Not All of a Development Officer’s Knowledge is Portable

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on February 12, 2013

The following is an excerpt from a listserve discussion regarding the ethics of donor confidentiality: I can’t imagine someone saying, while they’re being interviewed for a development position, “Well, I know Mr./Ms. Gotbucks, but I can’t make the initial contact with him/her if you hire me because I met him … a few years ago […]

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Proposal Development: How to Structure Your Grant Proposal (Part 2)

By Lynn deLearie on February 7, 2013

In my last post (on Dec. 6) I outlined the first four sections to be included in a grant proposal to a private or corporate foundation: the Cover Letter, Executive Summary, Contact Information, and General Organization Overview. This month’s post will continue with the three additional sections to include in these grant proposals: Program Description […]

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Do the Rich Have Too Much?

By Tony Poderis on February 5, 2013

We are often cautioned: “Don’t discuss religion and politics.” But why not? They’re a pretty big part of our total being, our livelihood and our spiritual lives !! The “politics” thing, however, does have me walking with some care on what is often a rocky and sometimes perilous path – in these days of political […]

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No One Gives ‘Til It Hurts

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on January 29, 2013

When I saw a line in a listserve posting referencing that phrase, it took me back to my early days (30+ years ago) in fundraising. Back then, the phrase, “Give ‘Til It Hurts,” was part of the lexicon of the capital campaign. It was a simpler time, folks were a lot less self-centered than people […]

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What Is Planned Giving?

By Tony Martignetti on January 24, 2013

“A method of charitable giving that involves the donor’s consideration of their retirement plan and family estate plan, and usually means cash to a charity at the donor’s death.” I’ve been relying on that definition for years of public speaking and training. It’s easy, short and accurate. Others may quibble. It’s served me well for […]

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The Consultant and the Client: Not Always on the Same Page

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on January 22, 2013

Some time ago, I had a conversation with a group of colleagues about “expectations” in our relationships with clients – our expectations, and theirs !! We all pretty much agreed that it really doesn’t make much of a difference what we spell out in our contracts regarding deliverables, as the client (who often won’t give […]

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Write A Good First Draft Of Your Proposal

By Jayme Sokolow on January 17, 2013

Grant proposals should go through a five-step writing process: •  Plan: Think through your proposal section. •  Organize: Use the grant guidelines as your outlining guide. •  Write: Write in a free-flowing manner. •  Examine: Walk away from your writing and review it later     while letting others review it too. •  Revise: Emphasize clarity, conciseness, correctness, and persuasiveness. One of […]

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Raising Money From Corporations: Sponsorships vs. Contributions

By Hank Lewis, MA, CFRM on January 15, 2013

I work for a non-profit membership society as advertising and marketing manager, a position that falls under the umbrella of the development office. I am responsible for the advertising in our member publications and on our web site, and for selling sponsorships to local and national corporations. I am having a difficult time separating out […]

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Consider Children and Volunteers in your Year-End Giving Strategies

By Lynn deLearie on January 10, 2013

This post was supposed to be Part 2 of Proposal Development for grants. I’m moving that post to February 7th, however, so I may share a couple of personal insights on year-end giving. The holiday – and year-end giving – season is over. We’ve all packed away our lights and decorations, year-end donor lists, and […]

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Can One Non-Profit Donate Money To Another?

By Tony Poderis on January 8, 2013

I was asked if one 501(c)(3) non-profit can give money to another 501(c)(3) charity. With the usual, and necessary, caveat of, “I am not attorney, nor am I giving legal advice,” I responded that, “Yes, when the transaction advances the donor non-profit’s charitable mission, a non-profit can donate money (and other resources) to another non-profit.” […]

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