Blog
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The peril of excessive meetings
7 tips to address the challenge of spending too much time in meetings.
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The power of “We Believe”
Early in my tenure as an Executive Director, when people asked me “what does the Oregon League of Conservation Voters do,” I got excited and would launch into a list…
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What’s your plan to fight authoritarianism?
I’ve struggled with how to navigate the tension between doing my day job — meeting the needs of my clients who’re fighting to make the world a better place —…
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Being willing to be uncomfortable
This is a follow-up to an article I wrote more than a decade ago entitled: “Step Out of your Comfort Zone.” I was recently talking to a board member for…
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More year end fundraising tips
November 24, 2025 Last November, I published a set of year-end fundraising tips. Since it was the most clicked on email article I published last year, I figured I should…
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Scary Nonprofit Quotes 2025
October 31, 2025 For the last few years (with one exception), I’ve taken time to compile some of the scariest nonprofit quotes I’ve heard in the last year and sharing…
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Needs versus budget fundraising
Another consultant recently reminded me of a concept that’s been implicit in fundraising materials I’ve generated for clients, but that I’ve never written about. The concept: the needs you present…
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After the ask
What happens following the ask during a donor meeting. Here’s a practical guide.
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Wingspan lessons for nonprofit leaders
Four years ago, I wrote about Ticket to Ride, a board game I had become “addicted to” during the pandemic. My article identified lessons from playing the game that could…
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Three quadrant tools for being strategic
About a decade ago, I posted a blog that suggested how to apply a matrix approach in organizational decision-making. The blog examined a time-management technique originally generated by Stephen Covey…