01
2011
Transforming an Organization
Post by Jonathan Palmer, Executive Director, Halle Q. Brown Community Center One of my favorite quotes is by Indira Gandhi, who said her grandfather told her there were two kinds of people in this world: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told her to be in the first group because there was less competition. Words to live by in my opinion. When you run a nonprofit organization, the “do the work” part goes without saying. And if you love the work, if it is a mission and a calling rather than just a paycheck,…
19
2011
To Give…And Receive
Post by James V. Toscano When I was a young…and presumptuous….development officer, I remember saying such smart alec, cynical things about donors as“They say they don’t want to be thanked for their donation, but just forget to send them a letter.”Or “Just leave their name off the annual report, or misspell it, and you’ll see!” I was really on to something, only backwards! Development is not a one-way relationship. It is an exchange. An exchange of values. It is always two-way. Marketing expert, Armand Lauffer says, “Exchange is a process whereby individuals and/or organizations associate in order to achieve shared or complementary objectives.” In development, exchange…
29
2011
The Leadership Dilemma
Post by Dania Toscano Miwa One of the things I’ve noted in my time in the Nonprofit sector is NOT the lack of leadership, but the lack of effective leadership: leaders who trust their staff implicitly with responsibilities and skills for which they were hired. Often, the President/CEO/Executive Director who lacks this trust and interferes in the work of subordinates is not as well positioned to perform these very tasks, thus sub-optimizing the overall effort. I often hear my 20’s and 30’s something peers complaining of being stifled in their careers, not being encouraged to build their skill sets to…
26
2011
The Courage of the Lead Gift
Post by James V. Toscano There’s a special breed of donor, possessing courage, commitment and vision, who is capable of a lead gift in a major campaign. Most donors are not. Often when asked for a major gift, the prospect responds with a question: “Who else has given?” It’s a logical request from the prospect’s point of view. There’s a cascade of implicit questions behind the one we’re asked. Who among her/his peers is leading this campaign? Who else thinks that this is such a good idea that they’re putting good money into it? How many others are on this…
26
2011Welcome to the Good Counsel Blog
This blog is meant to be a resource for people working in the Nonprofit sector, with an emphasis on those working in resource development. James V. Toscano and Dania Toscano Miwa, Principals of Toscano Advisors, are the two main authors of this blog. In addition, there will be a number of guest posts from other experienced nonprofit fundraisers and opinion leaders in the sector. Comments always welcome and encouraged.