By Carlo M. Cuesta Most board members and volunteers have an unhealthy relationship to fundraising. They often place it within the context of having or not having enough power (personal wealth, connections, and influence). “Do I know enough wealthy people?” “Can I really get this person to give?” “How will it change our relationship?” […]

I do not have much patience for a nonprofit board of directors that listens to reports, reacts to decisions, and offers advice. On the other hand, I am inspired by a board that takes action, creates opportunities, and builds relationships. The latter is deeply engaged in the cause, the former likes the idea of it. […]

red strings Originally uploaded by fuzzonce I am always looking for inexpensive ways to help organizations strengthen their power to engage the public. One of the best ways to do this is by reaffirming your organization’s brand identity rather than trying to create a new one from scratch. This type of overhaul relies more on […]

We often hear how hard it is to ask for money, but rarely does anyone tell us how hard it is to generate prospect leads or to educate those prospects. In fact, if you are successful at generating leads and educating them– closing become the easiest part. We have been using the above model as a simple way of explaining successful individual donor cultivation.