Glimmers of Hope Blog

We Can DO This!

Career Development

Do you ever have a moment when you think, “I can’t do this?”  In recent, unsettling days, I occasionally watch too much news or look at Facebook or LinkedIn and think, “How in the world am I going to make any kind of difference at all?  What’s the point?”

And then…when I feel useless and ineffective…a client shares the story of someone’s life who has been changed or impacted by their growing mission. And I stop and realize that each person counts for SO much. Each day counts for SO much. I can’t save the whole world. I can’t solve all the problems. I’m not going to be everything to everybody.

Read More

Readiness Assessment versus Feasibility: Why You Should do Both

Campaigns

When gearing up to conduct a multimillion-dollar campaign, preparation is everything. CEOs and board members often question the need to invest time and money into a Readiness Assessment and a Feasibility Study. These tools can make or break your campaign. Ask your board if they would invest in a for-profit business that hasn’t done its homework…one that hasn’t talked with investors, or researched the infrastructure that will ensure success, or identified the tools and staffing needed to get it off the ground. The same goes for organizing a capital or comprehensive campaign.

Read More

Are You Crushing Your Fundraising Goals? There’s Still Time!

Annual Planning & Strategies

38 days…just 38 days until December 31. My dear fundraisers, deep breaths. We’re all sprinting towards the end of the calendar year and stretching for our fundraising goals. What a year it’s been for nonprofits and funders. Am I right?!

Even with a year of ups and downs, it’s still a good idea to pause and ask yourself, “Is our fundraising strategy working as hard as we are?” If you aren’t crushing your fundraising goals, it’s not too late to course correct over the next 38 days.

Read More

So, You Want to Be an Executive Director?

Career Development

Has this question ever crossed your mind? Maybe you’ve been working at a nonprofit for 10, maybe 20, years. You’ve led a successful development team or program team for at least half of that time. And you’ve watched two or three Executive Directors come through your organization. You think, “Yeah, I can do this.”

I love your confidence – that’s the first step to Executive Director success! Feeling called to lead a nonprofit organization to help make the world a better place is an equally important step. It’s truly admirable. However, what else should be considered when passion alone can’t sustain you forever?

Read More

Stay Human, Fundraisers: Resisting the Temptation of AI

Career Development

As a seasoned grant writer, I’m all too familiar with the sinking feeling that a blank page can bring. That feeling is why using AI has become so tempting for writing and editing tasks: it promises to do away with that sense of dread and keep you moving along at a brisk pace, no pauses or long stares necessary.

Read More

These are Unprecedented Times—We Cannot Possibly Launch a Campaign Now!

Campaigns

There is no perfect time…now is the time!

Despite facing what feels like “unprecedented times,” many nonprofits have successfully launched and completed fundraising campaigns during periods of crisis. Rather than halting your campaign efforts, adapt your strategy with compassion, transparency, and a clear focus on the organization’s goals.

Emphasize your mission’s relevance and urgency. During uncertain times, the need for your nonprofit’s programs and services may actually increase, even as funding becomes tighter. Your campaign should clearly communicate urgency to donors and potential funders.

Read More

Putting your Nonprofit on Offense begins with Building a Playbook

Operations

You’re in your weekly staff meeting. As usual, a few team members arrive with detailed lists of their ongoing projects, while most jot down a handful of updates in the last hour before the meeting.

Your teammates begin logging into the online meeting or drifting into the conference room just a minute or two before start time. A few punctual attendees chat about weekend plans or touch base on an ongoing issue. Five minutes past the scheduled start, the leader suggests waiting a bit longer since not everyone has arrived—and Bob is supposed to be joining. At seven minutes past, someone asks, “Can someone text him?” Finally, the meeting begins.

Read More