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On December 30, 2014, my vehicle was stopped at a red light. The driver of an F350 traveling at 70 KM/h was distracted.

In fundraising, we really don’t spend a lot of time making cold calls. Well, we think we don’t.

A colleague shared a great story with me about how his organization printed wonderful, full colour brochures on nice paper. And donors did not respond.

Those who follow me on Twitter have seen my return to cycling. It’s something that I thoroughly enjoyed a child and teen.

CBC recently ran a news piece on the Calgary morning radio show about the growth in charity runs. “Some days, there are 3 or 4, or even 5 in the city on the same day.

OK. Maybe “hate” is the wrong word.

Start with Why. It’s a common mantra in the non-profit sector.

It’s January 2016, and the media are telling us (especially those of us in Alberta, Canada) that we are in for a doom and gloom year. That can’t be good, especially if your business relies 100% on discretionary spending.

Around this time every year, dozens of publications release their lists of “Top Charities” and “Best to give to this year.” Some of the rankings are comprehensive and view multiple factors.

A colleague called me last week and asked only one question – “Why do you keep tweeting links to these startup articles?” Because as a charity in an increasingly competitive marketplace, your ability to communicate your value and realize your potential depends on your ability to act like a startup.

I believe in dinosaurs. There are some that have died off because they stopped working (I wrote about a few of them here.

“Can I say that curse word now?” My little girl is going to be four this fall. She loves Inside Out.

Earthquakes. Tsunamis.

Over the last few years, I have coached and counseled a number of colleagues and allied advisers on the business of philanthropy as it relates to them. There is a huge opportunity in life insurance for 1) Causes, 2) Clients and their families, and 3) Agents and Brokers.

I attended the incredible CAGP15 conference in Halifax in April. We talked a lot about storytelling and narratives.

In my years serving donors and the groups they support, I have organized some great gala dinners. Hundreds of people crammed into hotel ballrooms, art galleries, and other event spaces – all ready and willing to support my cause.

Do your donors prefer stories or statistics in their direct mail? Or is the answer a little bit more grey? Direct Mail is still driving strong results for groups that use it effectively. Building bridges and connections, personalizing your content, and delivering meaningful content is how we keep th

The last few weeks I have been reading up on strategies that are being employed at North America’s NGOs. Big and small, there is a consistent theme in the breakdown of demographics.

I think that by now we all realize that happy people give more to charity. When people feel squeezed and less happy – they give less.

Motivation is complex, not complicated. We – the fundraisers – tend to complicate it by muddying the message.

Are you asking your Major Gift fundraisers to head out into the world with nothing more than a divining rod and a few brochures? There are simple and easy to implement steps that we can all take to help fundraisers have success in their major gift roles. Know your existing donor base.

This piece could also be titled “Why I get up at 0430 everyday.” The brilliant Paul Nazareth recently wrote about how radio is critical to your career.

I have written before about taking donors on a sort of walk – a meandering conversation about how you can build a partnership with them. Today, I am going to dig deeper into that conversation.

When writing direct mail, call scripts or other fundraising collateral, conventional wisdom says that we need to find a way to link our cause to the donor or risk not being heard. Cool concept, right – get into the hearts of the masses and you are guaranteed to win.

Who are you and why are you here? Even if the question isn’t phrased quite so boldly, it is there every time we reach out to someone. When you call, email, or walk-in – people want to know who you are and why they should care.