When I first got into fundraising, I executed campaigns without worrying too much about donors or spending a lot of time thinking about why or how they responded to particular strategies or appeals. Eventually, I realized that if development professionalsRead more…
6 Steps to Guide Your Fund Raising Presentation
When you sit down for a fund raising presentation you have several questions that need to be answered. How do I begin? When do I talk about my financial goal? When do I ask for their support? Here are 6Read more…
3 Ways to Leverage and Grow Your Marketing Impact
Some nonprofits or churches don’t think they have enough work to merit a full-time marketing person, and no one wants to spend a penny more than they have to. But every organization has marketing needs, and a long wish listRead more…
The Scandal of Grace
If you could only receive one gift from God – only one gift ever – what would you choose? That question is probably akin to the old “how many angels can dance on the head of a needle” problem. If you pursueRead more…
Redeeming the World through Generosity
God is on a mission to redeem His people and His creation. I am reading through the Torah right now and it is incredibly interesting to note the emphasis that God places on redemption. Starting in Exodus, He tellsRead more…
Introducing Fortune’s Change the World list: Companies that are doing well by doing good
To take on the world’s toughest challenges in a sustainable way, companies are turning to something familiar: the profit motive. Here, the true and best meaning of return on investment. Not for the first time, capitalism is under attack. The economicRead more…
Are You Rich? No Need to Apologize
A ripple of controversy in the world of philanthrocapitalism recently caught my attention. Anand Giridharadas gave a talk at the Aspen Institute in which, in the friendliest possible way, he called on the capitalist plutocrats who pay for such gatherings to reflect onRead more…
10 Ways to Cast a Generosity Vision in Your Church
Long gone are the days when folks gave to the church simply because that was the expectation. Dollars are often tight. Members have sometimes seen church dollars spent poorly. Young people in general want to support hands-on, personal ministry.Read more…
A Biblical View of Dominion: Stewardship
…our churches are teaching a low view of stewardship. We’re missing the essential goodness of work in particular, even “non-spiritual” work. “Non-spiritual” work, in case you’re wondering, is any work in which God is not interested, which isRead more…
Four Principles of Biblical Stewardship
Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could notRead more…