Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Rise Up! Fly In!

This is a Call to Action. The 100-year-old charitable tax deduction is under imminent threat and nonprofits are gearing up for a fight. Mark your calendar, alert your clients, your board, your CEO and urge them to participate in the “100 Years of Giving DC Fly-In” on February 15-16 to persuade Congress that it must […]

Learn More February 7, 2017

Defending Black Lives Matter … And The Alt-Right

Make no mistake. Ever since the U.S. Presidential election political and ideological polarization has increased not diminished. It’s a dangerous trend that should concern and alert every nonprofit with a mission to advocate a point of view. Now, as much as any time in history, it is essential that individuals be able to express and promote their […]

Learn More February 6, 2017

What Do You See In Your Crystal Ball?

Over at the UK’s 101Fundraising, Matthew Sherrington has bravely shared his thoughts on the changes and trends he thinks will affect fundraising over the next five years or so. His 12 insights from the crystal ball are well-informed, cover most aspects of fundraising, and well worth a read. Two in particular resonated with me. “Expectations […]

Learn More February 3, 2017

The data points you need from the new Fundraising Effectiveness Project

There is a quality debate going on right now at The Agitator (is there any other kind there?) about the extent to which nonprofits use donor identities to customize their appeals. This is subtopic of the big introspective question we have as fundraisers: how are we doing? This discussion is wonderfully timed, because we have […]

Learn More February 2, 2017

Are You A Beggar Or A Fundraiser?

This marketer, writing in Targeted Marketing, clearly has had enough of the unceasing fundraising appeals he’s received from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Here’s the eighth message, which pushed him over the edge. And here’s his reaction … “Final notice”? That reeks of desperation covered by a thin veneer of bullshit. “Emotional hot-button copy is essential […]

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Tom Ahern Wants To Know … And So Should You

Lots of great questions and comments popped up in response to The Dangerous Dictum of “Mail more. Make more”. Especially appropriate was a question by Tom Ahern: “Is there a bottom line for various sized groups?” Of course, as other commenters noted, there are different approaches depending on the organization or type of organization. For […]

Learn More February 1, 2017