I’m thrilled to announce that registration is formally open for the 2012 Course in Exponential Fundraising at Harvard. Please go to http://www.hks.harvard.edu/hauser/cef/  for a more detailed description of the program. A Course in Exponential Fundraising is a year-long engagement during which I work with 20 visionary leaders from the nonprofit sector who want to both dramatically improve [...]

Exponential Fundraising founder and 24-year fundraising veteran Jennifer McCrea has worked with CEOs, fundraisers and board members from a wide variety of nonprofits, including Millennium Promise, Acumen Fund, Donorschoose.org, Grameen America, Teach for America, Witness, Columbia University, Quincy Jones Foundation, Comic Relief, X Prize Foundation, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, Creative Commons, MIT Media Lab and many others. [...]

Meet lonely George. George is a seasoned philanthropist.  Someone I’ve known for years. George leads a full, meaningful life that includes giving to a number of global organizations. But he revealed something to me recently that caught me by surprise: that his experience of giving is often profoundly isolating. Wait a minute. Isn’t giving a [...]

In a recent blog post Sasha Dichter quotes my friend Katya Andresen with something that really resonated:  “It’s impossible to talk about generosity without being vulnerable, impossible to be truly generous without opening yourself up.” So what does “opening yourself up” really mean and how does this add to the generosity equation? What does “being [...]

“Extremely difficult and demanding.” That’s how a friend describes her relationship with one of her top donors. She says she’s in a “can’t-live-with-him, can’t-live-without-him” bind. She worries that if she tells him what’s really on her mind, he’ll get angry and possibly withdraw his critical support (and very visible name in the community) from her organization. [...]

I carry this on a piece of paper in my wallet: “More than anything, the art of living is about recognizing our power to make a difference in someone else’s life.”  This insight has been a beacon. This fundamental truth is a refreshing reminder when I feel burned out or cynical. What I have only [...]

The dates are set for the next Exponential Fundraising workshop:  May 5 and 6 in New York City. Since they are highly interactive and aimed at ensuring a rich and stimulating exchange of ideas among a diverse group of peers, only a small number of spaces are available (no more than 15 participants).  To contact [...]

Legacy is a popular word in our business.  ”What’s my legacy?” philanthropists will muse. “Hmm … maybe my name on a building.”  My friend Gunther jokingly calls this kind of legacy thinking, “The Edifice Complex.” It’s an interesting question.  What IS our legacy? I read recently this beautiful quote: “Death is not the opposite of [...]

Be lit from within.  Remind yourself that you aren’t asking people to help you.  Helping implies inequality and that’s not what this is about.  This is about inviting someone to partner with you, to take a stand with you, to work side by side with you.  Remind yourself why you were called to do this work [...]