The Nonprofit Mentor

Over the years, I've heard countless nonprofit leaders say some version of the same thing: "Our board has a governance problem." Sometimes they're right. A board may have outdated bylaws, weak committee structures, poor orientation for new members, or unclear policies. Those issues certainly matter, and they deserve attention.   But after facilitating hundreds of board retreats and strategic plann...

Why "Any Questions?" Is Killing Your Board Discussions   I've facilitated hundreds of board retreats over the past 20 years, and I've noticed something fascinating. The moment a board chair or CEO finishes a presentation and says, "Any questions?" the room almost always gets quieter—not livelier.   A few people glance at their notes. Someone takes a sip of coffee. Another checks the agenda. Then s...

Many nonprofits believe their mission alone should inspire support. Unfortunately, donors are not mind readers.   They cannot automatically feel your impact, understand your programs, appreciate your culture, or grasp the urgency of your work simply because your organization exists. That understanding must be communicated clearly, consistently, emotionally, and professionally. And that's where man...

I've seen some beautiful strategic plans over the years. Thick paper. Gorgeous photography. Inspirational quotes. Color-coded priorities. One organization even handed me a plan that looked expensive enough to have its own insurance policy. There was just one problem: Nobody was using it. That's more common than nonprofit leaders like to admit. Organizations spend months creating strategic plans, c...

Many fundraisers think successful donor meetings are primarily about charisma.   Wrong.       Charisma helps. Confidence helps. Storytelling helps. But more than anything else, successful fundraising meetings are usually the result of thoughtful preparation. The best fundraisers rarely "wing it." They prepare like professionals because they understand something incredibly important:   Preparation...

  Elephants Have Excellent Appetites Boards feed elephants in all kinds of ways. They postpone difficult conversations. They soften uncomfortable language. They create committees. They commission another study. They put the issue on next month's agenda, where it enjoys a brief appearance before being returned safely to its natural habitat. Occasionally, they even hire a consultant. As a consultant...

For many nonprofit leaders and fundraisers, making the initial donor call feels about as comfortable as parallel parking a boat. Even highly confident professionals suddenly become nervous, overly formal, or strangely robotic the moment they pick up the phone to call a potential donor.   And honestly, it makes sense.   Fundraising calls carry emotional pressure. You don't want to sound pushy. You...

Board members say it all the time. "We're just not ready to make that decision." It sounds thoughtful. Responsible. Even wise. After all, no one wants to rush an important decision. But after facilitating hundreds of strategic planning retreats across the country, I've come to believe this is often the biggest lie in strategic planning. Not because board members are dishonest. They're not. Most ar...

Your Board Isn't Working: Why a Board Retreat Might Be the Best Investment Your Nonprofit Makes This Year Most nonprofit leaders know the scene. You're sitting in a board meeting watching the same three people carry the conversation while two members scroll their phones, one asks a question already answered in the pre-read materials, and another slips out early because "something came up." The mee...

Building a Donor Pipeline BEFORE You need It! Here's a truth most development directors don't want to admit out loud: Your donor base is quietly shrinking. Not because you're doing bad work. Not because your mission isn't compelling. Not because your fundraising team isn't trying. But because donors are human. They retire. They relocate. They redirect their giving. They get distracted by grandkids...

Board Retreat Blunders and Mistakes that Sabotage Retreats Board retreats are supposed to be powerful. They're supposed to create clarity, alignment, momentum, unity, and ownership. They're meant to be the moment when a board steps out of the day-to-day grind and finally gets honest about where the board is—and where it's going. Instead? Too many retreats feel like a long, expensive meeting with b...

Part 3 of 3: Ask Better, Raise More Money -- Fundraising Ask Tactics and Strategies Most fundraisers spend far too much time worrying about the "perfect ask," as if somewhere out there is one magical sentence that makes every donor instantly reach for a checkbook. There isn't. Fundraising is not a Jedi mind trick, and donors are not slot machines you jiggle until money falls out.   The truth is mu...

Part 2 of 3: Ask Better, Raise More Money -- Fundraising Ask Tactics and Strategies Most fundraisers spend far too much time worrying about the "perfect ask," as if somewhere out there is one magical sentence that makes every donor instantly reach for a checkbook. There isn't. Fundraising is not a Jedi mind trick, and donors are not slot machines you jiggle until money falls out. The truth is much...

Part 1 of 3: Ask Better, Raise More Money -- Fundraising Ask Tactics and Strategies Most fundraisers spend far too much time worrying about the "perfect ask," as if somewhere out there is one magical sentence that makes every donor instantly reach for a checkbook. There isn't. Fundraising is not a Jedi mind trick, and donors are not slot machines you jiggle until money falls out. The truth is much...

If you've spent any time in fundraising, you know this moment well.   You send the email, make the call and follow up—politely, professionally, thoughtfully. And then… nothing. No reply. No acknowledgment. No signal of interest or disinterest. Just silence.     For many fundraisers, donor silence feels personal. It triggers doubt. Did I say the wrong thing? Did I wait too long? Did they lose confi...

The "Notify First" Trick There's one move that can turn your ho-hum year-end appeal into a home run:  notify first ! Before you send a single email or stuff a single envelope, reach out to donors—by phone or email—and announce your campaign is coming. This one act can boost your response rate up to five times higher. If you actually reach a donor and they feel connected to your cause, half of them...

Fear not! To raise money, you and your fellow board members don't have to cold call strangers (or worse, friends), or suffer through awkward donor coffees where you feel like the people at the table next to you are eavesdropping on your shaky pitch. Nope. There's an alternative. It's a heck of a lot easier for board members to do things that  support the fundraising efforts of the organization, ra...

Fundraising—it's part charm offensive, part emotional trapeze act, part caffeine-fueled chaos. Some days you feel like a philanthropic superhero, and other days you're crying into your donor database while searching for the 'undo' button. But you don't have to go it alone. Enter the Rainmakers: the mythical, magical, magnificently strategic fundraisers who know how to play the long game—with flair...

Your first face-to-face meeting with a donor isn't a sales pitch or interview. And it's definitely not the time to comb through the details for your 30-page strategic plan. It's a discovery conversation—a delightful dance where you listen, learn, and laugh. Apply the following 10 tactics to get your first meeting right and the odds of landing a second meeting (and ultimately a donation) jump to mo...

Here's a crash course in what "not" to do when fundraising, what donors secretly loathe, and a short list of how to ask for money without breaking into hives. Listen in and learn . . .

Ah, the board retreat. A magical time when board members gather to dive into strategic discussions, unleash big ideas, and nod sagely at visionary plans. You laugh, you brainstorm, you may even awkwardly roleplay. By the end, you've covered walls with stickies and flipchart paper, deepened your culture, and high-fived over fresh possibilities. And then…  nothing . Everyone returns home. Retreat ou...

Fundraisers know that most donor objections boil down to just two things: the amount you're asking for and the timing of the ask. But here's the good news—both are manageable. In this article, you'll discover practical tactics to navigate these common roadblocks, plus smart ways to handle the trickier, less common objections that inevitably pop up. By the end, you'll not only be ready to face obje...

Encountering objections when asking donors for money is a given. One tactic for handling objections would be to develop and memorize canned responses to every possible type of objec­tion. Experienced fundraisers know this tactic is futile, because a simple "ask" often triggers an avalanche of donor replies, ranging from polite deflections to excuses worthy of an improv show. A more effective appro...

Experienced fundraisers know objections are part of the ask process, which is why they embrace them. There are dozens of reasons why donors throw caution signs that feel like red lights. What follows is a high-level primer that unpacks why donors hesitate, paired with clear principles for handling those objections with confidence—so you can turn tough questions into lasting commitments. Listen in...

Cultivation is the golden hour before the ask. It's when you introduce someone to your nonprofit, show them the heart behind the stats, the faces behind the facts, and the mission behind the jargon. And it isn't just about raising money—it's about raising friends, champions, connectors, and believers. Done well, cultivation deepens emotional connection, builds trust, and turns a casual observer in...