Podcasts

When it comes to strategic planning, the biggest mistake often made is that the people involved try to do too much. They have too many goals yet there's no way they can accomplish all of them. They get overwhelmed. To have a successful strategic plan, you have to be realistic about it. For the annua…Read More

"Motivation is lighting a fire under someone and inspiration is lighting a fire within someone." And when inspired, people do remarkable things. Inspiration is for the long term while motivation is for the short term. Leaders need to find ways of inspiring employees so that they can do amazing thing…Read More

Many clinicians don't understand that what they do every day may seem ordinary to them but for those on the outside, it is extraordinary. And those extraordinary experiences lead to gratitude which may be expressed through giving, and this makes the patient happy. Happiness is a result of doing thin…Read More

Millennials live in an instant culture and kind of expect the same thing with their philanthropic giving. They want to see results almost in real-time. They want to see that their gifts and resources are making a difference.  But what else do they expect from fundraisers? Sarah & Abigail, milli…Read More

A board can make or break your entire development program. So if you have a weak board or a board that is not involved, un-willing to give, receive, or talk to people, then your program will not go very far. Fundraisers are not equal to donors. Peer to peer fundraising has been proven time & tim…Read More

The marketing department of a typical for-profit organization has a huge role to play in the success of the company. Its job is to spread the word the products or services that the company brings to the world. Philanthropic marketing, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. It is about te…Read More

The culture of an organization is very important in philanthropy. It is also just as important that the entire organization gets involved in building that culture and not get too bogged down in the business side of philanthropy. Culture eats strategy every time, meaning that if you don't pay attenti…Read More

Great relationships lead to great organizations. There's nothing more important than a positive CEO-CDO relationship to deliver quality service. It's not just about raising money; it's about the partnerships you have in leadership. Ed Flynn is the Principal of Flynn Consulting. He has over 30 years …Read More

Staying true to your donors is the commitment you make when you agree to be a fundraiser. But the organization’s leadership and metrics don’t always operate harmoniously with those ideals. Donors don't have the same priorities or needs as those who operate behind the scenes of the philanthropic …Read More

When running a capital campaign, you should expect the unexpected. This is because at one point or another it may stall or look hopeless. But Penny Cowden has some great advice from her many years of experience she has accumulated from running very successful campaigns, helping raise over $100 milli…Read More