Getting Your Board Ready to Be Asked

the messy middle—the part of the campaign most consultants don’t tell you about.

If you’ve ever had a CFO pop into your office (or Zoom) and say: “Quick question… when will the money from this campaign actually come in?” …you probably felt a small wave of panic. Not because it’s a bad question. It’s a great question. It’s just that most fundraisers live in the gray and nuance of: “likely but not yet committed,” “they said they’re very interested,” “we’re waiting for their board to meet,” …while finance lives in the black-and-white world o

You’re sitting in a board meeting, and someone says it: “So… our goal is to raise this money by next June, right?” Heads nod. People are energized. The timeline sounds bold and inspiring. And in your gut, you know: There is no way. This is one of the most common campaign tensions I see: a timeline that looks great on a slide, but doesn’t match your donor pipeline, internal capacity, or external realities. The good news? You don’t have to choose between being the “no” person a

Instead of guessing or telling donors what they want, co-create the gift with them.

Looking for easy ways to engage your board in year-end giving? Try our top 3 ideas!

Early campaign gifts don’t just fund your project — they define its spirit. Discover why the first five gifts matter more than the next fifty.

Examples of who to hire as a consultant and why.

The strongest campaigns start with thoughtful pre-planning, where board members are brought in early and often.

When a campaign begins, most organizations focus on the donors they already know can make a major gift. That’s natural—you need to test...

What To Expect as Congress Reconvenes: Funding Decisions and Their Impact

What To Expect as Congress Reconvenes: Funding Decisions and Their Impact

How to Get A “Yes” for Your Feasibility Study Interviews

A future-facing lens through community ecosystem forecasting.

You've had a viral moment. Your board is asking you to repeat it. Here's how to set expectations with your board, your executive director, and your fundraising department after you've gone viral.

Wealth screening can be a powerful tool for fundraisers but it not the whole story. Here's why.

What are the most common mistakes around capital campaigns? We have listed them here and ways to avoid them.

A tough economy is not the time to gamble on shaky readiness for a capital campaign. Here's how to invest in your fundraising infrastructure

Foundations and donors are critical partners for nonprofits, but they simply can’t cover the government funding gap. Here's what you can do.

Strategic planning is not just helpful—it’s essential groundwork for campaign planning. Here's why.