Over the past year we have been working with Music & Memory, which is an organization we really admire. We thought it would be a neat idea to showcase them a bit, so Geoff had a short interview with Justin Russo, the Communications Director of Music & Memory, who explains what they do.   Geoff Birmingham: What is Music & Memory and whom does it serve?  Justin Russo:...

Why should I give again? A phrase that runs through a lot of donor's minds when asked to give again and again and again. What we're really asking is "What impact does my dollar have?" Key word: IMPACT! That's what we need to hear about. It's the results we want to see. But it's not easy to show results of donor impact. Collecting proper data is difficult and can run up a hefty price tag. Especially...

Boston University's Questrom School of Business hosted a panel discussion with nonprofit leaders to discuss a report on nonprofit leadership in New England, published by Third Sector New England. The discussion was lively, focusing a lot on nonprofit sustainability, and with people sharing lots of opinions on what works and where there are challenges with the current state of nonprofit leadership. Hez...

We have started to interview nonprofit leaders to hear their perspective on trends, challenges and opportunities in the nonprofit sector. We are calling it our “On the Fly” series because we’re taking a decidedly basic approach to capturing the interviews – dropping the camera in front of the subject and letting them talk. If you know of any good individuals who have insights to share, please...

  Most of us recognize the importance of building relationships and networks to advance our marketing and fundraising goals. But many of us may fall short in terms of making connections for others or seeking introductions for of a variety of reasons. In a recent presentation at Women in Development of Greater Boston, Kristin Wright Howard shared some insights. Building relationships and creating...

High impact philanthropy was the topic of discussion at a recent event hosted by the Boston Philanthropic Advisors Roundtable (BPART) featuring Christine Kendall from SmarterGive. Although the information was mainly geared towards an audience of philanthropic advisors and foundations, it has relevance for other individuals and nonprofits as well. Key Features of High Impact Philanthropy Christine...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy6gjkICKfk During Super Bowl 50, you may have seen that commercial.  Amongst all the flashy and even goofy commercials, this one made you step back and think.  NO MORE is a public awareness campaign aimed at ending domestic violence and sexual assault.  This advertisement was very effective.  How is this 30-second commercial so compelling? How can you use similar...

Tom Ahern was a recent guest speaker at Women in Development of Greater Boston, sharing tips on writing for digital donor communications. Here are three takeaways I thought were particularly interesting and useful: Using “we” is for public relations. Using “you” is for donor communications. You need to tell the donors that they are needed before they are primed to give. When communicating...

You can watch this video for one of two reasons: 1) to hear Rachel muse about how organizations differentiate themselves; or 2) answer the question Why the heck is she dressed up like Julia Child? Rachel: We’ve entered the holiday zone and I’m just whipping up some of my famous Indian pudding for the office party. This is also the time to reflect on the past year. We here at Reflection...

October is both Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In recognition of both of those causes we offer a Throwback Thursday. First, we share one of Rachel's blog posts from last year on unexpected moments of disclosure and connection, in which she learned from two women - one a good friend, the other a business acquaintance - about their respective histories with domestic violence...