Award Winning Blog

Fundraising On Social Nets

Lately, I might have given mixed signals about my views on the fundraising utility of social networks like MySpace and Facebook … on the one hand, touting the incredible traffic these sites generate, but, on the other hand, suggesting that fundraisers had better not bet the farm on these vehicles. I don’t actually think I’ve […]

Learn More February 10, 2009

Did You Say A Half Billion?! – II

Back in June, I asked Gene Austin at Convio whether he would go out on a limb and predict a half-billion year in online fundraising revenue for Convio’s clients. He bravely took up the challenge, offering me a bet that they would … wise man (coward) that I am, I declined the bet. Last week, […]

Learn More February 9, 2009

Is Community Service The New Green?

This story from Brandweek says Yes. One marketer says "green" is too intellectual … the payoff for getting involved is too distant. Others attribute a surge in community service to the exhortations of President Obama. Here are two excerpts that struck me … "Perhaps no community service push received more attention of late than Starbucks […]

Learn More February 6, 2009

Year-end Results

We’re seeing some discussion by fundraising consultants of their clients’ year-end results. Here are two examples … M+R Strategic Services (look for "Ups & Downs of Online Giving") talks about theirs … with interesting results from Oxfam America. And Nick Allen of Donordigital makes some observations about number of gifts remaining steady, while average gifts […]

Learn More February 5, 2009

The Theology Of The Hammer

Early yesterday, Millard Fuller, the co-founder of Habitat for Humanity, died suddenly. The ministry he and his wife Linda founded in 1976 out of a small gray house in Americus, Georgia has provided poverty housing for 1.5 million people. The papers, networks and fundraising trade press will herald the fact that, a millionaire by 30, […]

Learn More February 4, 2009

Online Fundraisers: The Eyes Have It

Here is a provocative piece of advice for online fundraisers from copywriting maven Jerry Huntsinger, an Agitator guest writer. Jerry argues that — first and foremost — websites need to feature emotion, not information. But information is the focus of too many nonprofit websites, especially their key landing pages, where the initial battle to engage […]

Learn More February 3, 2009