This week, I had the pleasure of spending time with early career advancement professionals at Boston University. We had a great time talking about ways to hack your next professional conference. What did we miss? What’s your favorite hack?
Come with a plan. You can attend a conference to team-build, deepen your network, learn a new […]
In dance, a pivot is a quick turn you make to move in another direction. In the media, a pivot is a way to respond quickly to a question and get back to your key talking points.
What is a pivot for fundraising? It’s a way to guide the conversation back to what you want […]
Don’t do office housework. So says Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. Sounds simple, right? Until you realize that it’s not getting done and then you are living and working in a big mess. Office housework, according to Sandberg and Grant, work that includes taking meeting notes, volunteering for committees, training colleagues, and other administrative […]
In the tradition of honoring close colleagues, it was time to celebrate Cara Willis as she leaves Opportunity Nation and Be the Change after a remarkable six years. She is the master of advance, the mistress of social media, and the mastermind behind the Opportunity Nation Summits. She does the work of at least […]
Despite increasing attention to various aspects of sexual violence ranging from serial perpetrators like Bill Cosby, unacceptably high rates of sexual violence on college campuses, and clergy sexual abuse, the philanthropy community remains remarkably silent on this issue. Fewer than 35 foundations list sexual assault victim services or sexual abuse as an area of […]
This list was first presented with Kevin Flynn, Commongood Careers, as a part of the 2015 Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Conference.
Respect the Craft: A strong development professional is bringing skills, knowledge and expertise to the table. Always try to understand and learn from it, even when it goes against your instincts and comfort zone.
You Can’t […]
I’ve worked for a lot of bosses in my career, and have also heard war stories from friends, colleagues, and clients. A good boss is golden, but a bad boss will teach you so much about life, leadership, and organizations. When you are in the thick of it with a bad boss, it can […]
Parental leave can be a tough topic for nonprofit organizations facing real budget limitations and working to execute important missions with a small team. It’s hard to imagine doing without a full-time staff member for three months, let alone continuing to pay that person’s salary while they are gone.
At the same time, it astounds […]
All organizations go through tough times now and then. Budgets fall short. Leaders leave, sometimes abruptly. A new project or initiative is a flop. These are all normal aspects of working reality and leadership.
When faced with a tough time, it’s easy to go to your bad place, whatever that place is. Maybe you are […]
“You’re a FUNDRAISER?”
“Gosh, what a hard job!”
“I HATE asking for money.”
These are just a few of the common reactions I get when I tell people that my job involves fundraising. To be clear, my most recent role at Opportunity Nation was focused on developing large-scale strategic partnerships that often involve both cash and […]