Tom McGuire
10 Years and Counting!
This month marks Armstrong McGuire's 10-year anniversary. In July of 2003 Bert Armstrong and I decided to launch a business based on the lessons we had each learned during years of hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector. We believed then – and continue to believe today…
Read MoreAvoiding Transition Jeopardy
In our past two weekly blogs, my colleagues Shannon Williams and Priscilla Bratcher discussed some of the crucial factors an organization should consider when faced with a transition in executive leadership. Shannon and Pricilla provided valuable insights through entertaining reference…
Read MoreHappy Holidays from Armstrong McGuire
With sights and sounds of the season filling the air, we at Armstrong McGuire want to wish each of our PhilanthopyBiz readers, as well as our clients and their families, a joyful holiday and a healthy, prosperous New Year. Reflecting on this past year, we are awed by the work that each…
Read MoreNothing Succeeds Like…Succession Planning
Have you noticed that lots of nonprofits are celebrating 25th and 30th anniversaries these days? The early to mid-1980’s must have been an auspicious time to start a nonprofit. Thirty years later we’re recognizing the success of those organizations and the impact of t…
Read MorePlanning your staff – Staffing your plan
Recent PhilanthropyBiz blogs have focused on the role of the board of directors in a successful nonprofit organization. For the next few weeks our focus shifts to the complex issues of staffing in an effective organization. We will discuss individual staff roles in both small and large…
Read MoreIs Your Board as Effective as it Can Be?
As we wrap up our focus on boards, I want to paraphrase Judy Collins’ 1970’s hit song: I’ve looked at boards from both sides now. Over the past 30 years, I have held a number of staff positions in which (like many Philanthropybiz readers), I reported to a board …
Read MoreGood Stewardship is More than Saying "Thank You"
How many times have you heard it said that good development is “all about building relationships”? But what, exactly, do we mean when we talk about the “relationship” between a nonprofit and a donor? Over the past 30 years, I’ve learned that the strongest relat…
Read MoreSurvival Tips for Lonely Executive Director
Last week’s PhilanthropyBiz addressed the crucial topic of developing productive, long-term relationships with volunteers. We presented a step-by-step method for identifying, engaging and motivating the people who can be your organization’s most valuable asset. Today, we want to…
Read MoreAlmost Like Being in Love: Building Relationships with Your Fundraising Volunteer
This morning, Armstrong McGuire team members Bert Armstrong and Priscilla Bratcher, CFRE joined Chapel Hill, NC philanthropist Jim Heavner as panelists for the Triangle Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals' April membership meeting. We had a refreshing dis…
Read MoreSay What?
This week’s blog is part of a month-long series on creating effective, results-oriented messages for your organization. Twelve years ago the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation asked Tony Proscio, a former associate editor at the Miami Herald, to write a brief essay on the language of the…
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