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.
26 December 2023 “The future belongs to citizens who are passionate, knowledgeable, and engaged.” - Richard Louv Mr. Louv was almost certainly thinking more broadly than just conservation, but when I read this quote the first time, I read it through a conservation lens. There are many ways...
19 December 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation There exists a perception that conservation is for old people, that land trust constituencies are getting older, and that attracting young people has to be a strategic priority. And just like all perceptions, it’s partially true. I regularly screen...
12 December 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation I hope you’re pleased with yourself. I know that sounds critical, but I’m being serious. This is the time of the year when all the work you’ve put in really pays off. Every day brings a new snowfall of...
5 December 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation I think $250 is a magic number in fundraising. It’s a small enough number that everyone can afford it. Some will argue that point, but I’m talking about $20 a month – there aren't many people in the country...
28 November 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation I read somewhere that 70% of the money raised for charity every year is raised in November, December, and January. That doesn’t necessarily mean that 70% of donors give then, but it would be easy to believe. It...
21 November 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation How long does it take for your organization to turn around a thank you message? You receive a gift one day and the meter starts ticking. How much time elapses between then and the day your “grateful” message...
14 November 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation Frequent readers of this blog will know that I am mixed about Giving Tuesday. It feels to me like doing very little nets you $3,000-5,000 while going all out nets you maybe double that. By “netting” I mean...
7 November 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation This post will be about what we lose in the name of efficiency – but first I need to complain about ZOOM meetings. I attended a land trust Board meeting last week that was a “hybrid” meeting, with about...
31 October 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation BOO! Happy Halloween! Here’s a scary thought: What would happen if your primary fundraiser were to leave suddenly? It’s almost cliché to say that fundraising is about relationships, but the truth is that few of us have really embraced what...
24 October 2023 By David Allen, Development for Conservation A question I often ask clients preparing for an individual donor visit is: “Why will this person say Yes to the request?” It can be helpful to ask the same question when writing appeal letters and emails. Why will...