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.
Writing and editing fundraising letters is better thought of as an exercise in technical writing, than as writing actual letters. There are techniques, rules, and form to the exercise that, if followed closely, will help you raise more money. Many of these techniques are counter-intuitive....
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 I’m interested in your thoughts about building a “Culture of Philanthropy.” Give it some thought – maybe we can do a Rally presentation on the topic someday. One promising definition goes something like this: Culture of Philanthropy is a set of organizational...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation High summer is generally regarded as a good time for taking stock. How are we doing related to our annual goals? Are we on track to finish the year successfully? If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, will we...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation If you graduated from a college, you know that the Alumni Association from your alma mater started calling you and writing you about ten minutes later. And in return for your annual gift, you get a copy of the Alumni...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Kate and I are moving soon, and we need your help – well actually you and your truck. On Saturday, a bunch of people are coming over to help carry boxes and furniture from our old house over to the...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation If you accept the premise that fundraising through the mail, email, or phone is a science – a behavioral science – then you should be reading a blog called The Agitator. It is written by scientists about the science of...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation Dis ci pline: control gained by enforcing orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior (Adapted from the online Merriam-Webster dictionary.) Here’s a TRUTH sequence to start your day today: If you include planned giving and family foundations, individuals account for more...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation When I was first learning about major gift fundraising, the “must-see” teacher of the craft was Bill Sturtevant. He and the late author Jerry Panas ran the consulting practice called the Institute for Charitable Giving. Both Sturtevant and the Institute...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation I get asked about crowdfunding, and other forms of social media campaigns a lot. I have an opinion, which I am not shy about sharing, but my essential answer is this: “Sure, if you are doing everything you can to build...