Let me start by saying I did not do track and field (but maybe I should have) Track stars understand the concept of the finish line. When you cross it, you’re done. You actually get to fully rest. Every day are you racing towards an imaginary finish line? When you [...]
More and more, the nonprofit sector is having conversations about equity and inclusion. Conference keynotes, webinars and trade publication articles are prompting fundraisers to broach the subject within their own organizations. In a recent Bloomerang webinar, I touched briefly on the topic, and in the chat one person wrote: “I've [...]
Co-dependency is such an ugly term. Yet, a pleaser is often one-half of a co-dependent team. The one who accommodates, and the one who does their best to smooth things over, placate, please, and keep the peace. If you are a pleaser fundraiser at work, you may have internalized some [...]
Have you ever met a pleaser, or worked for one? What is a pleaser? A pleaser is someone who: Has a hard time saying no, so you can’t trust their yes. Will give and give instead of setting good boundaries. Will say “oh, sure, do what you want” and that’s [...]
Let’s talk about conflict, baby! Let’s talk about you and me! Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that can be! Let’s talk about conflict! Why? Because if you’re a good nonprofit leader, or a good fundraiser, you’re going to have to say no. Because it’s [...]
I was talking with a new friend recently, who had stopped working at nonprofits years ago. When I asked her why, she said, when she and her friends worked at nonprofits, they would all say that they were “dragged through the street” by them. I asked what that meant. She [...]
Here’s the thing. A couple years ago I talked with a representative of an economic development program here in Portland. He focused on the big industries, Intel, Nike, Adidas. I asked him why they didn’t focus more on nonprofits. He said, “because they bring the median income of the region [...]
Let me tell you a little story. Once upon a time, there was a girl working at a domestic violence shelter. She sat in the corner, and hung out with her cool volunteer coordinator friend, whose desk was in a converted tiny closet. She was the sole fundraiser, but they [...]
“Abuse of power comes as no surprise” – Jenny Holzer Evidence suggests you do not pay your women enough. According to Bloomerang’s recent research of over 1100 people working in the nonprofit sector, women make less than men, in every level of experience, whether they have one year of experience, [...]
Is the beginning of the year seeming especially long to you? ARE YOU SO BUSY YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO? Maybe you should do like DMX says, and stop, drop and shut em down open up shop! So maybe you’re not going to ride a four-wheeler up a set [...]
When I worked full time in fundraising, I felt like I was scrambling to find money to fund our many programs. We took money from Nike. From Boeing. These companies would be considered anathema to some nonprofits because of their involvement in the abusive Chinese labor factory industry, and in [...]
We have a problem with money in our nonprofits. When we have it, we spend it. When we don’t have it, we flail. Why? We have a problem with our beliefs about money. Sometimes it comes from childhood. Like, how our caretakers just seemed to have money and it came [...]