Nonprofit rating sites like Charity Navigator matter because many donors will look up your online rating site before making a gift.
I used to write grants for the small nonprofits that we help with fundraising. (In fact, we used to be called Community Grantwriters, because so many organizations wanted that kind of fundraising.) But guess what? We don’t write grants anymore. Read more
You can’t do this alone. So here are two tools that will make it easy for your board to share your year-end appeals this month. Nearly 40% of all one-time gifts are donated in December, so it’s not too late! Read more
Direct mail is my least favorite kind of fundraising. Why? And yet, at some level, it works or nonprofits wouldn’t spend all the time and money sending mail appeals. Fear of losing donors is real. It can be easy to forget that Read more
How often have you held yourself to a deadline because, “that’s when we’ve always done it,” even though you have a feeling that now is not the right time? Recently, a wonderful organization I know was preparing for the membership meeting that Read more
The Art of Appreciation I just finished a book that educated and moved me deeply: How to Say Babylon, a memoir by Safiya Sinclair. There were so many moments of awe in her story. For me, one of them was her acknowledgments. It Read more
I have strong ties to West Marin, a stunning region of two dozen small towns and many ranches. When Shelley Rugg attended one of my fundraising workshops for small nonprofits (hosted by the West Marin Fund), she really wowed me! Read on to Read more
“I love the work you do. How can I help?” This kind of interaction is your golden opportunity to make connections and get needs met. It’s vital to have a specific, comprehensive answer to this question. You never know what Read more
Rethinking Donor Events This week I was honored to teach fundraising at a United Way nonprofit capacity-building program. The room is always filled with organizations doing amazing work, and I learn so much from them! We were talking about finding Read more
I mentor a new development director at a wonderful, small-staffed nonprofit. This new DD was promoted from the program side into a fundraising role. (I LOVE this!! Who better to tell the story??) Now, the executive director has asked them Read more
Passionate about the flow of capital to social change. Fighter for justice, equity, opportunity. Grateful for community, mountains, shared meals, and digging in on big problems (and solutions)—together.
Excited to contribute to your nonprofit mission with my donor database and research skills as a former corporate librarian. Let me help make dev ops smooth and train staff on gift entry and reports! Love the beach, water sports, and reading.