Award Winning Blog

Push Or Pull?

Last week, I applauded blogger Jeff Brooks, who was critical of Charity Navigator for casting aspersions on direct mail fundraising … specifically for buying into the "myth that fundraising is a form of harassment." I stand by that. But I do accept that most direct response prospecting is intrusive by nature … "cold calls" of […]

Learn More July 16, 2009

When To Change Course?

Yesterday, we asked readers to take our Mid-Year Assessment survey … Has the first half half of 2009 met expectations? How are fundraisers tweaking their programs or adjusting their fundraising investments? We won’t publish results till next week, but early returns suggest that folks are relatively calm at this stage. In that context, here’s some […]

Learn More July 15, 2009

Take Your Mid-Year Fundraising Pulse

Avid Agitator readers will recall that we took your fundraising "pulse" as 2008 ended, and we anticipated a bleak 2009. With 2009 half gone, it’s time for a mid-year pulse check. Take our very brief survey here. More optimistic or less? Have you adjusted any of your fundraising program investments? How might you further tweak […]

Learn More July 14, 2009

Survival Of The Fittest?

NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof just wrote the fascinating story of Scott Harrison, a fundraiser and skillful marketer who, as Kristof puts its, is making clean water sexy. Some important fundraising lessons here. Scott is a 33-year-old ex-nightclub promoter who "got religion" while vacationing in South America, then deepened his epiphany by doing a volunteer […]

Learn More July 13, 2009

Mr. Wizard Would Be Proud

At the risk of signaling my age, I’m pleased to report that all those Saturday mornings of watching Mr. Wizard on black & white TV paid off. I just scored 100% on Pew Research Center’s science quiz. Mr. Wizard would be proud! You can take the quiz here. Of greater significance, Pew has just released […]

Learn More July 10, 2009

Modeling Yields Better Returns

Here’s an article from Fundraising Success that I set aside awhile back to reflect upon. I’m glad I did. Written by fundraising consultants Tiffany Neill and Lynn Mehaffy, it’s a useful little gem … kind of a "nuts & bolts" Modeling 101 for fundraisers. I’m especially intrigued by their discussion of milking more insight from […]

Learn More July 9, 2009