Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Nonprofit Accountability Rules 1 & 2

I noticed in Fundraising Success Advisor this summary of a well-done white paper, Accountability Matters: Without Public Trust, Nonprofits Wouldn't Exist. The paper, downloadable here, was authored by Liz Marenakos at Blackbaud. It deals with the fundamentals of ethical financial management and reporting. To most Agitator readers this is probably pretty basic stuff — audit […]

Learn More August 24, 2007

Do You Have A Facebook Plan?

Facebook is rapidly becoming the social networking site of choice for middle-aged, well-off, professionals. If your nonprofit doesn't yet have a Facebook face, maybe you should be thinking about it. Facebook is adding 150,000 new users a day. Here are two articles to stir your pot. A recent Business Week article titled “Fogeys Flock to […]

Learn More August 23, 2007

Lessons In Copywriting

Beginning with a critique of email spam from the standpoint of effective copywriting, direct mail wiz Denny Hatch winds up reminding us of the most fundamental principles of the copywriting craft. For example: The letter is all about “You” copy — it's a highly emotional, personal message from the writer to the reader that translates […]

Learn More August 22, 2007

Email Boosts Response For Breast Cancer Walks

Traditional media has always been used to support the National Philanthropic Trust's Breast Cancer 3-Day, a 60-mile-walk fundraiser. Typically, TV, radio, billboards and newspapers would be used to build awareness, and direct mail would then “close the sale” in terms of signing-up participants. But mail was beginning to fall off in effectiveness. So the Trust […]

Learn More August 21, 2007

No Mercy Shown

At the recent DMA Nonprofit Conference, Jennifer Donahue of NARAL presented her strategy for successful integration of direct response fundraising channels. As reported by Fundraising Success, one element of NARAL's fundraising credo is: “No mercy shown the donor (be vigilant and consistent in staying connected to your donor base).” This along with the advice to […]

Learn More August 20, 2007

Planned Giving’s Urban Legend

Couldn't help but pay extra attention to the “Are Charities Losing Out on the Wealth Transfer” post in the always interesting blog review in Give & Take, Peter Panepento's column in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Robert Frank, author of Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich, predicts […]

Learn More August 17, 2007