Urban Ministries of Wake County (UMWC) leads a list of firsts in our community.

Most people think fundraisers love to talk. That is an understatement, we do love to talk!!

When I was first asked to write a guest blog about our recent and successful Day of Giving event, I immediately felt like a fraud.

I love movies. I mean I really love movies. If I could do it all over again, I would attend film school and work in the industry.

I love to cook and one of my favorite iconic cooks is Julia Child (I have volume one and two of Mastering the Art of French Cooking). Mastering the art of a capital campaign is very relatable to mastering a Julia Child recipe.

There is a saying in athletics: How you practice is how you play at gametime.

Before we turn the calendar to a new year and begin celebrating Armstrong McGuire’s 20th Anniversary, we believe that looking back on the past year can be incredibly valuable.

Apple TV’s Ted Lasso series has been a huge hit, not only for its entertaining and heartfelt storylines but also for Ted’s homespun, down-to-earth wisdom that he shares with his players, friends, and family.

I remember my first experience hiring a consultant for the nonprofit that I was working with early in my fundraising career.

Armstrong McGuire is excited to announce that Becky Bumgardner is joining the team as Senior Advisor.

Back in college, I occasionally found my way to a friendly poker night with a few buddies.

If you are a nonprofit CEO or Executive Director, you must make time to personally steward and solicit your donors.

Would you call yourself a risk taker? An adventurer? Would you describe your nonprofit as adventurous and determined? As the world opens up to the vaccinated, many of you are making vacation plans.

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.

Remember the movie Field of Dreams and the famous line “If you build it, they will come”?

In planning for a capital campaign, the question often comes up—should we combine our annual, capital, and planned giving efforts into one comprehensive campaign, counting all three efforts into one total goal?

When planning for a capital campaign many nonprofits ponder whether it is necessary to recruit a Campaign Cabinet.

Nearly 20 years ago I met Judy Bright for lunch at Darryl’s on Hillsborough Street. A mutual friend suggested that we connect. Other than the fact that she worked at the YMCA, I knew nothing about her.

Oil and vinegar. Pancakes and ketchup. Duke and Carolina fans. Some things just don’t go together.

Does your organization have a Case for Support or a Case for Giving? Armstrong McGuire assists nonprofits with the creation of these important fundraising tools every day.

March is always an exciting month in North Carolina watching the NCAA tournament and rooting for your favorite college basketball team to climb the ladder to the final four and hopefully win the tournament.

If you are a board member, executive director, or development director for a nonprofit, chances are you've either asked or been asked a lot of questions related to fundraising over the years.

I recently traveled to California - a 3-hour time difference from North Carolina. Each morning my inbox was full from people on the east coast who had been up working for three hours before me. My usual 9 and 10 a.m.

As Memorial Day approaches and we honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military, it makes me think of the importance of memorials and honorariums as a good fundraising practice.

A comprehensive fundraising campaign is not a new idea and coordinates multiple campaigns into one. This type of campaign is more strategic than a typical capital campaign.

I may not be the world's biggest Bob Dylan fan but I know good strategic thinking when I hear it.