There is a particular kind of courage that does not get enough credit. Not the courage of the person who has always known what they wanted to do and went straight toward it. That courage is real, but it is a different thing entirely. I am talking about the courage of the person who built […]
To the Emerging Leader: You Were Made for This
There is a letter I have been composing in my head for years. Not to a board member. Not to a CEO. Not to the donor who didn’t call back or the campaign that almost made it. This one is for you. I have been in this field long enough to have watched people arrive […]
The Nonprofit Leadership Paradox That’s Rarely Discussed
To the CEO Who Finally Showed Me the Way (#3 in the Letters We Never Send Letter Series) There is a dynamic in nonprofit leadership that is rarely discussed, though it should be…and at length. A nonprofit’s CEO reports to the Board. Their employment, their performance review, and their future with the organization sit in […]
When Good Fundraisers Leave: To the Board Member Who Meant Well
Every fundraiser has worked alongside a board member who genuinely cared about the mission but never quite stepped into the partnership. Not out of indifference. Out of uncertainty, fear, or simply never being shown the way. This letter is written from the perspective of a fundraiser leaving an organization they loved, to the board member […]
Letters We Never Send: When Good Fundraisers Leave
Every year, nonprofits across the country lose talented, mission-driven fundraisers—not because they stopped caring, but because they stopped feeling cared for. The cost is staggering: recruitment, onboarding, lost donor momentum, and a cycle that keeps repeating itself. What if your fundraiser could tell you the truth on their way out the door? This is the […]
Our Love-Hate Relationship with Nonprofit Galas
At the nonprofit where I serve as VP of Advancement, we just wrapped our annual signature event. For 72 hours, I let myself sit in it. The energy. The stories. The moments when someone leans in and says, “This night was magical!” You can feel when an event lands the way you hoped it would. […]
The Psychology of Transformational Philanthropy
Why Seven- and Eight-Figure Conversations Challenge Even Experienced Fundraisers There is a moment that happens in nearly every fundraiser’s career, even among the most accomplished professionals. You are preparing for a donor conversation. The relationship is strong. The vision is compelling. Leadership is aligned. The opportunity could change what is possible for the people you […]
When Fundraisers Become the Story: Why Oversight, Ethics, and Trust Matter More Than Ever
For most of us in philanthropy, the goal is simple: keep the spotlight on mission. On children served. On families stabilized. On breakthroughs funded. On communities strengthened. And yet lately, too often, the headlines aren’t about impact. They’re about how money was raised — not what it accomplished. Aggressive solicitation tactics. Third-party fundraising firms with […]
Lead Them to the Yes: With Fire in Your Belly
Most people think the Yes is born in the ask. But it isn’t. A well-timed question. A persuasive pitch. A direct request that gets someone to do what you need them to do. But here’s the truth seasoned leaders learn (often the hard way): you can’t ask people into alignment. You have to lead them […]
The Permission Gap: The Real Reason Boards Don’t Step Up
Most board members aren’t disengaged. They aren’t apathetic. They aren’t too busy, too uninterested, or too intimidated. What they are—most of the time—is uncertain. Uncertain about the boundaries. Uncertain about the “right way” to help. Uncertain about where staff wants them involved… and where staff doesn’t. Uncertain about what leadership actually looks like in their […]