Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Agitator, of course! Seriously, I heartily recommend a great book I just read over the Thanksgiving holiday … Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, by Steven Johnson. This is no 10-point checklist for winning the Nobel Prize in fundraising; however, it contains numerous insights into the personal, organizational and societal […]

Learn More December 1, 2010

How Much Fundraising R&D?

Yesterday I summarized Ken Burnett’s recent recommendations regarding “7 things for fundraisers to do now.” Two that I think are especially important relate to fundraising R&D and knowing your data. Regarding R&D, Ken recommends earmarking (‘ring-fencing’ as the Brits say) 10% of your fundraising budget for rigorous testing of new ideas. While of course there’s […]

Learn More November 30, 2010

7 Things For Fundraisers To Do Now

Fundraiser Ken Burnett wrote this great article for Advancing Philanthropy. Pursuing the theme of “turning talk into action,” he recommends Seven different yet practical things you should be doing, now. Here’s an abbreviated list, but it’s always worth reading Ken in his entirety. Master your data. Make it a pleasure to be your donor. Invest […]

Learn More November 29, 2010

ClickZ Politics & Advocacy

ClickZ, an online marketing news service, offers a feed focused on online political and advocacy marketing. Agitator readers in the cause world might want to check it out. The latest edition includes an item on how Urban Ministries of Durham (in Durham, North Carolina) is using the mobile app Foursquare to draw attention to homelessness […]

Learn More November 24, 2010

Fightin’ Words!

As reported here by Holly Hall in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Wikipedia is now conducting its annual fundraising campaign, which this year has been collaboratively designed by about 900 volunteers! Philippe Beaudette, the Wikimedia Foundation staff member overseeing the campaign says: “Group collaboration is the future of fund raising. Organizations are going to have to work harder […]

Learn More November 23, 2010

What Boomers Like

Here from USA Today is the latest article I’ve noticed about marketing to Boomers … you know, the folks who will be paying the bills of most nonprofits for the next three or four decades. It offers commercial marketers several tips on how to tap into the typical Boomer’s psyche. I’ve made some adjustments … […]

Learn More November 22, 2010