Nonprofit Training Resources And Blog Posts
 

A few weeks ago, my wife got to make a move she had been dreaming of for a long time: after years of building seniority at her...

A few months after my Dad passed away, my mother called me and said… Sharon, will you plan my funeral? Well Mom, you seemed ok when I saw...

Recently, a former colleague of mine died after being diagnosed with a particularly aggressive cancer. It was very sad; I was very sad. I will remember him as a kind and thoughtful person, a loyal friend, and a very good fundraiser. He was mourned by his family and many dear friends. It was also a little funny (just to me) because he and I had talked - at ridiculous lengths - about the importance of estate plans, the opportunities that planned gifts could provide to donors wh

August 19th, the first day of school, is a day that has been circled on my calendar for a long time. I’ve had the great joy - and quite...

Last year, I wrote a blog called " It’s Not Just an Almond Milk Latte ." In it, I provided a brief description of some best practices for a first-time meet-up with an individual donor at Starbucks. Important things to remember including making it a conversation, not a presentation. Engage in purposeful small talk. Watch for nonverbal cues. Brainstorm ideas: How do we best engage? Address sensitive issues (if needed). Limit distractions , if possible. Make a follow-up plan. Al

In parenting, it’s said that the days pass slowly but the years fly by, that’s apparently true for businesses too!  It’s hard to believe...

There was once a great book many of my contemporaries read when our kids were little. The book was called  Blessings of a Skinned Knee...

This year’s “How did you spend your summer vacation?” question will have a lot of the usual answers: a few family trips, weekends at the...

Many years ago it was my first day in the office of a new partner – I was working on-site primarily to review files and get an understanding of the organization’s efforts in the world of planned giving. This early consulting project was limited in scope. It wasn’t meant to be a day of meetings – I had spoken with the CEO on the telephone and knew what papers would be waiting for me (unorganized file boxes … but that’s a story for another day). I had barely found my chair when

Every Development Director has had a new, enthusiastic fundraiser come knocking on their door saying the following: "I have a restaurant...

I often talk about the importance of “Bravery” when it comes to fundraising. If you fear hearing a NO, you might never get to a yes. A...

A little over three years ago I wrote a blog post that changed my life. I was feeling tired, stressed, and burned out - on a whim, I...

If you have spent any time in sales or fundraising, you have heard this phrase.  So often it is used as if it is a choice. Bob works so...

I was reminded by the Mouse just this week of one of my favorite Sharon-isms. Yes, I am remembering something I have said for years in...

Spring fundraising season is in full-force. The golf tournaments, 5Ks, galas, and other events are bringing together community members...

I am not a runner.  I have never been a runner.  But to know me one of my favorite sayings is when running the fundraising race- don’t...

As a fundraiser, there’s one hill I’ll always be willing to die on: I hate fundraising events. We all have our strengths and areas of...

Dear client who sent me the email that told me working with Team Kat & Mouse led them to raise their sponsorships by 36%, THANK YOU for...

“How do we get some of the money MacKenzie Scott is giving away?” There are a lot of recurring questions that come up among nonprofits,...

Spring forward! It seems to be the season for people to embark on new jobs, at least according to my LinkedIn feed! With the spirit of...