Habitat for Humanity is an organization on the tip of many tongues these days. Not surprisingly, with undeniable signs of poverty and homelessness all around us, the nonprofit’s message speaks loud and clear: Help us break that vicious cycle by...
We live in a world of too much information at our disposal, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In this world of information uber-overload, we go about trying to influence one another with factual data, rigorous argument and...
I sit on a charity board where some of the staff are very worried about some potential legislation harmful to our cause, and want to lobby against it. Is this ethical for a charity? Is it legal? It is quite...
How many of us look at the dashboards in our cars? A dashboard keeps track of things like oil and fuel levels, temperature and mileage and provides us with helpful information to take action based on the indicators. Just like...
I’ve learned many things from my time spent working at a public broadcaster. Some lessons stemmed from positive experiences. Others, well, not so much. For instance, I’ve seen firsthand the disastrous effects resulting from an organization’s decision not to prioritize...
If you’re a nonprofit or charitable organization with a mandate that frequently requires you to dialogue with government officials, you’re likely already aware of the Federal Accountability Act (FAA). If you’re not aware, you should read this. Last December, in...
In our work with not-for-profit leaders who create strategic plans, we counsel them to adopt a memorable mission - something easy to remember that conveys what your organization’s purpose is. We suggest they use their “no more than 10 words”...
My newspaper frequently covers scandals where charities have misused donations or staff have absconded with funds. Every story like that reduces my ability to raise funds for my charity even though we are not part of this wrongdoing. I think...
Public engagement campaigns pivot on words. Get the words wrong and they will end up hurting you or your cause. Language helps you frame an issue to make a connection with your audience and persuade them to take action. World...
Tom Ahern is author of the book How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets, published by Emerson and Church. His other book, Raising More Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible,...
