Does reading obituaries everyday seem a little maudin, goulish and generally weird? Have you ever thought about doing it as research for your planned giving program, but didn’t, because you felt it might be going a bit too far? Deborah Walker and Miranda Harvey read obituaries every day as part of the University of Victoria’s stewardship plan. Read more to find out how reading the “obits” not only helps them understand their donors better but actually adds value to their personal lives too.
When you are in the middle of a big campaign it is hard to imagine how you might find major donors for your next campaign. As Maeve Strathy will tell you, that is where your mid-level giving program comes in. What you do after the gift is made – is just as important as before the gift is made; and it can set you up for even more success in the future.
Audit season is upon us! What happens when the auditor’s report goes to your board of director’s for approval? Does your board ask critical questions? Think about whether your organization’s processes and systems are compliant? Or is it simply a matter of a rubber stamp at the Annual General Meeting so that you can all move on to “more interesting” things? Regular contributor Jeffrey Miller encourages you to think differently and critically about your organization’s relationship with the auditor.
Do you know why you are on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Which platform is going to get you the best results? Where is your return on investment? Do you have dedicated staff in your organization running your digital engagement programs? Digital Strategist, Clare McDowall outlines some reasons why you may not be getting the results you would like from your online activities and what you can do about it.
