Our Blog

By Joyce Penland, CFRE Conducting job searches on behalf of our nonprofit clients is one of the hallmarks of our work at Bacon Lee & Associates. In our 16-year history, we’ve literally read thousands of cover letters and résumés of fundraisers seeking...

By Priscilla Guajardo Cortez, J.D., M.Ed. Imagine this scenario: Fundraiser asks donor to make a major gift. The donor agrees and makes a significant donation. The organization and donor live happily ever after. Does this really happen? Sure it does, but we...

By Alexis De Sela You have heard it a thousand times: your people are your most important asset. As head of an organization, what is your reaction to the statement? Do you know what the impact of that statement represents to your mission? Have you thought...

By Amy Phipps In the world of philanthropy, some things never change. Nonprofits doing great work inspire donors who want to give. But the “hands-off” approach of the past is changing. We are moving into a different world, one that is more participatory, and...

By Katie Noble Carpenter “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s the question every child is asked at some point by teachers, family members, and even strangers. Those of us in development likely never considered answering this question with our...

By Karen Kegg It’s hard to fathom, but before email and Facebook, people actually got together in person and caught up on the latest and greatest happenings in their lives. I grew up in Central Texas and had relatives in West Texas. The day after Christmas,...

By Marion T. Lee, CFRE “The art and science of measuring, managing, and modifying both is the most challenging yet essential part of our work as volunteer and professional staff leadership.” –Michael Bennett, Executive Director, Daughters of Charity. As we...

By Priscilla Guajardo Cortez, J.D., M.Ed. We all have one – that trusted someone you go to when you need honest, unfiltered advice and perspective. A best friend not only knows you well, but also makes it their mission to keep you out of trouble and headed...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE As we approach the end of 2015, we want to share some good news about this year’s fundraising successes among our nonprofit friends locally and regionally. Our goal is to counter the often-dismal stories we read about how our state and...

By Alexis DeSela Is your organization going through an important transition? Are you getting ready to undergo Strategic Planning? Or, do you want to gauge the overall health of your operations as you grow your mission? Then, the CCAT is an important tool to...

By Marion Lee, CFRE There is a breeze wafting through the Texas nonprofit world and it is fresh, bright and filled with promise. Strategic planning in its purest form is on the rise, and capital campaigns are flourishing. The success stories of campaigns...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE As a knowledgeable nonprofit executive, you know that having a passionate, involved and supportive board of directors is essential to the long-term health of your organization. Nonprofits thrive when they can motivate and engage an...

The Giving USA report on 2014 charitable giving in the United States announced that Americans gave an estimated $358.38 billion to charity last year. Last month we looked at what sparked the record-setting philanthropic trend. This month we’ll examine who...

By Mike Bacon, CFRE Last month, we examined the top skills your CEO needs in a development officer. These skills were emphasized by nonprofit CEOs in a survey we did among our clients. We also asked for some blunt feedback on what frustrates CEOs the most in...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE Ah, summertime! Time to kick back and soak up the sun, read that bestseller on your bedside table, and nap in the hammock with a refreshing drink. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Savvy fundraisers will take advantage of summer’s natural slow...

By Mike Bacon, CFRE The Houston Chapter of AFP recently invited me to speak on the special relationship fundraisers have with our bosses.   This is a topic that has always fascinated me, primarily because I have seen situations where it has worked...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE You may or may not recall the childhood tale of Chicken Little. In a nutshell, the story tells us that one day while Chicken Little is walking in the woods an acorn falls from a tree, and hits her on the head. She thinks, “My, oh, my,...

By Amy Phipps Retaining your donors – after doing all the work to bring them into the fold – is key to organizational stability and sustainability. In last month’s newsletter, we discussed four key drivers of donor loyalty, as revealed in a research study by...