Award Winning Blog

Messaging Conundrum: When Global Efforts Meet Local Minds

An “A” for effort, a “C” for execution. That’s how I’d grade a global survey in 63 countries and 59,440 participants testing 11 behavioral science interventions to impact people’s views and actions on climate change. It’s a noble endeavor and they went beyond the usual WEIRD audience profile. The middling execution grade is because buried […]

Learn More March 13, 2024

In Living Color

This is part of an interview series we’re doing with Mike Duerksen and the fine folks at BuildGood, a Canadian fundraising agency with way above average thinking and creative ideas. Breaking through and creating connection is tough. It’s made unnecessarily harder if we force feed a one-size fits all diet to folks. The alternatives are […]

Learn More March 11, 2024

The Story of Ethel

I want to share this story: In a small, quiet town, Ethel, a 90-year-old woman with a spirit as indomitable as the passing of time, carried out her daily ritual. Each morning, she would make her way, despite a betraying hip, to the rusted mailbox at the end of her gravel driveway. The mailbox, more […]

Learn More March 8, 2024

What’s the Frequency Kenneth?

Jill donates frequently and is more likely to donate today than Jack who donates less frequently. This is an accurate statement and it’s the traditional selection model, which is why our more recent, frequent donors are always sent the next appeal. This statement is equally true. Jill donates today and is less likely to donate […]

Learn More March 6, 2024

Excel at Fundraising Without Excel

Channel fundraising starts with budgeting whose revenue, expense and net is intractably broken out by channel. What follows is avalanche size momentum for fundraising teams to live in those channels. It’s hard to think of donors in anyway other than digital donors, mail donors, telemarketing donors. The channel is our main definition of the donor. […]

Learn More March 4, 2024

From Ship Building to Ship Wrecking

Let’s face it, most fundraisers and the nonprofits they serve—along with virtually every other profession– are governed by motives beyond just the noble ones they claim. Nonprofits need to raise money to survive. Journalism is a business that needs to make money to survive. Political candidates need to raise money to campaign and win. Increasingly there […]

Learn More March 1, 2024