Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Engagement Scores: The Empty Calories of Fundraising/Marketing

Click. Like. Follow. Attend. Or is it attend, follow, click, like? Non-financial behavior may be useful but there are lots of weak-tea ideas being trotted out under the banner of Engagement. Two Engagement notions in particular should be relegated to the dung pile where engagement hustlers look for ponies. Bogus Idea #1 1.Engagement is a set […]

Learn More September 27, 2024

Survivor: Society Edition

Imagine a reality TV show where the contestants aren’t competing for food or fire, but something more complex: how to split people into groups to minimize conflict within and maximize tension between them. The host explains the rules: “Your challenge is to create islands of harmony, but with enough contrast to make sure the rivalry […]

Learn More September 25, 2024

Are Americans Become Less Generous? What the Latest Research Tells Us.

This week the Generosity Commission released it’s long-anticipated report. You can download the full report titled, How and Why We Give. Here. The $ 2 million Report is among the most comprehensive surveys ever taken of our sector. The last time such a broad assessment of philanthropy was published was in 1975, with the release […]

Learn More September 23, 2024

Delivery or Carry Out?

Domino’s, the pioneer of the 30-minute delivery guarantee and pizza tracker, is no longer just the delivery giant you remember. In a surprising shift, Domino’s delivery business is shrinking. Rising inflation, along with the growing desire to avoid delivery fees and tipping, has led more customers to opt for a different choice: carryout. In fact, […]

Learn More September 20, 2024

Is Your Charity Delivering the Goods?

Donor’s need to feel like their donation will do some good because we all crave a sense of competence. The question is, what’s the best way to signal and communicate this? Here are three: Outputs: Immediate, tangible results examples of what the charity directly provides – meals delivered, blankets distributed, or books supplied. Outcomes: These […]

Learn More September 18, 2024

We Grow Too Soon Old and Too Late Smart: Lessons from Botton Village

I grew up in the Pennsylvania Dutch part of the Keystone state, and there’s a saying from the folks around there. Perfect for this post: “We grow too soon old and too late smart.” This simple truth rings especially loud when I think of one of the best fundraising cases I’ve seen in my lifetime—a […]

Learn More September 16, 2024