We help not-for-profit organizations build a strong culture of philanthropy
Rainmaker is excited to have new offerings coming your way. We are thrilled to be launching the Rainmaker Workshop Series along with a Facebook group dedicated to organizational leaders committed to building a Culture of Philanthropy. We invite you to join us for our first workshop on November 6th. All four Rainmakers, Beth Spong, David … [Read more...] about Introducing The Rainmaker Workshop Series
At Rainmaker we talk a lot about building a Culture of Philanthropy. Personally, I love talking about it, I love training people on it, and mostly I love the breakthroughs it provides to organizations who embrace it. But periodically people get stuck with the name. “What does this mean?” “I know what a philanthropist is, Bill Gates!! If I only knew … [Read more...] about I give up: Finding breakthroughs from breakdowns
We are often asked “Why should we take the time to provide orientation and training to all of our staff and board towards a Culture of Philanthropy? Don’t we really just need our key leadership trained in donor relations?” Our answer is simple: Because creating and maintaining a culture of philanthropy is an all-encompassing team effort. The … [Read more...] about From birchbark canoe paddler to major donor: How training staff AND board made all the difference
So, your organization is about to embark in a strategic planning process…and you want your plan to be powerful, long-lasting and visionary. On the other hand, you want it done quickly, you want it to be easy and you don’t want it to be too much work. Well, you can’t have everything! Or, maybe you can. … [Read more...] about Strategic Planning + A Culture of Philanthropy = One Abundant Organization
The holy grail of fundraising is the elusive “Culture of Philanthropy.” A Culture of Philanthropy is when everyone (including the board, executive director and staff) is part of connecting the agency to individuals in the community who want to support the cause. When that happens, donors become part of the agency, instead of outsiders. The board … [Read more...] about 10 Easy Things a Board Can do to Create a Culture of Philanthropy
The quality of your team in any organization is key to workplace satisfaction and effective accomplishment of your goals. Having a great team to back you up is one of the “golden tickets” to being happy and productive at work or in the non-profit organization you are volunteering for. We all know what it feels like to be part of a … [Read more...] about A Strong Team = Satisfying Work Towards Mission
It isn’t an unusual occurrence. A not-for-profit organization decides it needs to undertake a major building project, and the board approves a capital campaign – on the condition that they first conduct a feasibility study. That’s when the phone rings, or an RFP is sent, or someone reaches out to us at Rainmaker. That’s our opportunity to … [Read more...] about Traditional Feasibility Studies – Are you Wasting Precious Resources?
Ten Steps to More Effective and Ultimately, Better Board Meetings Nonprofit board members commonly complain that board meetings often are boring and unproductive, but implementing a few practices can strengthen their effectiveness while energizing them and ultimately creating better board meetings. One survey indicates that professionals spend … [Read more...] about Bored to Brilliant: Better Board Meetings
This piece reminds us that berating donors with messages of desperation ("Donate now if you don't want us to go out of business!) is a poor strategy for securing funds. Much better to put your best message forward and ENROLL people in your mission and programs. Read more of my article on LinkedIn … [Read more...] about The Terrible Twosome of Fundraising: Guilt & Shame
Joe Laur tells me he doesn’t use the word “sustainability” anymore. He nearly loathes it. A leading consultant in the field of environmental sustainability, Joe is also the co-author—with his wife, Sara—of Necessary Revolution, a book on making organizations and communities more environmentally sustainable. Wouldn’t it be concerning, Joe … [Read more...] about Flourishing fundraising: a new paradigm
