Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Graft Is Graft

‘Graft’ has many definitions, and I guess is most commonly used in horticulture and surgical circles. But here’s the definition that applies in fundraising circles: ‘Money gained by unscrupulous means.’ Unfortunately that definition doesn’t quite reach to outright fraud. So, on the one hand, I was pleased to see Suzanne Perry’s update in the Chronicle […]

Learn More June 28, 2013

Is The Fed Wrecking Your Fundraising?

Kelly Browning, CEO of the American Institute for Cancer Research, possesses an abundance of the one trait I value most in fundraisers and nonprofit executives — curiosity. Seldom does any significant fundraising conference or nonprofit gathering take place that Kelly’s not sitting in as many sessions and asking as many questions as is humanly possible. […]

Learn More June 27, 2013

Fundraisers … Personal Shoppers For Donors

In her latest blog post, Sacred Cows: Battling Ourselves, Angie Moore takes on an important topic — how did you guess? — nonprofit sacred cows. She observes: “Most people prefer some type of routine. Those routines create patterns, and before long we’re all saying, “Well, that’s the way we do it.” So an organization that […]

Learn More June 26, 2013

Favorite Fundraising Infographics

Just as I’m building my Agitator collection of favorite fundraising videos, I’ve more recently been on the watch for great fundraising infographics. You probably don’t need convincing that infographics are a powerful way to communicate facts and figures (but just in case). That said, I’ve seen more related to the fundraising process and tactics (usually […]

Learn More June 25, 2013

Cashing In. God Bless America.

Just a few hours ago Tom and I were engaged in our semi-weekly food fight and screaming session about what posts will — and won’t — make it for the coming week. On one thing we agreed. Yesterday’s brilliant piece in The New York Times Magazine is a must read for every Agitator interested in […]

Learn More June 24, 2013

Riding History’s Wave

This week, while most of the world focused on The Guardian’s bombshell reports on Edward Snowden, the former U.S. intelligence officer turned whistleblower, The Agitator turned to The Guardian for news of real interest to our readers. With just 7 days remaining before we go behind The Wall – the paywall – The Guardian confirms […]

Learn More June 22, 2013