Can Expect When You Reach Out to Major or Legacy Donor Prospects
Outcomes, not Activities So many nonprofits put far too much emphasis on tracking activities instead of outcomes. At nonprofits using…
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