Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Beware Of Gifts!

As Roger noted yesterday, for many nonprofits it’s budget season, which — at least in theory — involves some performance assessment of the current year. And not just the performance of ‘the organization’ or its revenue results, but review of the people as well. Getting nervous? So, on what basis do you want to be […]

Learn More December 7, 2016

Show Me Your Budget

As we near the end of 2016 some folks will be checking the rear-view mirror to determine how they did and whether they met their goals. Others will be looking out the front windshield and focusing on their plans and goals for 2017. Regardless of the direction in which they’re looking, there’s a pretty good […]

Learn More December 6, 2016

Which Fundraising Stat Impresses You Most?

In his Friday post, Roger asked: How many donors must we lose before we learn? The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that initial results from #GivingTuesday show terrific growth. As they put it, the initial “haul” of #GivingTuesday looks to be $168 million, up from the estimated $117 million last year. On the other hand, in an […]

Learn More December 5, 2016

Losing Donors In The Sea of Sameness

When will some fundraisers wake up to the fact that the tragedy of donor flight is largely self-inflicted. Other than the 16% of donors lost to death virtually every other reason for not giving — abandoning support of an organization — is influenced and controlled by the actions the organization itself takes. Perhaps nowhere are […]

Learn More December 2, 2016

Real Thanksgiving Stuffing

Last Thursday — that would be Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. — while American Agitators were busily stuffing their bellies with turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (or ethnic alternatives), our overseas friends at 101 Fundraising were on the job, busily dishing out the real stuff. And it would be hugely unfortunate if our US […]

Learn More December 1, 2016

Giving Tuesday and the when versus why of giving

I like the idea of Giving Tuesday very much – there needs to be a day (actually, more than one) dedicated to giving. That’s why it frustrates me that we are killing it. And not killing it in the sense of “doing very well.”* “Killing it” in the sense of making it unable to survive. […]

Learn More November 30, 2016