Have you fallen into the trap of making your fundraising template complicated or hard to use? I want to encourage you that it does not need to be that way. You may be surprised to know how often I meet directors who are spending more time developing plans than they are meeting potential donors. If that is you, you may be glad to know there are some basic principles behind a Major Gift Fundraising Plan Template that you can start using right now. Here are the basics: List the donor/prospe ...Read more »

We live in an economy of fear and uncertainty. An economy that tempts us to be afraid, taunts us when we think about generating excitement and often keeps us from leading well. I want to remind you to be strong and courageous. Remember that we serve a God that is not bound by our economy and a Savior who is never unsure about our future. Take heart, and do not give up! I know that it is challenging right now, but often where there is fear, there is also great opportunity. Courage Like David ...Read more »

So much has been written about leadership. But how much do we hear about being a great follower? How can you be a great leader if you never learned to be a great follower? Let's begin by asking ourselves some important questions and see how Jesus answers these questions by being a follower first. Great Leaders Focus on Others How do we stay focused on our goals, our reason for existence, our plans, and not become focused on ourselves? Jesus’ life clearly models this and the success that ...Read more »

Let’s say you’re a new Development Director. The Executive Director of the Board says you must raise $150,000 in your first year. That amount will cover the cost of bringing you on and will give the ministry a good return on investment. “Wow!” you might think. "It's a little intimidating, but also exciting." You imagine meeting that goal and all the good it would do for your place on the team and for the organization’s mission. You are focused and ready to get st ...Read more »

The other day someone said to me, “You see the glass half empty.” The comment kind of startled me, I certainly wasn’t expecting it and it was not helpful to the conversation. Honestly, I didn't know how to react. It made me wonder why he would say that? Certainly, there is a time for self-reflection and consideration of how others see us. However, I see this trend of putting people in boxes more and more often. Because it’s easier to put people in boxes with blanket stat ...Read more »

David captured the hearts of and inspired the entire nation of Israel to join a capital campaign to build the Temple in 1 Chronicles. Is your organization inspiring your community to join your capital campaign because they believe in what you're doing? Are you still inspired by what you're doing? Sometimes I wonder if we have gotten comfortable, or afraid, or maybe even worse, apathetic. We do things that we can attain, we shoot for goals that are too low. It seems we’ve forgotten ...Read more »

“A goal without a plan, is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery  “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do, and how to do it.” Abraham Lincoln We all know how important it is to plan. Yet, often we fail to act and therefore do not bear the fruit of a life lived on purpose. It’s a new year. Today is the day to start asking yourself questions that will lead you to live the life you were born to live ...Read more »

"The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people."  — Woodrow Wilson Major gift fundraising is more about listening than talking. You’ve seen it and know it's true. The fundraiser who talks too much tends to fail. At times it is hard to draw a line between expressing our passion and including people into our vision. We tend to talk more, where we feel in control and comfortable. But we soon find that we’ve left everyone behind—including the major ...Read more »

Board members can make a big difference in leading a capital campaign to success. Sometimes I meet with ministry leaders that have forgotten the incredible opportunity the board has to impact their organization in tangible and profound ways. Many times, our boards get so focused on the day to day and other board duties. And we forget they were assembled to protect the mission and lead your organization to its fulfillment. Have you forgotten what a practical and influential role the board co ...Read more »

Board of Directors. Just saying this name can induce all kinds of emotion, ranging from great discouragement to great inspiration. But, as a non-profit executive director, you have a great opportunity to set the tone and strike a balance that will allow you to productively collaborate with your board in the best interest of the ministry. Here is a list of things you can begin focusing on right now to help you change the tone of your board meetings...