Blog
Is Philanthropy More Than Money?
Tuesday, March 30th was National Doctor’s Day. So, a special shout out to all the docs out there for what you are doing, especially those physicians and other health care workers risking their own health and sacrificing time with their families to treat COVID-19 patients over the past …
Read MoreSpringing Forward
I love spring in North Carolina. The cold of winter has (for the most part) receded, making way for longer days, fresh tree growth, and a dazzling display of spring flowers. The season brings a special energy and sense of renewal. Leo Tolstoy, the author of War and Peace, said, “Spring…
Read MoreMy Weekend in the Mountains
Just over a year ago, on Armstrong McGuire’s first convening call with executive directors, Garry Crites, who is the Executive Director of NAMI North Carolina (National Alliance on Mental Illness), asked a very important question to the other leaders on the call: “What are you do…
Read MoreBoard Meetings, Officers, and Committees
Last week I had the privilege to be a part of a discussion on Board meetings, officers, and committees with more than 50 nonprofit leaders through Mission Triangle. Here are some of the highlights that came up in each area. Board Meetings As the name implies, they are Board meeting…
Read MoreHope Won’t Kill You!
My newest pandemic binge-watching obsession has taken me to Apple TV to learn about life from the Golden Globe award-winning hit, Ted Lasso. For the uninitiated, American Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis) is a college football coach from the United States who is recruited to coach an Engl…
Read MoreMaximizing Your Development Committee
Last Friday, when meeting with nine development directors in a monthly development networking call, I shared a list created by BoardSource that states 10 tasks every development committee should be doing. They include: Help develop policies for board and staff actions related to gift soli…
Read MoreWhat is Your Organization’s Rating & Why Does It Matter?
Donors are making a concerted effort to research a nonprofit before making a donation. Recent stakeholder interviews as part of feasibility study show that donors who have been affected by the pandemic may have less money to give away. Most first-time donors take the time to research an orga…
Read MoreInstantly Improve Your Outreach Through Empathy
Our guest blogger, Katie Test Davis, is the Founder of Forthright Advising, a communications firm that works with organizations that love kids. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately (sigh) so I’ve taken to doing a meditation before bed. Recently, one of the meditations had me…
Read MoreCorporate America is Shifting Its Philanthropy in Response to 2020
2020 was tumultuous and it changed our perspective of the world forever. We watched in horror as: The COVID-19 virus spread throughout the world, killing more than 2.2 million people. The worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression resulted in 10 million Americans filing for …
Read MoreHope
Our team had a chance to talk with nonprofit executive, development, and marketing leaders last week. We discussed lessons learned in 2020—especially thinking about what seemingly temporary changes might in fact become permanent such as remote working and virtual meetings. Many execut…
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