15 September 2020 By David Allen, Development for Conservation First of all this week, let’s all take a moment to consider the members of our land trust community who are suffering due to the fires in the west. I have received several heartbreaking emails and messages from...
25 August 2020 By David Allen, Development for Conservation I think we make a mistake when we focus our attention, and that of our donors, on the purchase price. For what it’s worth, it’s probably based on a misguided sense that we need to show ourselves to be...
4 August 2020 By David Allen, Development for Conservation A few years ago in mid-November, a client asked me whether they could just use the same appeal letter they used last year. That appeal letter had done reasonably well and had surpassed the fundraising results from previous...
14 July 2020 By David Allen, Development for Conservation Among the many hats I wore for a time at The Nature Conservancy was that of Volunteer Coordinator. And frankly, I wasn’t very good at it. It always seemed that it took more time to teach and supervise...
9 June 2020 By David Allen, Development for Conservation I can't write about fundraising this week - I - Just - Can't. Fundraising will be back next week. I have been interested in recent days and weeks to see all the companies and nonprofits – overwhelmingly white –...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation One reader wrote me this week: Corona virus? Do all of us local and regional community-based groups continue on with our plans for spring appeals and renewals? Are we approaching (or already past) a point where major re-thinking is appropriate?...
“Devoted though we must be to the conservation cause, I do not believe that any of us should give it all of our time or effort or heart. Give what you can, but do not burn yourselves out -- or break your hearts. Let us...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Last week I attended the Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference about an hour up into the Poconos from Scranton. (Gorgeous spot!) One of the rules I live by is to always attend a workshop on social media and fundraising if I...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation As you probably know, Alaska residents receive a check in the mail from the State of Alaska representing a distribution of oil royalties earned during the year. It’s called the Permanent Fund Dividend and has rangedfrom $300 to more than $2,000...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation In the early 2000s, I had the great privilege of observing a local election held in Zambia. The community, apparently defined as the number of people who could still hear each other when seated under a tree, was conducting its...