A bowl of oatmeal with steam dancing above is just right in my opinion. Goldilocks would disagree and declare my bowl of oatmeal “too hot.” Like Goldilocks’ preference for baby bear’s “just right” porridge, donors have a just right style of giving. Because each of us has a personal giving signature, what I call Giving Fingerprints, we are attracted to different causes, organizations and ways of gi ...[Read More]
How the Goldilocks Rule Makes Your Giving “Just Right”
How to Become Santa for Someone this Year
In the late sixties, my family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. My brother and I arrived at our new school in the middle of an outbreak of strep throat, also known as streptococcus. The outbreak was severe. They began weekly throat cultures on every student and sending anyone home who tested positive. My brother was sent home several weeks in a row after testing positive for strep throat, although show ...[Read More]
Helpers Can Make Year-End Giving More Meaningful
Helpers come in all sizes and forms. It has been such an odd year. I can’t imagine what things might be like at the North Pole. What would Santa Claus do without his helpers, elves in green suits with pointy toes, to prepare for the all-important worldwide delivery of packages to good boys and girls? Santa is not the only person who needs helpers. Ours may not come dressed in red or green, b ...[Read More]
How to Join the Donation Crowd and Avoid Fear of the Unknown
Are you feeling down about the future? Join the crowd. Let’s create our own crowd – let’s hang together and give together so that others, including our families and friends, will find help when it is needed. I’m sure you’ll fit right in. Giving is different this year, more critical than ever. You don’t even have to look at the calendar to know time is short as we approach the end of the year. &nbs ...[Read More]
Online Gifts: How to Better Reach Your Giving Goals
Have you made a gift online this year? Chances are the answer is yes. A growing number of donors respond to a Facebook post or a Tweet to give but ask few questions about the group or nonprofit making the ask. A few clicks and it’s done. Gift made. Endorphins surge. It feels good. Just as media, online gaming, YouTube and texting are transforming how we communicate and learn, online giving i ...[Read More]
Daring to Risk Failure Leads to Greater Success
After reading Dawn’s blog last week, I accepted the challenge and read Suzanne Smith’s article, “The Social Sector’s F-Word — Failure”. As a former Founder/Executive Director of a local nonprofit, many of Smith’s points brought back memories and lessons learned. It reminded me that daring to risk failure can lead to greater success. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, whether it was f ...[Read More]