Award-Winning Blog


This Christmas Carol Will Leave You Smiling

The Agitator has few traditions at this point. But here is one of them. To get into a mirthful holiday mood, listen to this remarkable rendition of O Holy Night. [Just click directly on the arrow icon or song title. Allow a few moments to activate your media player and download … it’s worth it. […]

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Recession Fundraising – Everything You Wanted To Know

We’ve now posted a series of articles under the umbrella of "recession fundraising." The series includes a comprehensive range of advice and spirited debate from The Agitator and other fundraising pros, as well as insights into how your colleagues view the situation and how they intend to respond in 2009. We though it might be […]

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Recession Fundraising – What Your Colleagues Are Doing

We’ve just completed the third in our series of surveys to fundraisers who joined our Vital Signs Panel. The most important question we asked was: "As you adjust your fundraising plans for 2009, what are the three most important strategic changes or emphases you’re likely to make?" It was an opened-ended question. Rather than try […]

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Debate On Recession Fundraising Tactics – II

Our previous post on recession fundraising tactics has stirred up a lot of interest. Here’s another experienced practitioner weighing in … Erica O’Brien from Adams Hussey & Associates. Erica’s advice is summed up as Direct Mail Is Not Dead. She’s particularly concerned that nonprofits not drop out of the acquisition biz to save short term […]

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How’s A Poor Charity To Know?

Isn’t it ironic? The last 2-3 years have seen a surge in heavy reflection on the part of donors on the matter of evaluating the credibility and performance of would-be nonprofit recipients of their largesse. Are the donations really getting through to the ultimate beneficiaries who need them? Which charities are spending "too much" on […]

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Debate On Recession Fundraising Tactics

Yesterday, Roger offered "contrarian" views on fundraising in the recession from "dean of fundraising copywriters" Jerry Huntsinger. Here’s more to chew over regarding fundraising tactics in tough times from AB Data consultant Jeff Malloch. Jeff is particularly unhappy over cost-cutting advice proffered in the Chronicle of Philanthropy back on December 11. Here’s a snippet to […]

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