Philanthropic Culture in the Annual Fund

Building A Culture of Philanthropy! Does Your Organization Have a Culture of Philanthropy?  What’s Your Philanthropic Culture?  GET YOUR BOARD ON BOARD! I dunno, sometimes I think the only culture I get is from yogurt. Ba dum bum. *cymbal* Discussing the development of a culture of philanthropy is absolutely the right thing to do.  Working…

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That’s Not a Major Gift

At least five times over the last week or so I’ve heard the statement, “$x level is NOT a major gift; don’t waste your time on those” or “Those low-level donors aren’t giving major gifts.  They’re nice gifts, sure, but they’re not major gifts.” Let me tell you about Jane.  I adore Jane.  She was…

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The Annual Fund Isn’t Annual II

In the last post, I said that the Annual Fund isn’t annual.  Indeed, that’s the crux of this whole blog – thinking about the annual fund differently. “Well, but the blog is named ‘Annual Fund’ and that’s what everyone calls it – the Annual Fund.” True statement.  We don’t have a better name yet –…

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The Annual Fund Isn’t Annual

Nor is it a Fund, but more on that later . . . annual adjective an·nu·al \ˈan-yə(-wə)l, -yü-əl\ Simple Definition of annual : happening once a year : covering the period of a year of a plant : living for only one year or season : having a life cycle that is one year or…

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What’s the Big Deal about Fundraising?

About five years ago, as I was transitioning responsibilities to a new colleague, I was asked the fundamental question, “So, really, what is the big deal about Fundraising?  I just don’t see what’s so special about it.  You just call and ask for money.” And it stopped me in my tracks, because I couldn’t answer…

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