Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Struggling To Make A Better World

When I last looked, the nonprofit sector seemed to be struggling mightily, but not terribly successfully, to make a better world. What’s a ‘better world’? I’d say one devoid of interpersonal violence of any kind and one at peace, not war, with nature. I could be content with that. So forgive me for being a bit bemused […]

Learn More December 3, 2015

Don’t Ask. Don’t Thank.

Tom and I spend lots of time and spill lots of digital ink over building donor relationships, the importance of retention and donor experience. So I was mighty pleased to see that our UK fundraising friend Matthew Sherrington has managed to distill a lot of what we’ve had to say into a single post. In […]

Learn More December 2, 2015

The Big Squeeze

The Big Squeeze has begun, fittingly with a December 1st ‘Giving Tuesday’. December is the month when all ‘good’ fundraisers try to squeeze every last bit of coin they can from current donors, using the most intensive, intrusive and organization-centric techniques possible. December has nothing whatsoever to do with building donor relationships. Rather it’s scorched earth […]

Learn More December 1, 2015

Loss Of A Man Of Skill And Decency

Austin Kiplinger, 97, a giant of the Washington, DC publishing, philanthropic and civic scene, died on November 20th. Others will note his life-long dedication to the advancement of civil rights … his tireless devotion to fundraising and support of the cultural scene in the Nation’s capital … and his enlightened, far-ahead-of-their-times practices where employees […]

Learn More November 30, 2015

On Giving Thanks

In the aftermath of Paris, Beirut and Bamako and with far too many politicians and demagogues working overtime to seize on the public’s anxieties, prejudices and deepest fears, The Agitator is pausing publication for the next two days to give thanks. Tomorrow is official Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Many of our readers will be ‘enjoying’ […]

Learn More November 25, 2015

Fundraising Tools On Facebook

A new suite of tools to facilitate fundraising on Facebook has just been announced. As with most things Facebook, this offering has received huge publicity, but just in case you’ve missed the news while deep in planning for Giving Tuesday, here are the basics. Fittingly, the suite of tools is called ‘Fundraisers’. Here’s a quick announcement […]

Learn More November 24, 2015