Fundraising Leadership ™

Executive Coaching, Leadership Training, and Personal Development

Fundraising & Career Strategy: The Benefits of Playing the Long Game

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We live in a world of “Insta”, that is constantly playing the short game.

Fundraising has suffered from a transactional, derivative and acquisition mindset forever. We are haunted by our bake-sale origins.

Being almost 20 years in the charitable sector I have become a career-anthropologist. Observing the careers and strategies of leaders and organizations I admire. It’s what leads me personally on my own career path to specialize in ‘gift-planning’ while most of the sector is always trying to maximize major gifts. Now in 2019, they are one in the same. [Read more…]

Financial Literacy for Early Career Nonprofit Professionals

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Financial literacy is: “The ability to understand financial choices, plan for the future, spend wisely, and manage the challenges that come with life events such as job loss, saving for retirement, or a child’s education.” [source: US Government Accounting Office]

Unfortunately, the education system of one of the wealthiest countries in the world does not teach children, teenagers, and young adults how to “understand financial choices, plan for the future, and manage money.”  Here is some of the evidence according to several recent surveys: [Read more…]

Episode 33: Taking the Leap from Frontliner to Becoming a Manager

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Fundraising Leadership
Fundraising Leadership
Episode 33: Taking the Leap from Frontliner to Becoming a Manager
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This scenario plays out frequently: top-performing professional gets promoted to lead a team but has never been trained to lead or manage. This is often a disaster—results suffer, people head for the door, and the new manager flames out (and may even get fired).

In this episode, David and Michelle offer a few hints on becoming a manager, and how to take this leap without flopping.

3 Ways to Improve Your Nonprofit’s Donor Service

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Running a nonprofit organization is a tall task.  Many small to medium size nonprofits struggle with insufficient resources (human and capital) to fully execute their missions.  Nonprofit leaders frequently have something on their plate, juggling multiple priorities and stakeholders. It doesn’t matter if you’re the sole employee of the organization, or if you have a large team around you; there’s one thing you can’t compromise on: “donor service.”

For example, how do you or other staff members respond when donors reach out with questions? What do you say when a donor sends you a complaint, expresses a concern, or makes a suggestion? [Read more…]

Episode 19: Harness Your Calendar for Productivity

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Fundraising Leadership
Fundraising Leadership
Episode 19: Harness Your Calendar for Productivity
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In this episode, David Langiulli and Janice Cunning discuss how your calendar can help you increase your productivity and honour your commitments. Read more about David’s system at https://fundraisingleadership.org/productivity/

David challenges listeners to put this idea into practice and find a system that works for them.

 

Successful Fundraising in a Nutshell

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Do you have a project that needs funding to become a reality?  Does your nonprofit rely on private donations to fund its operations?  Is your organization like many small nonprofits that do not have a formal advancement/development plan nor assigned staff responsible for fundraising? [Read more…]

How to Come up with a Winning Pitch

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Regardless of whether you’re looking for a new job, you’re an entrepreneur seeking investors, you’re regularly employed at an organization, you’re self-employed, or you’re a fundraiser for charities, knowing how to be captivating is fundamental to achieving your goals.  How captivating and persuasive are you?

The WITA method will give you the clarity and focus you need for a captivating, winning pitch that will help you reach your dreams. Take a pen and paper and answer each of the questions below. Your answers will form the structure of your “pitch”.

[Read more…]

5 Ways to Grow As a Manager

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At Fundraising Leadership we are passionate about supporting nonprofit managers and leaders in their growth. We are equally passionate about continuing to grow ourselves. In fact, the Fundraising Leadership team came together as a result of our love of learning. We all connected as a result of completing a 10-month leadership program offered by the Co-Active Training Institute.  [Read more…]

A Survival Kit for the New Nonprofit Leader

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You are an extraordinary producer. Efficient, effective, and on top of your game.

Now, all of a sudden you accept a promotion within your organization to lead a team. Or, you were recruited away to lead a team in another organization.

Either way, the game has changed. Not only do you need to continue to produce results from your frontline work,  you are also responsible for getting results from and through your team. [Read more…]

Episode 8: More Money and Balance – It is Possible

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Fundraising Leadership
Fundraising Leadership
Episode 8: More Money and Balance - It is Possible
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Are you at the point in your career where you are deciding on what’s next? Many people feel both desire and hesitation about climbing up the career ladder.

Janice and Silvia take a stand that you can earn more money, have more success, and achieve balance. They discuss the ways you can Improve Your Pay While Maintaining Balance.

More money and balance?  Yes, that’s possible.

Then Janice issues a challenge to our listeners to help build their energy.