Melissa
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Tips for a successful Giving Tuesday
The holidays are upon us. As we look forward to celebrations with family and friends, nonprofit organizations enter one of… Read More
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Building Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Partnerships
Corporate social responsibility is a term I find myself explaining frequently to nonprofit colleagues. In the for-profit world, companies make… Read More
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Building Economic Opportunity – A Case for Support
I’ve shared my thoughts on philanthropy and construction being unusual partners but what if I said economic opportunities and philanthropy?… Read More
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Effective Board and Executive Leadership
Nonprofit boards are complex entities. At the most basic level, they are a group of passionate volunteers. What makes them… Read More
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Volunteers: Friends and Force Multipliers
Who are the most passionate advocates for your organization? You might immediately think about your dedicated colleagues or your most… Read More
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Detours, Gratitude, and Change Management
Leadership First posted the graphic below and inspired me to have a gratitude moment. It made me think about detours… Read More
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It’s Complicated – Building from the Ground Up
I don’t know a single nonprofit trying to solve a problem that has an easy solution. If it was easy,… Read More
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Are you ready for Q4? Building compelling donor communications
For many people, September is the start of the school year. While it feels like a new beginning for many,… Read More
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What’s Your Philosophy? A Professional Development Exercise
In academia being asked your teaching philosophy is a fairly common question. Educators typically have their own opinions on how… Read More
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The Best of Best Practices
Balance, it’s what life is all about. In recent posts I’ve been focusing on growth and innovation. My conversations last… Read More
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Overcoming Adversity with a Growth Mindset: Lessons Learned Cave Diving
I’m a cave diver. No, I’m not claustrophobic. Yes, my parents know. No, I’m not scared. Now that we’ve covered… Read More
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Chat GPT4, Fiscal Sponsorship, and New Ideas for 2024
The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy published 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2024. This annual report looks at emerging… Read More
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Trend Analysis and Strategy Development
Giving USA published their annual report on charitable giving in the United States. You can download a copy here. The… Read More
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Applying A Growth Mindset to Define Success
My favorite book is Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. It’s hard to overstate the impact this… Read More
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Professional Standards in Fundraising: The CFRE Credential
A Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) is a professional credential for experienced fundraisers indicating their compliance and adherence to a code… Read More
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Are You Consistent?
Have you ever heard the phrase, “consistency is key”? If you’re like me, the concept of consistency may look a… Read More
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Making Your Own Momentum
Have you ever started a job, inherited a new prospect list, and just scratched your head? The majority of the… Read More
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More How Leads to More Wow
I recently read a post from Jim Langley of Langley Innovations. He noted that donors are interested in “more how… Read More
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A Recipe for Finding Joy
Fun is an interesting word in the workplace. It’s either central to organizational culture or something most commonly associated with… Read More
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Belonging to Something Bigger
Nonprofit organizations come in all shapes and sizes. Independent organizations, federated organizations, and public foundations all seek to enhance the… Read More
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Building a Donor-Centered Fundraising Program
I first heard Penelope Burk in New York in 2009. Her book Donor Centered Fundraising spoke to me from the… Read More
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Building Safety Into Best Practices
I began my career in development when I was 26. I was excited, I could legally rent a car. My… Read More
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IQ vs. EQ – Decision Making as an Empath
I’m an empath, idealist, and an ENTJ. Pick your personality test; I naturally gravitate toward logic but am tuned into… Read More
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Change – Explosion or Slow Burn?
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The Misfits. The Rebels. The Troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones… Read More
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Sustainable Growth in Fundraising
As a society, we are enamored by records. Think about it, the Guinness Book of World Records, Olympics, and sports… Read More
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When Best Practice Really Is Best
“You want to be like Silky Sullivan” he told me. I had no idea who or what Silky Sullivan was.… Read More
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The Difference Between Counting and Accounting
Picture it, Anaheim 2018. It was the 50th anniversary of CASE/NAIS. I stepped onto the stage in front of a… Read More
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Mentorship Matters
I began my career in fundraising March 14, 2007. Yes, I remember the exact date, it was a Wednesday. My… Read More
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Venture Philanthropy – A New Approach to Nonprofit Revenue
In 2021 I completed my doctoral research on venture philanthropy and graduated. A few years prior I was considering degree… Read More
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Innovation with AI
I have worked in two primary types of organizations, those with a defined constituency and those without. To clarify, I… Read More
