The Fundraising Coach

Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, "What a waste of time!" You're squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. Worse yet, the facilitator is boring, the content is useless, board members are texting, and the food is stale! If you're in the process of planning a retreat, don't settle! It's possible to put together a...

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, meeting with a donor for coffee (or any in-person meeting), whether they are a potential supporter or a current contributor, is one of the most crucial interactions you'll have. This isn't just a casual coffee chat; it's a pivotal meeting that can define a donor's impression of you, your organization, and may determine whether they make moderate gift, a signi...

In today's rapidly changing world, clinging to the traditional five-year strategic plan is not just outdated—it's impractical. Organizations need to adapt quickly to survive, and a long-term plan often becomes a liability and burden rather than a guide and roadmap. Instead, a one-year strategic plan, monitored monthly and updated annually, proves to be a far more effective and cost-efficient appro...

Tactics for Building a "Value Network" for your Nonprofit     The nonprofit world is a quirky one. Many nonprofits are founded by passionate people with little or no nonprofit experience. Many board members have little or no nonprofit experi­ence, and many staff members have little or no nonprofit or business experience. The result is often a lot of wasted time and effort. Mistakes are made, resou...

Here's a list of 7 uncommon factors to look for! Strategic planning is the backbone of any successful nonprofit organization, providing a roadmap for future growth and impact. However, navigating the strategic planning process can be challenging, requiring skilled guidance to ensure clarity, collaboration, and actionable outcomes. When seeking to hire the best strategic planning facilitator for yo...

Let's be honest Do you have board members that . . . Blow off meetings? Don't read meeting materials? Don't make a personal donation? Are nowhere to be found to help organize events? Can't recite the mission or vision? Don't help steward donors? Rarely see your programming? Don't personally know the staff? Say they're "just volunteers" or "too busy" to participate? Couldn't share any institutional...

Hosting a strategic planning session can be costly and time-consuming. You can spend hours and hours trying to find a suitable venue, hire caterers, organize pre-work, and wrangle all the attendees. But often times, the biggest cost is the one you spend on hiring the facilitator. Then, the big day arrives. Everyone is prepared and excited to roll up their sleeves, grapple with pressing issues, and...

Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience "Unexpectedly Pleasurable!"  In today's fundraising world, with dozens of nonprofits competing for donors' hearts and wallets, it's important to stand out and differentiate. Otherwise, no matter how noble your mission, you'll be left with your hand out as other fundraisers hit their goals. To inspire donor generosity and loyalty year after year, y...

Are You a One-Percenter? Here's a List of Dos and Don'ts of Top Performers. How do you rate? There is a reason why the top performers – the One-Percenters – consistently do so well in business and life . . . it's because they do the things, big and small, that set themselves apart from others. There is nothing wrong with "average." Average is good. It's acceptable. Do you feel you're an average wo...

Movies and Sound Imagine watching a movie like Star Wars, Jaws, or Top Gun with no sound. They would be dry, listless, and yes, dull. In many movies, the sound makes the movie. It elicits emotional responses that can lift us up, make us cry, and give us goosebumps. Some music scores are so meaningful to us, they stir up emotions and memories decades after watching the movies. Think of movies like...

Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, "What a waste of time!" You're squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. Worse yet, the facilitator is boring, the content is useless, board members are texting, and the food is stale! If you're in the process of planning a retreat, don't settle! It's possible to put together a...

Have you ever sat through a board retreat and spent more time watching the clock, daydreaming, and checking texts than listening to the facilitator? Are your board members cringing at the thought of attending another retreat? Did your last facilitator stand behind a lectern and drone on like a record playing in slow motion? Were they unengaging? Was the content dull and irrelevant? Did the outcome...

Nonprofits play a critical role in addressing societal issues, but their effectiveness often hinges on the strength of their leadership, especially the board. One way to enhance the performance of a nonprofit's board of directors is by organizing retreats. They can improve engagement, performance, governance, fundraising skills, all of which can propel the organization to the next level of impact....