Relationship Journey

Relationship Journey

 Traditional wisdom in fundraising says that transformational, recurring donors only arrive once in a life-time for a nonprofit, and are the result of high-paid, individual work by your star major giving officer.  The secret is, anyone in any organization can grow...
Creating a 100-Year Friend: Observe & Interact

Creating a 100-Year Friend: Observe & Interact

Observing your fundraising program, and focusing your donor strategy on your own culture and unique set of circumstances, will pay off in good choices and meaningful practice tailored to the philanthropic mission you serve. Observe & Interact is a principle of...
Transforming Fundraising toward Social Justice

Transforming Fundraising toward Social Justice

There is a Mary Oliver poem that is so present for me right now.  It’s titled “The Uses of Sorrow” – Someone I loved once gave me/ a box full of darkness/ It took me years to understand/ that this, too, was a gift In this 2020 box of darkness of loss, pandemic,...
Lessons in Abundance from my Oma Frieda

Lessons in Abundance from my Oma Frieda

My maternal grandmother was named Frieda. I just found out from Wikipedia, that saucy mistress of procrastination, that the name means “peaceful ruler” and I have to say that is spot on. She was a wonderful mix of autocratic and kind and the reason I do what I do in...