Here’s a fundraising secret that will relieve a great amount of angst: resources flow. Resources like time, creativity, networks, ideas, passion and money.  These resources are ours to leverage. Unfortunately, they can get stuck and stalled, in large part, because of the barriers we erect around them.  And the bossiest of barriers: our problematic relationship [...]

Half of fundraisers in the top job want to quit. That’s the bold headline from a study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy that was released in January.  It was cause for a lot discussion about the dearth of fundraisers and why the profession is so seemingly broken. The study’s conclusions are unsurprising.  They are also not fundraising specific.  [...]

I’m thrilled to announce that registration is formally open for the 2013 Course in Exponential Fundraising at Harvard. Please go to http://www.hks.harvard.edu/hauser/cef/  for a more detailed description of the program. The Course in Exponential Fundraising is a year-long engagement during where we work with 20 visionary leaders from the nonprofit sector who want to both dramatically improve [...]

My 11-year-old stepdaughter attends a middle school for the performing arts in NYC.  Recently, I wanted to do something special for her so I bought us pricey, third row tickets to see the musical Jersey Boys.  She loves music and dance and I figured this was a no-brainer. As I hit “Purchase Tickets” I felt [...]

Over coffee yesterday an old friend told me she was leaving her job as CEO of a nonprofit focused on public school reform. She said she wanted to get a job in “Corporate America.” Said she couldn’t do it any more.  She was burned out and, worse, she was “numb.” She described a lunch with [...]

Let’s say you’re a Pittsburgh Steelers fan all wrapped in black and gold at Heinz Field playing the loathed Patriots  (confession: I’ll spend the Fall with a Terrible Towel in my kitchen). Wait, better yet, let’s say you have money on the Steelers. As you sit watching your wager waver, you’d want your QB, Big [...]

Trapped! She runs one of the world’s largest fashion companies and agreed to see me about working with our organization.  Following my own philosophy – See “Never take a first meeting in an office” – I suggested that we meet at a local coffee shop.  She pushed back, “My office is good. See you Friday [...]

Jack and I watched the original “Matrix” movie over the weekend. At least 10 years have passed since I saw it last. Boy, there’s a lot to like about that movie, an updated, action-packed Plato’s Cave, allegorically lucid and fun at the same time. One early scene that especially resonates is when the agile Morpheus [...]

I have had two surgeries in the last six weeks. Yesterday, I spent a joyful hour making a list of the many ways people have been there for me during this challenging time: phone calls, flowers, books, poems, letters, food and visits. In an act of utter masochism, one of my friends even insisted on [...]