Award Winning Blog - Agitator

More Exposure, More Money…Until It Backfires Like a Bad Tinder Streak

A mysterious student at Oregon State University attended class for two months completely enveloped in a large, black bag. Only his bare feet were visible. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11 a.m., the Black Bag sat on a small table at the back of a Speech 113 – Basic Persuasion class. The professor knew […]

Learn More March 19, 2025

Weaponized Giving

The prevailing wisdom in fundraising circles is giving is fueled by altruism, a desire to help. But recent research on retributive philanthropy—donating to punish a perceived wrongdoer—turns this assumption on its head. Donors are motivated not just by love but also by anger, moral outrage, and a thirst for justice. Retribution donations spike when donors […]

Learn More March 17, 2025

Building a Shit Sandwich for Trump

The green shoots are rising. They push through the cracks, stubborn, reaching for light. You see it in the streets. In the faces at town halls. In the crowds swelling, growing, multiplying. It started in places people don’t always look. Decatur, Georgia. Vancouver, Washington. Pittsburgh, […]

Learn More March 14, 2025

Past Giving Predicts Future Giving—And That’s the Problem

Past giving predicts future giving, and that’s where the circular logic of donor understanding begins. It’s like saying, someone is on time because they tend to be punctual. True, but not useful. Yes, past behavior can improve efficiency. But you can efficient your way out of business. What this sector needs is more effectiveness—not just […]

Learn More March 12, 2025

Why the Right Identity, Not Just Any Identity, Drives Giving

You’re young or old, wealthy or working-class, conservative or progressive, male or female. These are easy-to-find labels and we all sort into multiple categories and for these reasons, we assume it must be meaningful. So, we dutifully segment our lists, thinking that targeting “women donors” or “millennials” or “high-net-worth individuals” is the key to unlocking […]

Learn More March 7, 2025

Kiss Our ASS

I just watched him—a a wannabe grand but disgustingly gaudy figure on a grand stage—peddling a litany of lies before Congress. It was as if the air itself had turned to a toxic ink, rewriting our collective story with false promises and empty bravado. Trump, with his coterie of clapping and cheering sycophants, stood as […]

Learn More March 5, 2025