Category Archives for LinkedIn Articles


Sage Advice for Seeking Foundation Grants

This is article offers sage advice for seeking foundation grants.  Too often in the rush of the development officers daily life, one can forget to take a step back to consider these grant writing guidelines and best practices. Questions I’m Most Often Asked about Winning Foundation Grants by Martin Teitel December 2013 In my decades of […]

Donors are happier, healthier and better looking too.

Donors to charity aren’t merely generous souls. Donors are happier, healthier and better looking too.  We celebrate National Philanthropy Day in Central Ohio today.  This opinion piece, by Arthur Brooks appearing in the Wall Street Journal, is an appropriate reminder of the truly exceptional impact that the Third Sector has on our country, our communities, […]

Treat donors as shareholders to frame the major gifts equation

Treat donors as shareholders to frame the major gifts equation around an investment analogy to develop a loyal base of givers.  Mr. Shaw has picked up on another aspect of this concept in his  article. Here is an opinion piece that we thought worthy of sharing. We might add two additional points:  1) considering donors […]

Shock Therapy for Fundraisers

This post could be listed as shock therapy for fundraisers.  Mark Atkinson has posted a fictional letter from Mrs. D. Donor to her favorite charity describing her frustrations.  As so many organizations race to the end of the year with a myriad of appeals, this blog post reminds us to work toward placing a greater value […]

Reminding Fundraisers of the Donor’s Perspective

A great post reminding fundraisers of the donor’s perspective, and further supported by some shocking statistics from the AFP’s Fundraising Effectiveness Project.  Go forth and broker love ! Stop Treating Your Donors Like a Cash Cow Meet the typical donor, as charities see the beast: a cash cow. Biddable. Milkable. And — oh, yes — […]

Seeking to Understand Donors

Fundraisers seeking to understand donors will find the following article from the New York Times of interest, and a call to work toward identifying the donor’s perspective.  This article also presents an interesting perspective of philanthropy from the financial adviser’s view.  When working to secure major gifts, the donor’s financial adviser often plays an important […]