Dear [First Name],

There are many taboo subjects in our world. Death is certainly at the top of the list. Ask any pro what a conversation about planned giving is about and they will unanimously tell you it’s about living, leaving a lasting legacy, and impacting the world, even after one has passed.

But how to have this conversation? Join Fundraising Master Carol Weisman to learn:

• Who to ask
• How to ask
• The questions to ask
• The words to use
• Who you might take with you
• …and the phrase that pays

This FREE webinar will take place on March 10th at 1pm ET. All registrants will get a link to the recording, so register whether or not you can attend live!

Somehow we’ve got things reversed. We’re laser-focused on our donors as we’re courting them for gifts. We work hard to get those meetings. We roll out the red carpet. We make them feel important.

Then we thank them, hopefully effusively and often (seven times is the golden rule). Many of us do a pretty good job of that these days.

It’s what happens after the thanks that’s cause for concern…

Michael Davidson
Board Governance & Training Expert

It’s a busy time for Michael! He recently facilitated discussions with fundraising professionals on “Why Won’t Your Board Fundraise,” and will be moderating a panel at Fundraising Day New York in June. If you're going to FRDNY make sure to catch his session. I have learned more about boards from Michael than anyone. Just recently he's:

• guided a board-led strategic planning process
• facilitated a board retreat on recruitment strategy
• led a board restructuring process
• trained staff liaisons to board committees
• facilitated workshops on board management for executive directors

If you're looking to get your board involved more strategically in fundraising, or if you would like to bring some training to your staff, check out our online training course Rubber Stamps Don't Fundraise!
 

Sue Kindred
Storytelling Expert

Sue Kindred has launched into 2020 with some amazing stories of client transformation, including organizational culture shifts and staff alignment models.

She's excited to be leading the Board Chair’s Excellence Series at Richmond’s Community Foundation for top leaders in the central Virginia region. In her ongoing quest to help nonprofits find and share their best stories, Sue will be a featured speaker at the Virginia Conference on Volunteerism May 20 and 21 sharing best practices in storytelling. Make sure to catch Sue's session if you're there.

Joe Tumolo
Planned Giving & Training Expert

Joe Tumolo is keeping up to date with the latest laws and regulations affecting the fundraising world!

The SECURE Act, which took effect January 1, will affect your donor’s ability to save money for retirement and will influence how they use their funds over time. Joe has provided a video featuring him and David Toll, where they break down and simplify the law:
 

watch the video

Ask the entire board (works for staff too) to take the Assessment and report back their results to someone who will log them.

Share the overall results with everyone (e.g "we have 3 Rainmakers, 6 Go-Getters, etc.") and have a discussion at your next board meeting on how this profile influences how the board operates.

If you have a preponderance of one Style or another, is it causing the board to be "too" something and "not enough" something else?

• Rainmakers: push for outcomes
• Go-Getters: grab onto big ideas
• Kindred Spirits: never forget the heart of the matter
• Mission Controllers: get things done methodically

You might also look at recruitment through this lens. What do you need more of – strategy, vision, heart, or planning?

Last month I headed to Reno to work with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and their incredibly intellectual faculty. I was completely outclassed on the smarts front but thrilled to be helping an organization doing such amazing work to help save our world. Most of their work is focused on the environment, though I also learned about "dog sniffs."

Did you know that even though law enforcement relies heavily on dog sniffs for drug enforcement – and they've been used as evidence even in the absence of hard evidence – in fact there is no proof the dogs are detecting those smells accurately! This means there's a good chance people are being convicted wrongly based solely on a dog smelling something though drugs were not found. Wow!

Also, DRI wins the award for best training location ever. How about this view?!

Here's to another great month of fundraising,
 

Brian

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