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 I spent a lovely week last week in McAllen, Texas, at the Summit conference for Nature Center Administrators. I learned a lot and met some terrific folks involved in nature education all over the country. Among the many stories I heard,...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation OK, so let’s talk about Fundraising Metrics. As I mentioned last week(See On Metrics, Data, Information, Science, and How We Use Them – Part 1), I will be doing a workshop on Fundraising Metrics this year at Rally. What to count....
By David Allen, Development for Conservation For several months now, I’ve been talking about the fact that I will be doing a workshop on Metrics this year at Rally. Fundraising Metrics, that is. I am, and have been, particularly interested in learning more about what we...
By David Allen, Development for Conservation One of my current clients is the Bayou Land Conservancy in Houston. They have launched a well-branded monthly giving program called Land Lovers. For a pledged monthly donation of $15 or more, members get a couple of T-shirts and invitations...
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 Let’s say you need to raise some money for a specific project. You’re thinking capital campaign. Somebody asks you whether you’ve done a feasibility study. As you consider the question, several other questions come up. Do we have to? Aren’t feasibility studies...
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 When I come home every evening, I throw the change from my pocket into an old coffee can. (Remember when coffee used to come in cans?) It’s an old habit that has served me well around Christmas on more than...
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 Dear Mary, We opened the Trillium Trail today. In the grand scheme of things, it was a little thing. There were about 30 people there, mostly the volunteers who worked on building it these last three years. Frank was there,...