This BLOG is intended to help conservation organizations and land trusts pursue excellence in all aspects of their conservation endeavors. I welcome your comments and feedback to these posts.
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Events are part of fundraising. From field trips to galas, we are in the event business as much as we are anything else. Which means (at least): pre-planning, logistics, permissions, venues, caterers, invitations and reminders, site volunteers, parking concerns, nametags, photography,...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I’ve heard that 70% of the money given away each year is committed just four months: October, November, December, and January. If that’s true, then most of that 70% comes in just six...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation I’ve had the opportunity to review several appeal letters in recent weeks - comes with the job. And I’m still surprised that so many fail to ask for money. The request is implied, to be sure, but it is not explicit. Somewhere...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation A few years ago, I added my speculation to everyone else’s about how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) would affect charitable giving in the U.S. (See How will Tax Reform Affect Donor Giving in the Future?) We don’t need...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Major gift development isn’t hard. It’s a discipline. And it’s scalable. So just start. Let movement create momentum and let momentum create habit. It starts in January, and it could start for you in January 2020. You can do this for ten donors. You can...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation I have three short offerings this week, beginning with this new study: A study released in March by the IUPUI Women’s Philanthropy Institute and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy feels important to me, and I think you’ll feel the same...
Or - Ask your favorite Fundraising Consultant By David Allen, Development for Conservation From My In-Box This Week: I enjoyed your presentation at Rally (despite the fire alarm). And I have a question for you: A fundraising coach once told me that if someone has received our annual appeal...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation With the 2019 Rally (the national land conservation conference) now firmly in our rearview mirror, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to deliver training content that makes a difference. And I mean “for the organization” more so than “for...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I am a real fan of the blogger Vu Le and his Nonprofit AF blog. Le’s writing is fresh, humorous, (usually) well thought out, and provocative and covers the entire...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Two quick thoughts for you this week – I’m running short on time – it being the season for fundraising and all. The first is this: We’re all in on Boomers. They are on our Boards. They represent the majority of...