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My Generosity Experiment
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Tag Archives: fundraising
No Ask?
The fundraiser typically sweats about when the perfect moment is to make “the ask.” It’s a Goldilocks mentality: not too soon, not too late. Broadly speaking that is right. But not if it means there’s no a sense of purpose. … Continue reading
Saving lunchtime
The other day I got lunch at Bowery Eats, a cooking supply store in Chelsea Market that also happens to have a sandwich bar. My timing was terrible and when I got there at 1:20pm, there was a long line … Continue reading
Deep and abiding respect for…
…the philanthropists who, along with you, make it all possible. The philanthropists who dare to dream of a different, better world. The philanthropist who decides, when she doesn’t have to, to do something, not just to talk about it. The … Continue reading
Your ‘ask’ is not ‘by the way’
It’s so easy to be terrified by “the ask” that you want to make – whether that’s for advice or a job or to create a partnership or for funding. It’s as if there’s this sense of shame and embarrassment … Continue reading
Dan Pallotta at TED
I had the privilege of attending the TED conference last week – a bounty of new ideas, optimistic predictions, and insightful reflections on the world today and the world as it could be tomorrow. The most challenging and exciting talk … Continue reading
Progress
This is a photo of a water fountain at JFK airport that shows how many plastic bottles have been saved by that fountain. Just like that, I’m part of something. It makes meaning of my (tiny) piece of the puzzle, … Continue reading
Easy, Hard
I’ve noticed over my last six years of fundraising how different new relationships can take different paths – often self-reinforcing. Sometimes, despite everything you do, it’s just hard. I remember a few years ago one donor who, no matter what … Continue reading
Bob Dorf – Two customers
Recently I, together with Acumen’s Global Fellows, had the chance to spend the day in a training session with Bob Dorf. Bob, together with Steve Blank (who writes a must-read blog), is the author of The Startup Owner’s Manual: a … Continue reading
Posted in fundraising
Tagged bob dorf, business model canvas, fundraising, Lean Startup, nonprofits
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One month, 100 rejections
There are great reasons, as a nonprofit, to look for long-term, sustainable sources of revenues, to build a business model that brings in earned income or investor capital. Philanthropic funds are so hard to come by and often so expensive … Continue reading
More not less
Recently I had the chance to attend a roundtable discussion on how to scale innovations in global development. One of the participants, a successful serial entrepreneur, related an important and telling story about why it’s hard to seed innovation in … Continue reading
