Connection Happens on Purpose: Building Belonging into Our Lives
The way we use our time together communicates what we value. “Every time we bring people together, we have an opportunity to help them feel known, valued, and part of something that matters.” Think about the last meeting you attended. You probably remember whether you finished the agenda. But did you leave feeling more connected to the people around you?
The Nature of Leadership
I define this integration of love and leadership as: ‘perceptions of the joining of the separated used to guide right action for group survival.’ What is the nature of leadership? I ask this question as an of exploration on the essence of leadership, as a matter of identifying what we are assessing in leadership development interventions. It seems like a
Radical Support: Reimagining the Board-Executive Relationship
When boards operate from trust, partnership, clarity, and a commitment to radical support, executives are far more likely to thrive. And so are the organizations they lead. The Cross-Sector Epiphany A few years ago, while serving as mayor of Grand Junction, Colorado, I had an epiphany. Like most Colorado municipalities, our city operates under a council-manager form of government. The
Building a Culture of Philanthropy: Demonstrating Why Donors Give
It’s not pickpocketing or twisting arms—it’s creating a greater experience than the donor could ever imagine. A few weeks ago I wrote on five steps to jump on the path to breaking down silos and creating bridges for your colleagues to build a culture of philanthropy, and embrace fundraising practices. Here are the five as a refresher. This article takes a
Your Donors Feel’n like Transactions? 8 Signs and Solutions
I want to give with my head and my heart so I want to know how a nonprofit will use the funds, how well managed the nonprofit is, and who it’s helping — the impact of my gift. There’s nothing wrong with a transaction. When I buy gas, I don’t need to develop a deep bond with the gas station
Building a Culture of Philanthropy: 5 Ways to Build Your Fundraising Village
“When a majority of people from an organization are involved in the fundraising process… something special starts to occur.” Bringing everyone together and creating a fundraising village will take work, but the increased funding, as well as the time and funds saved by more collaboration, will be worth the effort. Recently I wrote about five crucial steps to breaking down silos
Nonprofit Strategy: A Smoker And A Grill
Grill strategy can fill today’s plate, while smoker strategy builds tomorrow’s table. Many nonprofits are forced to live in a world of urgency. There are people who need help today, grants with deadlines tomorrow, and programs that can’t wait until next quarter. It’s no surprise that a lot of nonprofit strategy ends up looking like a grill: high heat, fast
Last-Chance Giving Window Before New Tax Rules Take Effect
The bottom line: donors who wait until 2026 will lose significant tax leverage. For decades, tax policy has shaped donor behavior, often spurring generosity at year-end when individuals consider both their philanthropic goals and tax liabilities. Now the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has reshaped charitable giving rules in the United States. For this year only, donors can still
Intentional Asks: Meetings, Gifts, and Everything In Between
People give when they feel emotionally connected—so events should be engineered to build relationships and reinforce a donor’s sense of purpose. Events as a Key Tool in Major Giving Fundraising events are often seen as high-effort, low-return endeavors when it comes to major giving. However, when structured strategically, events can be powerful relationship-building tools that move individuals along the major
Bequests Are Timeless: Why Now’s the Moment to Prioritize Legacy Giving
Economic uncertainty can slow down many things, but it doesn’t stop generosity, especially the kind rooted in legacy. At Make Philanthropy Work, we believe gift planning is one of the most resilient fundraising strategies, especially bequests. While annual gifts may fluctuate with economic conditions, donors’ long-term commitments often remain steady or grow. That’s why we’re encouraging every organization to take
How Fundraising Events Strengthen Major Gift Strategy
People give when they feel emotionally connected—so events should be engineered to build relationships and reinforce a donor’s sense of purpose. Events as a Key Tool in Major Giving Fundraising events are often seen as high-effort, low-return endeavors when it comes to major giving. However, when structured strategically, events can be powerful relationship-building tools that move individuals along the major
Does your organization think fundraising is something that happens over there…?
When the organization accepts, understands, and embraces the work of the development department, the ability to engage more donors in better ways increases substantially—and the whole institution benefits. So, tell me, what is that you do in your department? That phrase, spoken with a bit (or a lot) of disdain, is often directed to development professionals from the staff of