By David Allen, Development for Conservation This week, I want to tell you about Scotland. The first island we visited was just ten miles long and two miles wide. Its name is Colonsay, and it was the ancestral home of the MacPhee clan – as in...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation DA: So Tom, tell me about these donors – Pulen and Tumany Weeds. Well-Meaning Tom: What do you want to know? They’re not from around here. DA: I figured that out. Well-Meaning Tom: Kind of exotic. DA: I’ll bet. Well-Meaning Tom: She’s a gardener. DA: STOP...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation From my In-Box this week: I still get a lot of one-page letters with graphics and donation tear off sections at the bottom. In fact, I donate to these groups and lean towards this letter because it is short, concise and...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Last year at Thanksgiving, I wrote about the differences between gratitude and gratefulness. (See Gratitude and Gratefulness) The word grateful is not necessarily focused on a source. We are grateful for stuff – health, material gifts, sunshine, rest – that is...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Whether we understand and acknowledge it or not, we all have an interesting relationship with neuroscience, neurolinguistics, and neurolinguistic programming. These terms describe the possibility that how human beings react to certain decision-making triggers can be studied and understood. Many of...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation We know that people give from the heart. We know that their decision to give is an emotional one. And sometimes irrational. Donors may decide what to give and when to give and even what to give to – using their...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation My Plan B this year starts on November 13th. Years ago now, I organized a hand-written letter party for the Board. We had seventy-something prospects who had given $250 or more last year and we were launching a $1,000 giving club....
By David Allen, Development for Conservation As you complete your summer plans and prepare for entering the Fall fundraising season, here are some timely reminders to help you get the most from your efforts. You’re raising money from people who already give you money. As tempting as it...
by David Allen, Development for Conservation As I quipped several weeks ago, you will be asking just about everyone you know for a gift to your land trust between now and Christmas. Most will be asked in a letter, which means that you will be needing...
by David Allen, Development for Conservation At some point between now and Christmas, you will be asking just about everyone you know for a gift to your land trust. Some will be asked to “renew.” Some will be asked to make an additional gift this year. Most...