I read an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy this week written by Joan Garry, a consultant, author, and speaker who has been called the “Dear Abby of Nonprofit Leaders” for her advice. The article, "How to Ask for Money During a Crisis," offers sage advice for those tasked with fundraising during this challenging season of pandemic. I commend this easy read and encourage you to share it with your staff, board members, and volunteers as a quick training piece as you prepare for this all-important, yet unique, end of year giving season.
Lately I have been binge-watching reruns of The West Wing on Netflix. Some friends recommended I dive back into this fictional era of politics and government to pacify my appetite for political drama – likely a safer approach than launching into talk about politics during the casual chat at the start of a Zoom meeting.
I suspect a lot will be different this summer. Even the weather in the Triangle this week has not been typical.When I entered the nonprofit sector in 1993, summer was considered a downtime—a slower pace. A time to come in a little later, leave a little earlier. Generally, get ahead. Throughout my career I have seen that change. Summer does not have the same frenzy of the fall, but it is no longer the sleepy season, especially not this year.
Leading with transparency is my personal go-to. In our current environment, I believe transparency in fundraising is absolutely essential.
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