Category Archives: Blog Posts

In a country far away, old friends sit around a table in a café drinking tea as they do every evening. “Can you believe what happened in Texas?” asked one. “The shooting?  Unbelievable.  Those poor children.  Their families.  I can’t imagine the pain. When will it stop?” They all were waiting for the elder ofContinue reading “The Cafe”

One of my all-time favorite country songs is by Reba McEntire, “(The World Ain’t Gonna Stop for) My Broken Heart.” It’s had five million views on YouTube, by the way. Our economy and our world are in a bit of tizzy at the moment. But as Reba suggests, life goes on. Fundraising does too. AtContinue reading “The Big 7”

Last time we talked about the greatest sin a fundraiser can commit: making a donor feel small. This is what happens. — I was having coffee with a friend of mine. She’s the director of development for a wonderful nonprofit. Among other things we were talking about our year-end totals and all the thank-you lettersContinue reading “Disappointment”

“Rob, you’ve seen so many Decembers in your career, so many year-ends. We’re bombarded with messages of ‘good cheer’ but for fundraisers it can be just the opposite! Every day brings stress, a new problem and a looming deadline. “Is there a secret to making it through these weeks without feeling overwhelmed? If there is,Continue reading “The Two Magic Words”

Helen looked around the university’s Phonathon Center. It was in the basement of the administration building; tucked away, but spacious enough for their needs. Campus security was great about stopping by and making them feel safe, even late in the evening when the rest of the building was deserted. There were 20 caller cubicles butContinue reading “Chasing Windmills”